Alternative Protein and Fiber-based Cheese and Hamburger Analogues: Meeting Consumer Demand for Differentiated Plant-based Products

Abstract

The importance of functionality in food has led to the development of a potential market for ingredients such as dietary fiber and alternative proteins, expanding their insertion in beverages and cheese and meat analogues. Alternative proteins include various production processes aimed at the plant, fermentative, and cell culture products. There is a worldwide trend of innovative products made by combining technologies to reach this market niche. Embrapa has developed plant-based products, such as milk, cheese, and hamburger analogues, based on babassu coconut and cashew nuts, freeze-dried cashew fiber, and alternative proteins, such as chickpeas, lentils, and the microalgae Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis). The babassu coconut cheese analogue was processed by crushing the kernels to obtain the water-soluble extract, pasteurizing, fermenting by mixed cultures and heating the water-soluble extract fermented with soy, starch, agar, and salt to form the dough, followed by packaging and storage at 4°C. The hamburger analogues based on freeze-dried cashew fiber, lentils, or chickpeas, and freeze-dried Spirulina microalgae were added with other ingredients used in traditional hamburgers, followed by molding and freezing at -18 oC. The hamburger analogue had a protein content of 14-18% on a dry basis, and the babassu coconut analogue was 4.17%, and both achieved a sensory acceptance of 7 on the 9-point hedonic scale. The products achieved purchase intention values of 3.7 and 4.0 respectively, showing market potential to meet the demand of consumers looking for functional and tasty foods.