City firm helping create better pulse-based burgers

EAGLE STAFF

Business leaders in Saskatoon, Calgary and England hope to develop a tastier, more nutritious plant-based patty.

More and more consumers “want products that are delicious and nutritious with an appealing texture, regardless of whether they’re made from meat or plants,” a Protein Industries Canada statement said. Leaders of Protein Industries and Innovate UK want more collaboration among food companies in the two nations.

Photo from Pulse Canada

People with Lovingly Made Flour Mills of Saskatoon, Botaneco in Calgary, Stars UK R&D of London and the University of Leeds hope “to solve moisture and juiciness challenges” using Canadian-grown and -processed pulses and sunflowers, the statement said. Another goal is to match “the taste, texture and aroma of beef along with matching price parity within a decade,” the statement said.

“Canada has an unparalleled opportunity to supply the world with ingredients that are not only functional and nutritious, but also sustainable,” said Robert Hunter of Toronto, who directs Regina-based Protein Industries Canada.

Botaneco and Lovingly Made have already participated in Protein Industries endeavours and intend to “optimize existing processing techniques to create new textured protein ingredients incorporating novel plant-based fats,” the statement said.

Leeds university staff are to “ensure the ingredients meet the functional, taste and texture characteristics consumers are looking for,” then workers with Stars UK “will incorporate the ingredients into a new line of plant-based burgers for distribution through global restaurant chains,” the statement said.