Bunge Loders Croklaan unveils oil portfolio for plant-based ‘meats’

Bunge Loders Croklaan has developed a new oils portfolio for companies in the plant-based meat industry, claiming that the new ingredients can help to replicate the sensory properties of traditional meat products.

According to a statement from the company, Bunge Loders Croklaan’s new portfolio includes oils, speciality fat fractions, shortenings, flakes, and emulsifiers which are made from sunflower, canola, coconut, and palm fruit oils.

The company claims that when used together, these ingredients can help to maximize the taste, texture, and appearance of meat alternative products.

Oils in the range can boost flavour and aroma release; fractions and shortenings enhance ‘juiciness’; flakes can be used for marbling; while lecithin enhances surface browning, improving the visual appeal of meat alternatives.

Mark Stavro, senior director of marketing at Bunge Loders Croklaan, said: “While an increasing number of consumers are choosing plant-based meat alternatives for sustainable and nutritional reasons, they still insist on the experience of traditional meat.

“Fat is a fundamental driver of the sensory and culinary experience of meatless foods, and it takes the right ingredients, scale, and technical expertise to create high-quality products for this growing category.”