IFF, a global leader in food and beverage, home and personal care and health and wellness is stepping up its game in the world of plant-based meat alternatives. The company has invested in high-moisture extrusion (HME) technology from Coperion, a global leader in extrusion technology.

IFF has pioneered many options for meat alternative players along the years, and now this investment is further enhancing the possibilities, enabling the company to support manufacturers in replicating the appearance and fibrous texture of conventional whole-muscle meat. HME can deliver an improved eating experience of plant-based meat and seafood products, offering advantages such as increased juiciness and muscle-like texture compared to other methods. Manufacturers can harness HME to create unique sensory attributes by understanding the interactions between various processes, ingredients, flavors, and proteins to optimize taste, texture, and cost-effectiveness.

The plant-based meat alternatives segment is projected to reach a market value of $6.4 billion in 2023[1]. This growth trend is expected to continue with double-digit growth over the next five years. HME technology plays a pivotal role, accounting for approximately 20 percent of plant-based meat products worldwide[2].

IFF has recently installed three HME systems in IFF’s innovation hubs across Europe, the United States, and Singapore. These systems are now operational and feature highly precise powder and liquid feeders, ensuring both high-quality production and remarkable flexibility. IFF is integrating HME into its IFF PRODUCT DESIGN approach, combining ingredient and flavor design expertise with advanced industry insights to provide end-to-end Product Design solutions.

“Through the synergistic integration of HME technology and IFF’s RE-IMAGINE PROTEIN Innovation program, the goal is to pioneer new and innovative meat alternative products that offer a level of consumer acceptance not yet achieved in the market,” said Alexander Lamm, principal food designer, Nourish, IFF. “Consumer demand for plant-based products that offer an experience akin to eating meat is huge, and HME is one of the best ways to meet it. This investment will allow us to deliver a wide range of benefits to our customers, helping them create innovative new meat analogues, and supporting them all the way from ideation to commercialization, ultimately allowing our customers to develop successful products faster.”

“HME is a newer and changing technology which offers a huge range of possibilities for the future. Especially as concerns about feeding a fast-growing global population in a healthy and sustainable way mount,” said John Sheehy, global key account manager, Alternative Proteins, Coperion. “We’re delighted to collaborate with a global leader like IFF, and to help it integrate HME testing into its capabilities. Coperion is honored and excited to have this opportunity to share our knowledge and expertise to help IFF develop the next-generation of fibrous plant-based proteins.”

[1] Euromonitor, October 2023

[2] GFI, Anticipating 2030 production requirement – Plant based meat, 2022.