Food-tech company Nourish Ingredients has unveiled Tastilux, an animal-free fat designed to address challenges in the plant protein market related to taste, nutrition and consumer acceptance.

The announcement was made during this year’s SXSW Sydney event.

Tastilux marks a major breakthrough in delivering the flavour and cooking performance of traditional meat without the use of animal-based ingredients or artificial chemicals.

Derived from natural sources and produced at scale through precision fermentation, Tastilux is poised to provide food and ingredient manufacturers with a fat that closely mimics the cooking properties, aroma and taste of conventional meat.

Developed over three years by Nourish Ingredients’ team of scientists, Tastilux concentrates on reproducing the flavourful fats found in animal meat by using natural lipids. This proprietary fat delivers the distinctive taste and aroma of traditional meat fats, enabling authentic cooking reactions when applied to plant-based chicken, beef, pork and other protein alternatives.

The introduction of Tastilux aligns with Nourish Ingredients’ mission to expedite the transition to a healthier, humane and sustainable food system.

By focusing on the most crucial fats needed to enhance the appeal of plant proteins, Tastilux is poised to facilitate global commercial adoption. The company is actively collaborating with prominent players in the food and ingredient industry to incorporate Tastilux into a wide range of products.

James Petrie, founder and CEO of Nourish Ingredients, said: “Tastilux represents a quantum leap in making plant-based meats live up to the rich, fatty taste and cooking performance consumers want and love. We saw an opportunity to revolutionise plant proteins by focusing on the power of fat. Most alternative fats simply can’t replicate the rich, authentic flavour of cooked meat.”

He continued: “So rather than take a plant-based approach, we analysed the most flavorful animal fats in their uncooked state. Then identified where we could find these in nature, without the animal. By fermenting only the most potent fats, we’re able to recreate the authentic meat experience. Our unique process unlocks new possibilities for plant protein foods to deliver the satisfying taste and texture consumers crave.”

At the SXSW event, Nourish Ingredients showcased Tastilux’s capabilities by presenting a lifelike, plant-based chicken wing. This culinary innovation, designed by the company’s head of culinary innovation, demonstrated the potential of Tastilux fats to change the enhance the plant-based food experience, offering a more delectable and natural option for plant protein companies.

A select group of attendees at SXSW Sydney had the opportunity to sample the chicken wing, complete with edible bones made from calcium, experiencing firsthand the impact of Tastilux in providing an authentic flavour, juicy texture and overall enjoyment of chicken wings, all without any involvement of animals.

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