Biting into a drumstick never felt so perplexing. This particular piece of plant-based protein took three long years to perfect. It’s shaped like a chicken leg, complete with an edible faux bone and glazed with a wet, brown substance. The bone is oddly sweet and brittle, while the flesh is a bit chewy and rubbery. But it’s the glaze that steals the show with its creamy, mouth-coating texture – just like real chicken fat. It’s surprisingly familiar, yet predictably boring. Yes, it tastes like chicken. And to think I had to sign a waiver for this!
For James Petrie, CEO of Nourish Ingredients, a food technology company based in Australia, this is a triumph. He just unveiled his company’s latest product, Tastilux, at SXSW Sydney. It’s a world-first in animal-free fat, specifically designed to enhance the mouthfeel of plant-based meats and make them taste more meaty and delicious.
The plant-based alternative protein industry has been a lucrative one, worth over $10 billion worldwide according to 2022 research. However, there are indications that the market is losing its sizzle. In Australia, where the industry is valued at $140 million, estimates suggest it could reach at least $3 billion by 2030. Despite their role in combating global warming, plant-based alternatives are often criticized for their lack of flavor and high cost.
Dr. Ken Ng, a senior lecturer in food chemistry at the University of Melbourne, explains that while plant-based meat products have made progress in mimicking real meat, they still face significant challenges. Consumers can detect differences in texture, appearance, and, most importantly, flavor – where fat plays a key role.
One of the prominent flavors in animal fats is omega-6 fatty acids. Petrie set out to find these flavor-rich molecules in non-animal sources, particularly fungi. His team discovered a fungal strain in Australian soil that produced the desired fat. They use precision fermentation, a process akin to brewing beer, to cultivate these animal-like lipids. The fats then undergo a “cooking reaction” to initiate the Maillard reaction, responsible for the charred flavor of grilled meat. The resulting liquid fat product, Tastilux, can be added to uncooked plant-based products. Upon cooking, the Maillard reaction completes, providing meatiness without the meat. Petrie describes it as adding a pre-flavor that delivers an authentic taste.
For now, Tastilux is only available for business-to-business purposes, allowing other alternative protein companies to incorporate the “pre-flavor” into their own products. Its debut at SXSW was part of a joint showcase featuring another breakthrough technology in the plant-based industry: Replihue. Developed by V2 Food, an algae-based innovation allows faux burgers to transition from pink to brown as they cook, just like real beef.
The SXSW showcase felt like a combination of a tech product launch and a cooking demo, with chefs quietly barbecuing their plant-based creations in the background while the two chief executives, including Tim York from V2 Food, answered questions from the MC. Audiences eagerly searched for a “golden ticket” under their seats to sample these innovative plant-based offerings.
As I indulge in the Tastilux drumstick, I’m reminded of a story shared by Petrie. His 12-year-old son, a budding baker, was initially skeptical about the fat-glazed mock chicken. But after taking a bite, he was genuinely surprised and exclaimed, “Oh, that’s really good! You could sell that!” Clearly, Tastilux has intrigued even the toughest of critics.
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