Textured Fermotein® – student project

18 mei 2022

Eline Schutjes (21, student Food technology) and Lauren Smeeth (21, student Food Innovation) are students of the HAS University of Applied Sciences and are currently working on their graduation project. This project will be carried out on behalf of the Protein Brewery in context of GPEC. The Protein Brewery is currently a business-to-business company that is engaged in developing new proteins through fermentation processes. The company wants to contribute to a more sustainable world by using water efficient Carbohydrate-rich crops and turn them into protein and fiber using a fungal fermentation.

Previously, minor students of the HAS University executed a research dedicated to dry Fermotein® for The Protein Brewery, in which a meat substitute was developed with dry Fermotein® as a protein source. The aim now for Lauren and Eline is to explore a new variant Fermotein®; textured Fermotein®. This will be developed by the students to replace the textured vegetable protein that is now used within many of The Protein Brewery’s example products, as well as in the commercially available meat analogues, and with this to increase the share of Fermotein® within the list of ingredients. The students have been optimizing this textured Fermotein®, to require the most optimal sensory profile. Currently two recipes have been developed; one for a meat application and one for a fish application. In addition to sensory research, more technical research must now be done on the textured Fermotein®, such as measuring the pH, the a_w, rheological properties and look into further processing steps. The Protein Brewery has also asked the students to develop products with this textured Fermotein® as an ingredient, giving potential customers a better idea of this versatile product. Because of the potential within the range of plant-based fish products, the students have recently begun developing fish applications with this textured ingredient.