Scientists Create Plant-Based Cheese That Stretches and Melts Like Real Dairy
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📰 The quick summary: Scientists at the University of Guelph developed plant-based cheese that stretches, melts and tastes like dairy by combining pea protein with a healthier oil blend, reducing saturated fat while maintaining texture.
📈 One key stat: Plant-based cheese made with pea protein and 25% coconut oil achieved 80 Newtons of firmness, nearly matching the 100 Newtons of cheese made with 100% coconut oil, enabling significant saturated fat reduction.
💬 One key quote: “If you wanted to strictly only eat plant-based products, you would end up eating a lot of beans and tofu, which can be a little bit boring after a while. Now, consumers expect essentially the same animal product but with plant-based ingredients, which is very difficult,” said Alejandro Marangoni, one of the lead researchers.
1️⃣ The big picture: Scientists at the University of Guelph have achieved a breakthrough in plant-based cheese technology, creating versions that closely mimic dairy cheese’s stretch, melt, and texture properties. Their research focuses on blending healthier oils with specific plant proteins to achieve the desired cheese-like characteristics. By combining pea protein with a mix of 25% coconut oil and 75% sunflower oil, they’ve created plant cheese with firmness, meltability, and stretchiness very similar to conventional cheese. This advancement addresses longstanding challenges in mimicking dairy with plant ingredients, potentially making plant-based alternatives more appealing to mainstream consumers.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: This innovation significantly reduces saturated fat content in plant-based cheeses without compromising texture or functionality. The research provides a pathway for creating healthier cheese alternatives that perform authentically in cooking applications like pizza and sandwiches. Plant-based cheese production requires fewer natural resources than dairy farming and generates lower greenhouse gas emissions, making it environmentally sustainable. Food manufacturers now have scientific guidance to develop better tasting, better performing plant cheese products that consumers might actually prefer over conventional options. The technology helps bridge the gap for people transitioning to more plant-based diets by providing familiar textures and cooking properties.
3️⃣ What’s next: Researchers will likely explore additional plant protein sources and further refine oil blends to create even better products. Food scientists may test how these improved plant cheeses perform in various cooking applications and recipes. Companies can use this research to develop and scale up production of healthier, more authentic plant-based cheese alternatives for wider market distribution.
Read the full story here: The Brighter Side News – Scientists perfect plant-based cheeses – stretch, melt, and taste like dairy
