Application of fermentation as a tool for alternative protein biotransformation for development of innovative products and ingredients

At the recent UN Food Systems Summit, there were calls to make plant-based diets central to global and national strategies for developing more sustainable, healthy, and equitable food systems. As consumers replace animal-derived products with plant-based ones, food producers face several challenges, including nutritional disparities, issues with taste and texture, and the need for higher processing levels in plant-based alternatives.

While consumers may perceive their choices as more sustainable when selecting plant-based products, this is not always true. Fermentation, a process humans have long used to enhance food freshness, taste, texture, safety, and shelf life, plays a crucial role. It is widely used in the dairy industry and in producing plant-based products like tempeh.

This project is harnessing existing knowledge of microbial fermentation, processing, and formulation to improve plant-based raw materials. The goal is to create more sustainable 'clean-label' plant-based products, offering tastier, safer, and less processed alternatives.