Hamburg, December 2023 – In the plant-based meat alternative category, high moisture texturates offer great potential due to their authentically meat-like structure. Planteneers can confirm this. At this year’s Plant Based World Expo in London and Fi Europe in Frankfurt, the company showed a high moisture extrudate made with pea protein. It was prepared as a plant-based interpretation of kebab, in a wrap with plant-based tzatziki and accompanied by ayran.

It went over very well with industry visitors, as Dr. Pia Meinlschmidt, Team Leader of Product Management Planteneers, reports: “Many trade show attendees were surprised by the high quality of the product. The fibrous structure is very similar to tender meat pieces. Some people even asked whether the product was really entirely plant-based. We are naturally very gratified by this positive response.”

Manufacture of these meat-like products is based on a stabilizing system from the fiildTex series. The texturate is offered in various sizes and shapes, for example as chunks or kebab. A plant-based alternative to tuna can also be made with the high moisture extrudate. The clean-label product is available in pure form and can be used directly or as a component in ready meals. This makes it equally suitable for retail and food service.

“Another plus point is the high protein content of 30g per 100g final product,” notes Dr. Meinlschmidt. “So it can be marked as ‘high in protein’ for marketing purposes.” In addition, the texturate is free from allergens and has a NutriScore A nutritional profile. The IQF-frozen base will keep for 12 months at -18°C.

About Planteneers

Planteneers GmbH, headquartered in Ahrensburg, Germany, develops and produces custom system solutions for plant-based alternatives to meat, sausage, and fish products, as well as cheese, dairy products, and deli foods. As a member of the independent, owner-operated Stern-Wywiol Gruppe with a total of twelve sister companies, Planteneers can make use of many synergies. The company has access to the knowledge of some 170 R&D specialists and to the extensive applications technology of the large Stern Technology Center in Ahrensburg. Part of the Technology Center, the Plant Based Competence Center formed in 2019, is the creative pool for alternative solutions and the heart of Planteneers. Customers also benefit from the Group’s international network of 19 subsidiaries and numerous qualified foreign representatives in the world’s key markets, as well as shared production facilities and the Group’s own logistics resources. With revenues exceeding 760 million euros and some 1950 employees around the globe, the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe is one of the world’s most successful international suppliers of food & feed ingredients.