Designer plant burgers - use of targeted biochemistry and chemistry to generate flavour (taste and aroma) during extrusion of plant protein

A This is an exciting opportunity to work at the interface of engineering and flavour science to develop and improve the taste of plant-based meat products, providing tasty and sustainable alternatives for flexitarian and vegetarian consumers. The interdisciplinary supervisory team comprises academics from their respective centres of expertise (Wolfson Centre for Sustainable Materials Development and Processing at Brunel and The Flavour Centre at the University of Reading) and is supported by Unilever.
Although meat consumption has decreased by 17% over the last decade, the recent National Food Strategy recommends a further drop in 30% by 2032 to meet health, climate and environmental commitments. In order to achieve these targets, the development of sustainable nutritious and tasty non-meat-based alternatives to proteins is essential, and a market for meat mimics driven mostly by flexitarian consumers has evolved. However, achieving a credible and sustainable meaty flavour that persists throughout the whole eating experience is still a challenge for industries producing affordable plant-based protein alternatives for every-day use. The amino acid profile of pea protein isolate (~70% protein) meets the nutritional requirements as recommended by the WHO/FAO/UNU, providing a sustainable and nutritionally balanced alternative to meat protein.
This 4-year PhD studentship involves development of a sustainable, nutritious tasty burger with fresh long-lasting meaty aroma using extrusion technology. A number of different enzymes and different extrusion process conditions will be investigated to generate the required taste, aroma and texture. Chemical, nutritional and sensorial analyses will be carried out using laboratories at both Universities.