NIZO has published a webcast on fermentation of plant-based dairy alternatives. Renske Janssen, Project Manager Protein Technology, pointes out that plant-based ingredients, namely plant protein, cannot replace animal protein directly. Therefore, plant-based ingredients must be altered in order to develop the desired properties in the finished product. Fermentation is a natural way to achieve this.
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First, the right lactic acid bacteria strains must be identified by screening and selection. Suitable strains then can be adapted to the new substrate by fermention for a 1,000 generations.Plant protein is precipidated at the isoelectric point using the adapted bacteria strains. Right selection of strains can also help reduce off-lavours or create the desired glavour and texture.
In the webcast, Janssen demonstrates all this using a plant-based cream cheese alternative as example. Lactic bacteria strains add dairy functionalities to the plant based substrate, based on a selection according to their EPS productioon and proteolytic characteristis.
