Yemoja, Ltd., a marine ingredient startup, has announced a red microalgae discovery for “medium-rare” plant-based burgers and steaks that adds authentic "bloody" juiciness. Branded Ounje, meaning food in the Yoruba language, this formula mimics the red juices of real meat without harming animals or the planet and without the need for artificial color additives.
The company discovered that this marine ingredient, when combined with other derivatives from this same Porphyridium strain of algae, can provide a nutrient-packed medium for rendering the sensory characteristics of juicy meats for plant-based meat and cultured meat products.
The deep red algae is grown indoors in high precision, photobioreactors and exhibits potential to act as a natural, clean, and 100 percent plant-sourced heme substitute to serve the cultured meats and plant-based alt meat sectors.
"While working on a new formulation for cosmetic applications, we serendipitously discovered that this specific composition yields a substance that resembles blood in appearance and texture," noted Amikam Bar-Gil, co-founder and CTO of Yemoja, in a statement. "Encouraged by the first test results, we decided to push the boundaries further and take it to the next level, trying it out in test products. The results were an immediate proof of concept."
When it comes to creating plant-based meats and hybrids, there is a strong demand for a convincing blood-substitute to award the growing pool of ethically conscious diners the full experience of biting into a juicy beef burger. This niche is currently witnessing a wide use of beetroot juice and other color additives. These various additives help accord the desired color effect at its raw stage but still cannot change color in the manner that meat does when cooked. This often necessitates adding various sugars that caramelize when heated to attain the desired effect, according to Yemoja.
Yemoja's patented microalgal heme substitute not only provides the initial red pigment to raw plant-based meats, it also browns up when put to the sizzle. Moreover, it also congeals like real meat juices. "We found the polysaccharides within this particular algae species express a viscosity similar to gelatin when cooked. Its natural fiber also awards an appealing crunchiness and emits an appetizing meaty aroma."
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