Döhler and Sacco System have formed an alliance in the plant-based dairy alternatives and food cultures categories. The partnership will start with formulating new dairy-free yogurts and progressing over time to drinks, cheeses and spreads.

“The development of effective solutions for plant-based products must be seen through the prism of the clean label, since consumers want options that are more natural, with ingredients that are easier to understand, avoiding additional ingredients often perceived as artificial,” Angelo Suarez, a plant-based fermented alternatives application expert at Sacco System, tells FoodIngredientsFirst. 

“To overcome texture and flavor challenges in fermented plant-based product development, these solutions involve adding functional characteristics by fermentation.” The challenge with plant-based products is that consumers do not want to compromise on taste.

Overcoming obstacles to NPD
Producers of plant-based products must work with various new ingredients or complex formulations, which present complications to successful NPD launches.

Suarez says: “Buying ready-made plant-based dairy alternative bases from Döhler and culture blends from Sacco is a fast path to bring a product to market.” 

Sacco’s R&D focuses on natural probiotics isolation and characterization. The company has an extensive culture and probiotic strain collection.

The cooperation between the two companies focuses on mapping possible solutions and identifying flavor combinations.. 

In addition, both companies will jointly continue working on novel taste and texture performances. 

Texture preferences of plant-based foods
While fermentation has been around for millennia, consumers today have distinct taste and texture preferences that vary by region. 

Fermentation is experiencing a revival due to its gut health benefits in addition to its ability to enhance flavor profiles.

Carlo Appennini, dairy BU executive director of Sacco System, says: “We are excited about this partnership as Sacco is renowned in the space of cultures and bringing cultures to Döhler plant-based dairy alternatives will complete the offering.”

“Customers will get the entire science needed to run successful fermented plant-based projects with decreased time-to-market,” Appennini explains.Fermentation is experiencing a revival due to its health benefits but also its tangy flavor profile.

Breaking new ground with fermentation
This year has seen strides being made in the advancement of plant-based foods on the basis of fermentation.  

Earlier this month, the “Bio-Purification of Plant Proteins” project was launched to develop bio-purification strategies – processes of eliminating off-flavors, anti-nutritional compounds and phytoestrogens from plant proteins. 

The project, backed by the Dutch government, through its Top Sector Agri & Food (TKI Agri & Food) initiative, will explore the potential for fermentation to remove off-flavors and other unwanted characteristics in various plant proteins and isolates.

Start-up Eden Brew, which specializes in cultivating animal-free dairy, developed a cow-free milk product using casein, which is currently undergoing prototype testing at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)’s Food Innovation Centre in Victoria.

The first product is expected to be launched in roughly 15 months time.