There is a growing investment in alternative proteins - from bugs based proteins to laboratory cultured meats and plant proteins. All such research and investments is expected to revolutionize the way people produce food and change the traditional food ingredients.
Among insect proteins, grasshoppers and crickets are some of the rich sources of proteins. In fact some claim that a piece of steak only gives about 40% in protein while grasshoppers can give about 70% protein with no fats. With about two billion people worldwide, mainly in Asia, Africa and Latin America already eating insects (estimated the United Nations Food and Agriculture Office), bugs can be serious contender to replace animal based proteins. Already there are investments in using grasshopper based proteins - Dutch investment fund, Sirius led a US$600,000 (S$803,000) round of seed funding in Hargol FoodTech, an Israeli start-up that farms grasshoppers on a commercially viable scale. There are also a number of companies using crickets to produce proteins powders such as Vietnam based CricketOne.
Laboratory produced meat is another alternative source of protein that is gaining prominence. These meats are produced by extracting cells form an animal and then grown to "edible" size in cell cultures. One of the cell based meats producer is Memphis Meats that has already successfully produced beef, chicken and duck from animal cells. SuperMeat is another clean-meat start-up from Israel that aims to grow real chicken meat in the lab and plans to bring its products to the market in three years’ time. SuperMeat has raised US$3 million in seed funding from - Germany’s PHW, one of Europe’s largest poultry producers, and Sirius Venture Capital. Singapore’s start-up Shiok Meats, a cell-based meat company, also promises to bring cultured and lab-grown meat to the table.
Plant based proteins sources is also another category of alternative proteins that is getting popular, especially with the rise of veganism across the world. Beyond Meat, for example, successfully launched its Beyond Burger in 2016. Impossible Foods also introduced its plant-based meat burgers in the same year. Asian foodtech startup Right Treat launched its plant based Omnipork in Hong Kong in 2018 - that is made of pea protein, non-GMO soy, shiitake mushrooms, and rice. Omnipork claims to have 233-percent higher calcium and 53-percent higher iron content compared to animal-based pork.
However, there are concerns that not all plants are able to provide all the amino acids that one needs with the exception of soy, chia seeds and some other plants.
More about emergence of alternative protein sources will be discussed at CMT's 2nd Food Proteins Asia on 22-23 January, 2019 in Bangkok.
For more information about the summit, contact Ms. Huiyan Fu -
huiyan@cmtsp.com.sg or call +65 6346 9113.
10 Jan, 2019
As consumers are keen to include plant-based proteins in their diets, a new vegan meat - Omnipork by Asian foodtech startup Right Treat is launched in Hong Kong in 2018. Pork is the most consumed meat across the world, particularly in China and the livestock industry produces a lot of waste. Going green is a theme across all industries, and David Yeung who launched Omnipork believes that plant-based food can help in “achieving [a] long-term win-win-win among the planet, mankind, and animals.”
Made from a combination of pea protein, non-GMO soy, shiitake mushrooms, and rice, Omnipork claims to have 233-percent higher calcium and 53-percent higher iron content compared to animal-based pork.
The faux pork looks, cooks, and tastes like conventional ground pork and claims to be free of cholesterol, antibiotics and hormones. Currently, the vegan pork dishes are available at three establishments in Hong Kong - Kind Kitchen, Ming Court at Cordis Hotel and Man Ho at JW Marriott Hotel.
As the trend for healthier and plant and based proteins continue to sweep Asia, there are many other food tech firms that are coming up with innovative alternative food proteins. For instance, JUST announced its first Asia-based facility to develop culturally viable plant-based alternatives to animal foods while Impossible Foods debuted Impossible Burger (plant-based patty) at three Hong Kong-based restaurants that are used in dishes such as Impossible Bao, Impossible Thai Burgers, and Impossible XinJiang Hot Pockets.
Find out more about plant-based protein innovations in Asia at CMT’s 2nd Food Proteins Asia on 22-23 January, 2019 in Bangkok.
For more information about the summit, contact Ms. Huiyan – huiyan@cmtsp.com.sg or call +65 6346 9113.
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12 Dec, 2018
More and more Asians are preferring plant based food protein. According to Mintel, as many as two in five (39%) urban Indonesians and one in three (34%) urban Thais consumed more non-animal sources of protein (eg plant, dairy, grains) in 2017, compared to 2016.
Soybeans, cassava, potato are popular sources of plant based protein for Asians.
This shift to plant based proteins is expected to not only reduce reliance on factory-farmed animals, but also encourage manufacturers to tap this growing demand for plant based proteins via innovative food and beverages.
The shift is often attributed to the increasing health consciousness among consumers as plant based proteins are considered better options than traditional red meat sources of protein.
Food engineers and scientists are looking at innovative, sustainable and alternative protein sources to meet such demand. In fact there are already a lot of investments from food manufacturers. For instance, China’s Dao Foods is coming up with a plant-based protein and clean meat alternatives to meet the high demand in China.
At the global level, majors such as ADM, Cargill and others have invested heavily in developing plant based protein formulations.
Find out more about plant based protein demand in Asia at CMT’s 2nd Food Proteins Asia on 22-23 January, 2019 in Bangkok.
For more information about the summit, contact Ms. Huiyan –
huiyan@cmtsp.com.sg or call +65 6346 9113.
17 Sep, 2018
