6 steps to make plant-based a success according to WUR

Improving the quality of meat substitutes is the first step to making plant-based a success. - Photo: Jan Willem Schouten

Accelerating the protein transition can be done in six steps, according to Wageningen University & Research (WUR). The six focus areas in a row with reading material.

Pulses consumption has doubled, meat substitutes are getting more shelf space and consumers want to eat healthier and more sustainable food. All signs seem to be green for the protein transition. Yet there are also areas of concern: meat consumption is not yet decreasing and dairy consumption is also holding up. WUR has identified six areas of concern through which the protein transition can accelerate.

Step 1: Improve the quality of meat substitutes

Meat and dairy substitutes have improved in recent years, but consumers still feel that the texture and taste fall short. The consideration remains: is the food really tasty and would I serve it to others? How can we work to improve taste?"

• New techniques improve taste and functionality of legume protein
• How can the magic of meat be matched in vegetables?

Step 2: Healthy diet

Consumers want to eat plant-based foods because it's healthier. That a brown bean is healthy is indisputable, but what about meat substitutes? Consumers want alternatives with the same nutritional value as the product they want to replace.

• What is the importance of health in the protein transition?
• Plenty of opportunities for hybrid products: 'Emphasize environmental and health benefits'

Step 3: Fewer processed ingredients

Currently, raw materials for plant products are highly processed, such as fractionated. This leads to lower nutritional value. Fibers and proteins that are then lost are added back to the product later. Mild processing of raw materials leads to healthier and sustainable foods.

• Time Travelling Milkman makes dairy cream substitute from sunflower seed
• Mycoproteins and vegetables offer new vegetable opportunities

Step 4: Varied crop supply

Meat substitutes now consist mainly of soy and wheat. Using more crops, such as lentils or field beans, could provide opportunities for agriculture with local crops. Diversification of raw materials for meat substitutes also involves proteins from yeast, bacteria and fungi. These offer enormous potential, but still make up only a small part of the market.

• Cultivation of chickpeas in the Netherlands a niche
• Mycoprotein for meat substitutes on the rise

Step 5: Making plant-based the easy choice

Consumers have too little knowledge to get started properly with legumes. This hinders them from choosing beans in meals. Plant-based products should also be easy to buy and not cost an inordinate amount.

• Meat and dairy substitutes cheaper than animal products
• Plantarian 2.0: flavorful and no meat look

Step 6: Share results

When you research and experiment, you learn. Those lessons are useful not only for yourself, but also for others in the same situation. Here are some inspiring company stories:

• Revyve foresees great future for functional protein from brewer's yeast
• Wouter Staal (YB) sees future in plant-based supply

Source: eiwittrends.co.uk