Erika’s Favorites: The power of plants
Veganism is growing rapidly in popularity, and Erika takes a look at the science behind meat alternatives
ERIKA: WE SCOUR HIGH AND LOW FOR THE YUMMIEST FINES ACROSS NEW ENGLAND HERE. FOR ME, I AM ALWAYS ON THE HUNT PLANT-POWERED FUEL. THE WORK BEING DONE HERE IN NEW ENGLAND TO EXPAND THESE HORIZONS, WELL, THEY PASS THE TASTE TEST. YOU ARE LOOKING AT AN ARRAY OF DISHES FROM AROUND THE WORLD. >> STARTING HERE WE HAVE SOME CHICKEN FOH. HERE WE MADE CHICKEN MAYONNAISE. THESE ARE PULLED PORK ARIBBAS. ERIKA: JENNIFER HAS TRIED HER HAND AT MAKING ALL SORTS OF INTERNATIONAL WAS THE AND AMERICAN FAVORITES TOO, LIKE THESE PULLED PORK SLIDERS. >> BON APPETIT. ERIKA: THANK YOU. IT IS VERY GOOD. VERY GOOD, SAYS THE VEGETARIAN REPORTER? FEAR NOT. THIS FOOD IS ALL PLANT-BASED. WE ARE AT THE OFFICE, KITCHEN, AND LAB OF TENDER, A FOOD TECHNOLOGY COMPANY. >> WE CO-FUNDED THIS COMPANY BECAUSE WE REALIZED THERE WAS NO TEXTURE SOLUTION AVAILABLE IN THE ALTERNATIVE MEAT INDUSTRY. TODAY YOU HAVE BURGERS, SAUSAGES, SECOND NUGGET. YOU DON’T HAVE OUR STAKES, CHICKEN BREASTS, PORK CHOPS. ERIKA: CHRISTOPH HAS A PHD IN ENGINEERING. >> MEAT IS FIBROUS. SO WE HAVE DEVELOPED TECH ELEGIES THAT ALLOW US TO RE-CREATE THOSE STRUCTURES. ERIKA: DEFINITELY A TEXTURE I HAVE NOT REALLY HAD AN ALTERNATIVE MEAT. THE MARKET FOR DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVE MEAT IS GROWING, AS IT SHOULD >> COMPANIES HAVE SHOWN IT IS ROUGHLY 90% LESS CARBON THAT IS USED FOR PRODUCING PRODUCTS. IT IS 90% IS WATER, LAND. THERE ARE LOTS OF BENEFITS. ERIKA: DAVID MCLENNAN’S IS A FASTER AT AMHERST. CURRENTLY THE MOST HIGHLY-CITED SCIENTIST IN THE WORLD. >> IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE REALLY CREATE A SUSTAINABLE FOOD SUPPLY. THE GLOBAL POPULATION IS GROWING. WE HAVE TO FEED ALL OF THESE PEOPLE. WE HAVE TO DO IT WITHOUT DAMAGING THE PLANET FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. ERIKA: HE SAYS INTEREST IN HIS LAB HAS EXPLODED. THOSE HERE ARE NOT ONLY DEVELOPING OPTIONS, BUT SUSTAINABLE FOODS WITH LESS HARMFUL INGREDIENTS. >> WE CAN TAKE THAT OUT OF THE FOOD, SUGARS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND WE CAN PUT IN THINGS LIKE VETERANS AND IN HER ROLES, AND NATURAL MOLECULES YOU GET FROM PLANTS THAT HAVE HEALTH BENEFITS. ERIKA: THIS POSTDOC RESEARCHER SAYS THERE IS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE BIG MARKET. >> THE ONE NEGATIVE I THINK OF HIS CHOLESTEROL. CAN YOU DO ANYTHING FOR THAT? >> WE CAN REDUCE THE CHOLESTEROL IF YOU WANT. THAT IS THE MAGIC. WE CAN MAKE EGGS BASED ON YOUR PERSONAL NUTRITION NEEDS. ERIKA: STUDYING FOOD SCIENCE IN BUSINESS, WORKING ON PLANT-BASED SEAFOOD. >> THERE IS A LOT OF MARKET RESEARCH THAT PLANT-BASED SEAFOOD IS THE NEXT WAVE COMING UP. ERIKA: SHE HAS DEVELOPED MONKFISH FOIE GRAS AND SCALLOPS. THIS IS THE ACTUAL ONE? AND THIS IS THE PLANT-BASED? >> YES. ERIKA: THE IDEA IS TO MIMIC THE COLOR AND TEXTURE? >> EXACTLY. ERIKA: BOTH ARE MADE FROM PLANT PROTEIN AND FLAXSEED OIL. I KNOW YOU WERE WONDERING WHAT THIS TASTE LIKE. I WOULD GIVE IT A TRY, BUT THERE IS NO FLAVOR YET, AND I AM NOT ALLOWED. >> WE TRY TO GET THE TEXTURE RIGHT FIRST, BECAUSE THAT IS THE EASY THING. THEN WE WOULD TRY TO GET THE APPEARANCE LIGHT. THEN WE WOULD GET THE FLAVOR THEN THAT IS WHEN WE GET HUMAN BEINGS TO TEST THEM. ERIKA: THE PROFESSOR ENVISIONS A FUTURE WHERE OUR HUMAN BEINGS GET OUR FOOD IN A VERY DIFFERENT WAY. THIS IS A 3D BIO PRINTER. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING STUDENT AT SHEA SHOWS OFF SOME GROUND BEEF. IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF THE JETSONS. BUT IT COULD HAPPEN. >> DEFINITELY. WE ANTICIPATE IT IS GOING TO BE LIKE A MICROWAVE. EVERY HOME IS GOING TO HAVE A 3D PRINTER. HE WILL PRINT OUT YOUR MEAL, AND AS YOU ARE TRAVELING HOME THEY ARE GOING TO PRINT OUT A BIRDER OR WHATEVER YOU WANT, ALL FROM PLANT-BASED INGREDIENTS. ERIKA: BEEF. IT IS WHAT IS PRINTED FOR DINNER. >> IT IS EXCITING. YOU CAN USE SCIENCE TO CHANGE THE WORLD AND ADDRESS THINGS LIKE LOCAL WARMING AND POLLUTION.
Erika’s Favorites: The power of plants
Veganism is growing rapidly in popularity, and Erika takes a look at the science behind meat alternatives
Updated: 8:00 PM EST Dec 28, 2022
Formerly known as Boston Meats, Tender is a Somerville-based food technology company that is creating new textures for alternative meats. Tender is bringing plant-based alternatives to market first.Right now, vegan foods that are widely available include vegan burgers, sausages and nuggets. Tender is focused on options like vegan steak, chicken breast and pork chops.Ultimately, Tender plans to offer cell-cultured or cultivated meat as well.The Food Science program at UMass Amherst, is considered one of the top programs for food science in the world where students and researchers are innovating new plant-based food solutions.Boston Meats: Solving texture for alternative meatsDepartment of Food Science | UMass Amherst
Formerly known as Boston Meats, Tender is a Somerville-based food technology company that is creating new textures for alternative meats. Tender is bringing plant-based alternatives to market first.
Right now, vegan foods that are widely available include vegan burgers, sausages and nuggets. Tender is focused on options like vegan steak, chicken breast and pork chops.
Ultimately, Tender plans to offer cell-cultured or cultivated meat as well.
The Food Science program at UMass Amherst, is considered one of the top programs for food science in the world where students and researchers are innovating new plant-based food solutions.
