Recently, a group of scientists of the Nanyang Technological university of Singapore, have discovered an emulsifier, which is plant bases, and not only enriched with proteins, but also can replace the dairy products and eggs in certain foods, such as mayonnaise, whipped creams, salad dressing and so on. These emulsifiers are also helpful in reducing food waste, as it is made up of fermenting brewers (Nanyang Technological University, 2021).

Emulsifiers are essential for the production of food. It helps in stabilizing the mixture of oil and water. Naturally, egg yolk is used in Mayonnaise, which helps in preventing the separation of oil and water in the mixture. It has been found that in comparison to the normal store-based mayonnaise, this newly invented mayonnaise with plant-based emulsifiers is healthier and contains more protein and anti-oxidants (Nanyang Technological University, 2021). The amount of fat in both kinds of mayonnaise remains the same, but the amount of nutrients is higher in plant-based mayonnaise. It has been found that the taste is also similar to the conventional store-based mayonnaise. Scientists have shown that the spreadability and the texture are better in the mayonnaise which is comprised of plant-based emulsifiers.

“Our emulsifier is as an impactful solution to not only cut down on waste but potentially improve human diets by introducing a plant-based protein that is widely accessible”, explained Professor William Chen, the director of NTU. With the discovery of the plant-based emulsifier, the team of scientists has been able to find a cheaper substitute to extract protein from brewer’s spent grain. The emulsifier is being produced with fungus, which is easily available in nature. After the fragmentation, the fungus helps in the extraction of the protein from the mixture (McClements & Grossmann, 2021).

“Our emulsifier allows us to upcycle a would-be waste product. The environmental benefits of upcycling are immense, aside from minimizing the volume of discarded materials and waste being sent to landfills each year, it also reduces the need for production using new or raw materials which means a reduction in air pollution, water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and often conservation of global resources”, explained by Chen.

Thus. the team is expecting to add the emulsifier in soya milk and ice creams. Besides, they are expecting to use the emulsifier in the production of cream, lipsticks, due to its spreadability. Moreover, this technique will minimize the pollution that occurs through landfills while simultaneously reducing and recycling the waste generated from the food factories.

 

References

McClements, D. J., & Grossmann, L. (2021). The science of plant‐based foods: Constructing next‐generation meat, fish, milk, and egg analogs. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/1541-4337.12771

Nanyang Technological University. (2021, December 23). Protein-Rich Product Made from Plants Could Replace Dairy and Eggs. Retrieved from Lab Manager: https://www.labmanager.com/news/protein-rich-product-made-from-plants-could-replace-dairy-and-eggs-27291