Fermenting flavor bases
2020-2021
Mr. Goldberg and his team of chefs and scientists are using both traditional and adapted multiphase fermentation of plant-based materials to develop organoleptically satisfying flavors for plant-based meat.
PRODUCTION PLATFORM: Plant-based
TECHNOLOGY SECTOR: Ingredient optimization
Project aims
This project explores the potential of traditional and adapted multiphase fermentation technologies to develop new meat flavors from plant ingredients. These flavors can then be added to food products – specifically, plant-based meat. The research develops production protocols for elevating and accentuating beneficial organoleptic factors in flavor-rich ingredients.
This work will increase the scenarios in which plant-based materials are able to emulate conventional meat. It will help expand the types of plant-based ingredients that address critical culinary functions of animal-based meat and other animal proteins.
Principal researcher
BZ Goldberg
CEO and R&D Director, The Mediterranean Food Lab, Israel
Mr. Goldberg leads an interdisciplinary team with expertise in sensory evaluation, organic chemistry, and applied microbiology. The Mediterranean Food Lab holds team experience in culinary applications of food production applications — from home cooking and fine dining to foodservice and industrial product development.
A top European agrifood startup
The Mediterranean Food Lab was one of three European agrifood startups awarded €100,000 from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Food Accelerator Network.
View related grant projects
Identifying pea protein off flavors
Learn about Dr. Jian Li’s work at Beijing Technology and Business University to identify off flavors in pea protein and improve plant-based meat.
Red seaweed protein
Learn about Trophic LLC’s research developing plant-based meat ingredients from red seaweed protein through GFI’s grant program.
Oat protein fermentation
Learn about cutting-edge research to use fermented oat protein to develop plant-based meat.
Proteins under pressure
Learn about Dr. Ciara McDonnell’s work to establish high-pressure processing and high-pressure thermal processing parameters for plant proteins.
Explore research opportunities
-
Cultivated
-
Fermentation
-
Plant-Based
Hybrid products to optimize nutrition, taste, cost, and sustainability
Hybrid products are a promising means to improve the cost and sustainability of animal-derived meat while improving the taste of plant proteins. Promoting the health benefits of hybrids may facilitate…
-
Cultivated
-
Fermentation
-
Plant-Based
Scientist / engineer outreach and education
To expand the technical talent pipeline, various players in the alternative protein field should reach out to scientists and engineers in relevant disciplines (e.g., biotech, biopharma, and food science) to…
-
Cultivated
-
Fermentation
-
Plant-Based
Life Cycle Assessment for alternative seafood relative to conventional fishing and aquaculture
To date, no robust environmental assessments have been conducted to compare alternative seafood to its conventional counterparts. An open-access, quantitative analysis of the relative environmental impacts of alternative seafood will…
Check out related resources
The science of plant-based meat
Learn about the science of plant-based meat. Discover resources and research on the latest technological developments and key scientific questions.
