Natural meat color with yeast

Project aims

This project will develop an innovative approach where red-pigmented yeast cells, similar to baker’s and brewer’s yeasts except for the color, are used as an ingredient to make plant-based products mimic whole-cut meat products (e.g., steak). The advantage of this yeast is that besides its red color, it is a good source of protein and can offer multiple functionalities to the final product. These include a meaty flavor and a meat-like fibrous structure, which could reduce the need to use additives such as binders, gelling agents, emulsifiers, and artificial colorants. The project will develop a scalable process to produce the yeast cells, investigate how to blend the yeast with plant proteins effectively, and evaluate the cooking quality of the final product. The project has transformational potential as it offers a unique, novel solution for developing nutritious, safe, and sustainable clean label meat analogues that meet consumers’ preferences.