Plant-based food gels
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Creating a food gel compatible with vegetarian and other dietary restrictions.
Bridging the gap between academia and industry
The Opportunity
With the growing interest in sustainable food production, alternative proteins are a key target for food producers hoping to reduce their carbon footprint and meet consumer demand. The component ingredients that support and complement those products – such as gels to help create texture and mouthfeel – represent a huge swath of white space in the alternative protein market.
The Challenge
The University of Alberta has a keen interest in sustainable protein development. Lingyun Chen and the team in her lab were working on a plant-based gel that could replace animal-based gelatins for use in a range of products that appeal to vegans and other dietary preferences. But they needed an industry partner to ensure that the qualities of their product aligned with the processing needs of manufacturers.
Finding an industry partner to work with provided instant clarity and focus around the potential applications of our work, and helped us prioritize our next steps of development.
NPC’s Solution
NPC introduced Lingyun and her team to Roquette, a global leader in food manufacturing with a keen interest in plant-based proteins. With input from Roquette, Lingyun and her team were ready for further development, which NPC supported with over $78,000 through its Proof of Concept Program. That led to validation and testing of the gelling protein in a number of products including gummies, Jello and yogurt.
NPC is committed to the creation of natural products that are better for people, animals and the planet. We propel early-stage Canadian innovators with the advice, connections and capital they need to develop and de-risk their solutions quickly and efficiently.
University of Alberta
Description:
Sector(s):
Food, Nutrition, FoodtechFunding Type:
Proof of ConceptProvince:
AlbertaFunding Amount:
$78,430
Year of Funding:
2023
Name:
Lingyun Chen
