Page 35 - FoodFocusThailand No.182 May 2021

SPECIAL FOCUS
SPECIAL FOCUS

Future Food:

Plant-based Protein

According to the United Nations estimate, the projected world population will reach 9.7 billion in the next 30 years
(2050), along with the ever-growing technological advances. This will produce adverse effects on the sourcing
of energy, clean water, and food. In particular, when the world is faced with climate change issues, “there may
not be enough food sources to supply the need of the global population”. Many consumers, hence, turn their
attention from the production and consumption of animal-based protein to those of plant-based alternatives.

The high-moisture extrusion technology can produce plant-based Government Support The level of impacts of plant-based protein
protein whose fibers are similar to those of conventional meat such as products on the livestock industry and consumer behavior depends on
poultry or salmon. These fibrous plant-derived materials, known as meat the support provided by the government. This is a crucial key factor driving
analog, are made from soy protein concentrate, soy protein isolate, or manufacturers toward the goal of creating added value for future food
wheat protein via the extrusion technology with 50-70% of moisture products under the BCG economy model.
content. • Smart Farmers: Farmers will be assisted in the shift from manual
Novameat Tech SL. is a Barcelona-based start-up company in Spain labor to the reliance on modern technologies in combination with traditional
that relies on a bioprinting-based technology to manufacture plant-derived wisdom to improve the quality of agricultural produces. This can effectively
steak whose fibers, fats, and juiciness very much resemble those of cater to the market’s demands, cut costs, and reduce production lead
conventional steak. The simulation of a steak, along with its muscles, time. They will also learn to rely on appropriate means of production such
fats, and blood, is created by a software and then bio-printed accordingly. as increasing the protein content of agricultural crops and growing future
The ingredients include, for example, seaweed, green pea, and beet protein-rich crops such as pigeon pea, chickpea, and green bean.
juice. The company planned to put this plant-derived steak imitation on • Development of Advance Knowledge and Technologies: Plant-
sale in selected restaurants in Spain and Italy within 2020 . based protein will become more similar to meat-based protein through
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these innovative efforts. However, the research and development will
Research Findings in Thailand Thailand has produced many need to ensure that novel food products exceed consumer’s expectation
lab-based research findings that are ready to be commercially – a feat that can be achieved via the improvement of nutritional value,
implemented such as the following: fiber characters, and fat ratio (such as the use of omega-3 as a dietary
• Mycoprotein: A research team from BIOTEC, the National Science fat substitute or the production of plant-based protein products that contain
and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), used safe, non-toxic, all essential amino acids and iron). Another viable government support
food-grade microbes that are capable of mass-producing a tremendous is the expansion of production to ensure effective scalability and cost
amount of protein and fibers with suitable properties to manufacture a structure.
plant-based food product. The end product is a meat patty imitation, Thai consumers are traditionally accustomed to plant-based protein
which can be used as a plant-derived substitute for animal-based patties that comes in the form of veganism. In the past few years, the western
in burgers, Larb (spicy minced meat salad), fried rice with meat and countries have kindled a new international trend that encourages people
basil, Nam Prik Ong (spicy northern Thai pork and tomato), and tapioca to consume less meat. This is a very opportune moment for Thailand to
balls with pork fillings. It has no cholesterol but is high in nutrients and manufacture plant-based foods to satisfy both the domestic and
contains as much protein as an egg. It also contains all essential amino international markets.
acids as well as beta glucan. With the experience and expertise of Thai manufacturers, the variety
• Plant-based Chicken Meat: The Food Materials Research Team of raw materials, the R&D advances of Thai researchers, and government
of the National Metal and Materials Technology Center (MTEC), NSTDA, support, the collaborative efforts of the Thai people can hopefully and
applied a food structure design technology, in combination with protein, successfully create added value for the future food products.
fibers, and compatible binding agents, to create a product with chicken-
like texture that contains 10-16% of protein, 6-10% of fibers, and 6-9%
of plant-derived unsaturated fat and cholesterol. The chicken meat
substitute’s form can be shaped or molded with ease and can immediately เอกสารอ้างอิง/References
Climate Change and Land. An IPCC Special Report on climate change,
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be used in cooking processes such as frying, grilling, stir-frying, or boiling desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security,
without the need for freezing. and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems. 07 August 2019. Available
• High-protein Gel Beverage from Green Bean: The Food Materials from: https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl-report-download-page.
World Economic Forum. Available from: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/01/
Research Team of MTEC, NSTDA, employed an induction technology 2 eating-less-beef-will-and-more-beans-will-cut-global-deaths
to effect desired structural and particle modifications. An appropriate 3 Plant-based Protein, a Healthy Choice by Dr.Tanupol Virunhagarun. Available from:
ratio of hydrocolloids is applied to ensure structural stability and even https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s34VbS5II0k
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distribution of protein in face of exposure to heat in pasteurization process. How Will Cultured Meat and Meat Alternatives Disrupt the Agricultural and Food
The texture of the finished product is similar to those found in commercial Industry? Available from: https://www.kearney.com/documents/20152/2795757.
The Impacts of Flexitarians on the Food Industry. Available from:
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gel drinks. Its protein content is 20% higher than the amount https://www.scbeic.com/th/detail/product/6509.
recommended by the Thai RDI for Thai people over the age of 6. 6 ‘Most realistic’ plant-based steak revealed. Available from: https://www.theguardian.
com/food/2020/jan/10/most-realistic-plant-based-steak-revealed.
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