Hydrosol promotes stabilising systems for meatless products

26 Jun 2018

Hydrosol claims its new stabilising systems make possible the simple, safe production of burger patties and many other products on existing production lines.

Demand for alternatives to traditional meat products is rising worldwide, notes Hydrosol. One reason, the company believes, is consumers’ growing nutritional awareness. Another is the growing world population. According to Hydrosol, more and more meat producers are adding plant-based products to their portfolios. The burger product category is very trendy right now, it says, and there is a lot of movement internationally with some spectacular announcements of product innovations. However, in many cases, implementing these involves very high investment in new product plant, Hydrosol claims. But, the company says, it doesn’t have to be that way. Hydrosol claims its new stabilising systems make possible the simple, safe production of burger patties and many other products on existing production lines.

Vegan burger patties are based on texturates that give the final product a hamburger-like texture. HydroTOP High Gel 30 is said to provide these texturates with the necessary binding.

“The system is based on a tailored hydrocolloid fibre combination of emulsifying and stabilising components,” said Dr Carsten Carstens, Innovation & Product Manager for meat products at Hydrosol. “First an emulsion is made with HydroTOP High Gel 30, oil and water, that stabilises the texturate. This gives a compact, formable mass comparable to bound ground meat. This meat substitute mass can be seasoned to taste and produced on conventional machines like cutters or mixers, and then shaped as desired in normal moulding machines.

HydroTOP High Gel 30 is claimed to be suitable for binding all normal texturates on the market. In addition, Hydrosol offers all-in compounds for the simple production of ground meat substitutes.

“There are significant quality differences among texturates, which have a major effect on the texture of the final products,” said Carstens. “We have tested many texturates, refined them and taken the raw materials into our portfolio. That means customers can get the whole package of texturate plus binder, or just the binder to use with their own texturate.”

Investments in complex extrusion technology, which can quickly run into the seven figures, are not necessary, Hydrosol says, noting that its all-in compounds contain all the ingredients needed for making vegan burger substitutes – texturate and binder plus flavouring, seasoning and colour. The final products feature classic meat flavour and product-specific aroma. The product portfolio includes soy-wheat as well as soy-free texturates.

These all-in compounds can be used to make a wide range of meatless products, from burger patties, meatballs, köfte and cevapcici substitutes to vegan shish kebab. Meatless nuggets, schnitzel, filet strips and fish sticks and other breaded products are also possible. The ground product mass is freeze-thaw-stable and can also be used in ready meals.

“The final products can be pre-cooked so that before eating they only need to be heated up in the oven,” said Carstens. “If the burger patties are frozen raw they can go directly into the frying pan. That’s a big advantage, especially for short order restaurants.”

The vegan köfte and meatball alternatives are also sterilisation-stable, so they can be canned as ready meals without problems.