Dr Stacy Pyett Business Development Manager at NIZO food research BV has found that the quality of protein ingredients had increased across the board over the past ten years. Traditional protein sources have diversified per application with very targeted functionalities. And of course the alternative proteins have moved from idea to reality, driven by visionary companies who dare to invest in emerging technologies.
NIZO is active in helping the alternative proteins achieve the same targeted functionality and sensory quality as traditional proteins. I think there are going to be some big leaps in quality coming to the market in the next couple of years.
Innovation requires collaboration. NIZO is proud of its collaboration with Ruitenberg Ingredients, which resulted in a new ingredient for meat alternatives which delivers flexibility and efficiency in processing. The collaboration required both to be flexible in the business model and Dr Pyett personally learned a lot about all the steps required after the technology is in place.