Nutrition revolution with our innovaTERhybrid
Changing dietary habits
Our diet is increasingly influenced by topics such as health, sustainability, animal welfare, and environmental compatibility. At the same time, a growing variety of dietary habits is shaping consumer behavior. Initially, there were vegetarians who avoided meat but continued to consume animal products such as eggs, fish, or milk. Later, vegans emerged, who strictly eliminated all animal products from their diet.
"A trend is something that is popular or in demand at a particular time."
For the food industry, this shift posed a major challenge. Initially, veganism was considered a short-lived trend, and many manufacturers faced the decision of whether to react or wait. Today, it is clear: veganism has established itself as a permanent dietary choice and is much more than just a passing trend.
The true consumers of meat alternatives
The food industry is questioning who actually consumes vegan meat, dairy, and fish alternatives. Countless studies show that vegans make up only a small portion of this market, as they often prepare their meals and alternatives themselves. The largest target group by far consists of flexitarians – people who still eat meat, dairy, and fish products but consciously want to reduce their consumption. At the same time, they do not want to give up traditional indulgence products such as sausages, schnitzels, fish sticks, or chicken nuggets.
Challenge: Fewer additives
More and more manufacturers are seeking solutions to significantly reduce the number of additives in their products. Consumers are increasingly prioritizing natural ingredients and find long ingredient lists with more than ten additives unappealing. This presents the food industry with the challenge of developing innovative alternatives that deliver both in taste and quality.
Our solution: innovaTERhybrid
We have taken on this challenge and developed a solution that reduces both meat consumption and the use of additives. The result is our innovative innovaTERhybrid for meat alternatives – a combination of a conventional meat phase and a plant-based phase.
Our goal was to reduce the meat content by 50% while minimizing additives responsible for flavor, consistency, texture, and mouthfeel. We achieved this not by adding more substances but through targeted optimization of the recipe within the meat phase.
From idea to implementation
We started by working with traditional Leberkäse, combining conventional sausage meat with a plant-based phase. Although our initial tests were disappointing – color, texture, mouthfeel, and consistency did not meet our expectations – we did not give up.
To find the best possible solution, we collaborated closely with a project group from the State Technical School for Meat and Food Processing Technology LEMITEC in Kulmbach, which was tackling the same challenge. Through this partnership, we developed a highly efficient system that can be flexibly adapted to various applications.
In this system, a modified conventional sausage meat is produced, into which the ingredients of the plant-based phase are directly incorporated during the cutting process. This plant-based phase consists exclusively of plant proteins, plant fibers, and hydrocolloids, ensuring optimal texture and stability. This eliminates an additional production step, making the entire manufacturing process more efficient.
Applications for various products
The system can also be used to produce other finely minced meat products, such as bratwurst, cooked sausages, and cold cuts. Additionally, we have expanded the entire project to include various meat alternatives. It can now also be applied to the production of meatballs, formed schnitzels, burger patties, and chicken nuggets.
In this process, the meat-based mixture is prepared as usual in the tumbler or mixer before the plant-based phase ingredients are added. The shaping is then carried out as usual using appropriate forming and filling machines.
Customized solutions for B2B and B2C markets
Both B2B and B2C markets can access these systems to offer their customers suitable meat-reduced solutions. Each manufacturer has its own unique recipes, and we want to keep it that way. Just as these recipes are individual, the plant-based phase must also be tailored accordingly.
We believe that these products are not just a temporary trend but will significantly shape our future diet.
For this reason, we do not offer a pre-made mix for the plant-based phase but instead support you in determining the optimal composition of raw materials that meet your specific requirements.
Let’s tackle this challenge together! We look forward to your inquiries.
Your innovaTERkitchen Team
Ralf Kettner
Senior Application Specialist
Phone: +49 40 300 501 8203
E-Mail: r.kettner[at]terchemicals.com