ChickP Protein, the foodTech start-up has created prototypes of chickpea-powered cream cheese and firm cheddar cheese. The new innovations match real dairy cheese in appearance, flavour, and are highly nutritious.
The companys breakthrough formulations will be instrumental in helping manufacturers fast-track customisation of plant-based cheese products that genuinely respond to consumer’s cravings for a delicious cheesy experience. The new cheese applications join the company’s expanding line of plant-based alternative prototypes, including egg-free mayonnaise, ice-cream, and chickpea-based barista coffee creamer illustrating the functional versatility of ChickP’s ingredient.
Said Liat Lachish Levy, ChickP CEO: “Flexitarians dominate the consumer market for dairy alternatives. They are eager to eat vegan alternatives as long as those alternatives can level up to real dairy’s sensory and nutritional attributes. These are precisely the gaps the industry is striving to close. While some cheese analog producers succeed on the sensory points, this often comes at the expense of the desired nutritional balance—and vice versa.”
ChickP broke down the barriers to the perfect protein for creating a no-compromise cheese alternative. The start-up’s formula is based on its proprietary, high-functioning chickpea isolate. The isolate embodies a 90% whole protein composition and provides a powerful and nutritional boost to plant-based food applications. The isolate is also clean-label, with a neutral flavour, making it a highly versatile ingredient to work with.
The cream cheese formulation combines the isolate with a few simple ingredients, such as water, coconut oil, and starch. Its tangy cheese-like flavour is obtained via fermentation with lactic bacteria, just like the traditional milk-based process. As a cultured product, it is naturally replete with probiotic benefits.
Added Maor Dahan, ChickP application manager: “We insisted on applying only traditional processes for our winning cheese analogs. Our formulas contain no stabilisers or gums. We explored a range of cultures to find the strains that work best with our formula. On top of that, the synergy between the chickpea isolates and starch helped create a rich, smooth, creamy textured spread on par with real dairy cream cheese and awards hearty complete protein fulfillment.”
ChickP also produced a chickpea-based firm cheese that delivers the bold, earthy flavour and chewy texture of cheddar cheese. It also is produced via fermentation to achieve depth of flavour, firmness and natural probiotic benefits. It works well on sandwiches, melts nicely on cheese toast and transforms into a cheesy sauce for creating an alfredo-style pasta or a vegan macaroni and cheese.
The company currently is developing analogs of other popular cheeses, such as emmental, parmesan, and mozzarella. ChickP is cooperating with global alternative dairy producers and traditional dairy manufacturers segue into the alt protein arena, helping them tailor signature cheese products. ChickP will provide them with raw materials, recipe, and technical expertise. For more visit chickp-protein.com
