Sensory challenges associated with adding plant-based proteins to food and beverages

Abstract: Taste is a major driver when choosing plant-based alternatives over meat and dairy. This was what Mintel found when they surveyed consumers (aged 18+) in 2021. Fifty-four percent of the consumers gave “doesn’t taste as good as actual meat/dairy” as their reason for not eating/drinking plant-based alternatives. The same study reported that 37% of the plant-based consumers chose “improved sensory quality” as a positive reason for eating/drinking plant-based alternatives. This demonstrates that while the taste of plant-based alternatives is still a challenge for most consumers, there has been a recognized improvement in the sensory quality of these same products.

Pea protein is one of the most widely used plant-based proteins in the food and beverage industry. Both published academic studies and PepsiCo’s internal work on pea protein show that there are major differences from vendor to vendor regarding this product’s sensory properties. These differences alone are significant enough to affect consumer liking scores and purchase interests. One approach used by consumer goods companies to improve the taste of their plant-based products involves adding masking agents and flavor modulators. However, our research indicates that employing this kind of flavor technology on its own does not work effectively when pea proteins are sourced from different vendors.

Consumer goods companies like PepsiCo require large quantities of raw materials to meet consumer demands; one way to achieve this is to work with multiple manufacturers. However, as noted above, taste — and consistency of taste — is the most important driver for consumers to choose or not choose plant-based alternatives. Therefore, there is a need to identify and develop technologies that will minimize variations in the sensory quality of plant-based proteins from vendor to vendor. By working to make this happen, we will improve the consumer experience and increase the overall consumption of plant-based alternatives.