Feeling good: Plant-based cheese stretching its appeal

I'm not the demographic but there is good news for those who favour Vegan-friendly meals.

Chemical engineers at UNSW Sydney have created a plant-based cheese that melts, stretches and browns under the grill like the real thing, creating the opportunity for more realistic dairy and meat alternatives that blend plant proteins with complex carbohydrates.

“Colours and flavours are the easy part,” says Professor Cordelia Selomulya, who has been working on plant-based food textures at UNSW since 2019. “But replicating the structure - that pull of melted cheese, or the juicy mouthfeel of meat - is the real challenge.”

While plant-based alternatives have been on the market for many years, some of today’s products still fall short as they behave strangely under heat, fail to effectively deliver the nutrition promised on the label - including sufficient protein - or simply lack the sensory properties of dairy-based products.

Professor Selomulya and her team at the UNSW School of Chemical Engineering (above) are actively working to change that, by working on layering plant-based proteins with naturally occurring polysaccharides - complex sugars and dietary fibres - to mimic the ‘feel’ of animal products.

This also helps ensure the foods hold up under cooking and the freeze-thaw cycles of long-term storage, while also releasing nutrients during digestion.

The team’s most recent breakthrough is a plant-based cheese that pairs pea protein with polysaccharides for a more ‘lifelike’ texture.

“By focusing on polysaccharide blends, we’re now able to achieve the kind of elasticity and structure you'd normally associate with dairy cheese,” says Dr Yong Wang, a lead investigator on the project.

“We’ve also made progress in preserving key nutrients, which is something most commercial products don’t do well.”

Now for selling the innovation.

“The next step is to find commercial partners,” Professor Selomulya says.

“We now have a process that is easily scalable, we don't need special equipment, and we have a provisional patent that we can license.”

Australia’s plant-based food market is expected to hit $13 billion by 2030. This is despite most current products relying on soy or gluten for plant proteins – which are common allergens.

Meet the Melbourne visionary challenging chocolate's big guns

You need to have a lot of bravery - and an equal amount of talent - to take on the big boys of the chocolate business like Cadbury and Nestlé.

Melbourne-based Pana Barbounis is both brave and talented.

He is the man behind Pana Organic, a team passionate creating Vegan and organic treats that ahave made a big impact in a short time.

Pana's diverse range includes chocolate, frozen desserts, baking products, spreads, snack bars, and beverages that are all plant-based, gluten-free and dairy-free.

That's a whole lot of hip appeal in for one brand.

"Organic has always been a huge focus on foods we ingest," says Pana. "Something to not be contaminated. As consumers discover some of the hidden industry practices, we will see a continuous shift towards organic products.

"Plant-based options are something many are moving towards and many are making more of a conscious decision and will equally want to see this grow."

Asked how hard is it for a small business to compete with global giants like Cadbury and Nestlé, he says: "They are the leaders and have been around for 100+ years, and naturally, they would like to protect their space.

"At Pana Organic, we think we can co-exist with everyone and spread the love."



Do Vegan chocolates taste different to milk brands?

"There was a bigger gap in the beginning of the plant-based chocolate journey. Over time we have gained more knowledge, experience and understanding on how ingredients perform and are able to reduce the gap and offer consumers a delicious plant-based alternative.

"Raw was a trend that has come and gone. Organic and plant-based are here to stay, in my opinion. Gluten-free is an interesting trend as more people are diagnosed with this allergy, so I see this trend growing over the next few years for sure!"

So what makes the Pana brand succeed?

"Simply, my great relationship with food and the understanding of growing your own organic food."

Recent profits have been reinvested into the business and the brand has ventured into the freezer aisle with Pana Organic Frozen Desserts tubs and stick varieties including flavours like Burnt Fig & Caramel and Maple Peanut.

Pana Organic is available in Woolworths and Coles nationwide along with independent grocers. For a full list of stockists see pana-organic.com