Fava in focus: Chr. Hansen unveils Vega Boost cultures, paving way for no-dairy cream cheese

17 May 2022 --- Nutrition giant Chr. Hansen is launching adjunct fermentation cultures alongside soy- and dairy-free cream cheese made from fava beans. The cream cheese, which has a similar nutrition composition to animal dairy, was developed in partnership with Givaudan, Ingredion and AAK.

Dr. Ross Crittenden, senior director for commercial development, tells NutritionInsight: “It’s early days for this new plant protein source, but we are getting increasing enquiries to use it in fermented products due to its nutritional, environmental and functional qualities at a cost-effective price.” 

“Importantly, it is not an allergen unlike soy or tree nuts which are often used in fermented plant-based products.”

Vega Boost cultures extends Chr. Hansen’s Vega Culture Kit, offering more solutions for plant-based NPD that offers both tasty and healthy dairy alternatives. The new fava bean cream cheese touts good flavor, with a formula that is affordable to produce, using only five ingredients. 

Chr. Hansen says the formula can be “easily” tailored to various tastes and applications by adding in flavorings or spices.Chr. Hansen’s foray into the world of protein-packed fava beans suits the rising demand for more dairy-free and soy-free protein among health-conscious consumers.

Tailored solutions
Crittenden describes: “The new bacterial strains in Vega Boost offer customers a unique opportunity to tailor the fermentation process to specific product needs.”

He explains that key benefits of using Vega Boost cultures during formulation include improved fermentation performance and more nuanced flavors, providing flavor differentiation within the plant-based dairy alternatives space.

“Alongside the improving quality of plant-based raw materials, the Vega Culture Kit has closed the taste gap with dairy-based cream cheese.” Crittenden goes on to indicate that the company is eyeing plant-based cream cheese’s “significant” projected growth in the coming two to four years. 

“The consumer drivers for plant-based products based on health and sustainability remain strong, and the industry is continuing to develop new ingredients and products to meet these expectations without compromising on taste and naturality,” he explains. 

“The Vega Boost culture innovated to ferment this product was a key enabler to bring a tasty, nutritious and very simple recipe with nothing artificial to consumers.”

Food of the future
Christian Gilleladen, principal application scientist at Chr. Hansen, says the nutritional profile of the fava bean cream cheese is similar to animal dairy and indicates that the company has plans to further explore the plant-based dairy category.

“We look forward to working with our customers to inspire innovation in this space, using our Vega Boost cultures and application expertise to bring delicious plant-based cream cheese alternatives to life,” he says.

The fava bean cream cheese was developed using the ingredients and expertise of Chr. Hansen’s partners at MISTA, Givaudan’s California-based R&D facility. Chr. Hansen, Ingredion, AAK and Givvaudan have been working together at the location to develop dairy alternatives for the future.The company says the plant-based cream cheese space will enjoy massive growth in coming years.

“The companies have been working closely together at MISTA, sharing expertise and best-in-class ingredients to produce a range of plant-based prototypes including yogurt and cream-cheese alternatives,” shares Crittenden.

Low cost and eco-friendly
Through their work, experts at MISTA found fava beans had superior sensory and physical properties to make a spreadable vegan cream cheese while coming at an affordable price compared to alternatives. 

Crittenden continues: “Fava bean has an excellent environmental footprint similar to other legumes which are at the lower end of even most plant bases. They are also robust crops that can be grown in different regions, limiting long supply chains.”

“Producers see the relatively low cost and simple recipe and production process as an added benefit,” Gilleladen highlights. 

Recently, NutritionInsight spoke with an expert from Chr. Hansen on the emerging gut-brain and weight management categories.

The company started the year off strong, recording significant growth amid market challenges.

By Olivia Nelson