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24-12-2021, 08:16 AM
Cheryl Tan
PUBLISHED DEC 22, 2021, 11:30 AM SGT
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Mayonnaise made entirely from plant-based ingredients - but richer in protein and antioxidants compared with the conventional product - could become a reality here.
Scientists at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) developed a plant-based emulsifier which has the necessary properties to replace egg or dairy ingredients in food staples like mayonnaise, salad dressings and whipped cream.
Emulsifiers are crucial in food production as they help to combine ingredients that usually do not mix well - such as oil and water.
For example, egg yolk is often used as the emulsifying agent in mayonnaise to ensure that the oil and water it contains do not separate.
To create the emulsifier, the NTU scientists used spent barley grains, a by-product from beer brewing and Milo production, that is rich in protein.
Professor William Chen, director of NTU's food science and technology programme who led the project, said Singapore produces around 23,000 tonnes of spent barley grains which end up in landfills. They decompose and add to the nation's greenhouse gas emissions.
Globally, 39 million tonnes of spent grains are produced by the brewing industry.
"The spent grain, though rich in protein, is not widely used in food processing as the protein component is difficult to extract," said Prof Chen.
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Already, the NTU team have received interest from two companies on their plant-based emulsifiers.
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Aside from turning the spent barley grains into plant-based emulsifiers, the residue from the fermentation process can be made into sustainable packaging materials, as it is fibre-rich and biodegradable.
The residue is placed in a mould to create shapes, such as disposable cups that have a thick, paper-like texture, said Professor William Chen, director of NTU's food science and technology programme.
The innovation has been licensed to a local start-up
Photos and video and much more information at: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/n...mayonnaise
PUBLISHED DEC 22, 2021, 11:30 AM SGT
......
Mayonnaise made entirely from plant-based ingredients - but richer in protein and antioxidants compared with the conventional product - could become a reality here.
Scientists at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) developed a plant-based emulsifier which has the necessary properties to replace egg or dairy ingredients in food staples like mayonnaise, salad dressings and whipped cream.
Emulsifiers are crucial in food production as they help to combine ingredients that usually do not mix well - such as oil and water.
For example, egg yolk is often used as the emulsifying agent in mayonnaise to ensure that the oil and water it contains do not separate.
To create the emulsifier, the NTU scientists used spent barley grains, a by-product from beer brewing and Milo production, that is rich in protein.
Professor William Chen, director of NTU's food science and technology programme who led the project, said Singapore produces around 23,000 tonnes of spent barley grains which end up in landfills. They decompose and add to the nation's greenhouse gas emissions.
Globally, 39 million tonnes of spent grains are produced by the brewing industry.
"The spent grain, though rich in protein, is not widely used in food processing as the protein component is difficult to extract," said Prof Chen.
......
Already, the NTU team have received interest from two companies on their plant-based emulsifiers.
......
Aside from turning the spent barley grains into plant-based emulsifiers, the residue from the fermentation process can be made into sustainable packaging materials, as it is fibre-rich and biodegradable.
The residue is placed in a mould to create shapes, such as disposable cups that have a thick, paper-like texture, said Professor William Chen, director of NTU's food science and technology programme.
The innovation has been licensed to a local start-up
Photos and video and much more information at: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/n...mayonnaise
