From crunchy first bites to silky smooth sips that delight our taste buds, texture is a big part of why we enjoy eating. Texture can turn a simple sustenance into an exquisite sensory experience and enhance the flavor of food. That said, texture is a very individual experience; what pleases the palate is a unique mix of preferences that can vary greatly by person.
That means we have to use our scientific lenses to uncover what makes texture “better” when it comes to improving plant-based meat. That “better” texture all depends on what you are trying to recreate, whether it’s the tenderness of chicken, the flakiness of a fish, or the springiness and chew of a burger patty. There’s a spectrum of texture attributes, which are even more nuanced when it comes to plant-based meat. The question is, can the experience of texture be measured? And how do we design unique combinations that improve food experiences for everyone? At Motif, we believe we’re doing just that for plant-based foods through our innovative plant-based technology: APPETEX™.
Why texture matters
To unleash the promise of plant-based foods, we turn to those who know the products best: consumers. Taste and texture are two major complaints raised consistently by consumers of plant-based meat, with two in three Americans (67%) saying that they would eat more plant-based products if they tasted better. In Motif’s own research with focus groups, people described their experience with plant-based burgers as finding the texture lacking. They find them “dry” and “lacking moisture,” as well as being “mushy” in having a uniform texture that does not come anywhere close to the experience of eating a typical beef patty.
“When you bite into a beef patty, it is moderately hard with springiness in the first bite, and it forms large non-uniform particles in the mouth during chewing. In contrast, plant-based products don’t have that hardness or springiness with the first bite, but they do have a uniform texture in what we call the “chewdown” experience,” says Dr. Dilek Uzunalioglu, Motif’s head of food applications.
Meat has a highly unique texture due to its complex structure. That springy feel when chewing comes down to a combination of proteins that comprise muscle and connective tissues in meat, along with elements of cartilage and even bone. While plant-based proteins like texturized soy or pea protein can mimic the fibrous structure of meat, these substances literally fall flat when it comes to the springy chewdown sensation of meat.
Innovating outside the box
Armed with this knowledge, Dr. Uzunalioglu and Dr. Stefan Baier, Motif’s head of food science, engaged an outside network of innovators and multidisciplinary experts across diverse fields like physics and aerodynamics to biotech and materials science to come up with a viable solution to our tricky texture troubles.
This team of scientists were integral to Motif’s development of APPETEX™, an edible plant-based hydrogel capable of replicating the springiness, juiciness and bite associated with animal-based connective tissue using plant-based proteins and carbohydrates.
“All of the materials that we use are already traditionally used in food formulations, but the way we combine them and process them gives a very unique material feel. That’s driven by how APPETEX™ swells when it hydrates and becomes harder in contrast to the plant-based protein in the food,” explained Dr. Baier.
In contrast to the softer ingredients in plant-based meat, APPETEX™ provides a springiness and resistance similar to what we experience biting into traditional meat products.
Recipe for success
Development of this technology was just the first step. The biggest challenge lay in coming up with the right formulation to test it in—a task made more challenging by the pandemic and office and lab closures. At the start of the pandemic, Dr. Uzunalioglu recalls turning her kitchen into a food science lab and using a high-quality mixer and scale to test out the early formulations and methods for adding APPETEX™ into plant-based meat.
“The first APPETEX™ sample I received was also my first at-home kitchen sample! We had to do a lot of baseline formulation to get the size and composition of APPETEX™ just right,” says Dr. Uzunalioglu.
APPETEX™ is produced in the form of small, dried pellets which expand when hydrated. Dr. Uzunalioglu believes this is another major benefit of the technology, that it can be easily incorporated into existing methods of plant-based meat formulation.
“Selling the dry material and incorporating it into a commercial partner’s current process makes perfect sense from the perspective of shelf life and the logistics of preparing the final product,” says Dr. Uzunalioglu, whose team helps food developers formulate their foods with the optimal balance of this texture technology.
The results from consumers taste testing APPETEX™ in a showcase burger were overwhelmingly positive in Motif’s focus groups. “It tastes so much like meat: the juiciness, the texture, the color,” said one satisfied consumer. “The texture is almost identical to a hamburger!” declared another, echoing what many of the pleasantly surprised consumers had to say, along with many comments about how “it’s not just one uniform texture.”
Now that the spring has sprung
Motif’s mission is to bridge the gap between expectation and reality for plant-based foods, and APPETEX™ will go a long way in adding the depth and complexity that’s currently missing from plant-based meat substitutes. We’re here to not only address primary gaps in plant-based foods, but to make them more nutritious and taste so good that you crave them.
This blog on the science behind APPETEX™ is a part of Motif’s ongoing efforts to combine detailed consumer feedback with input from world-leading academic, culinary and innovation partners that understand the taste experience and know how to best unlock the promise of plant-based foods.
How do you recreate the taste, texture and overall experience of biting into a juicy plant-based burger? Believe it or not, the science behind the physical properties of food and how it leads to different sensory experiences does not currently exist. That’s why we’re partnering with the University of Queensland (UQ) to answer this question.
This culinary quest is part of a three-year Australian Research Council project to better understand the sensory experience around the taste and texture of plant-based foods. While previous approaches relied on trial and error to measure these sensory inputs, this project will develop new sciences that uncover novel insights for measuring the physics, physiology and sensory experiences of eating food.
Ultimately, UQ’s work will help the bridge knowledge-gap in what happens to food at the material level—from the first bite of a burger to how it breaks down and dissolves in the mouth. Professor Jason Stokes and Associate Professor Heather Smyth are leading this work at the university, and will bring their expertise in chemical engineering and nutritional food science to the project. They are also working alongside Professor Louw Hoffman, Professor of Meat Science, who has a deep understanding of the material properties of meat.
I spoke to them about their hopes and goals for this project—and here’s what they had to say.
Motif Team (MT): Congratulations on winning a grant to dive deeper into this important research. Recreating the taste, texture and experience of biting into a juicy beef burger using plant-based proteins is the Holy Grail of 21st century food science. Motif FoodWorks and UQ have worked together in this area before, so it’s great that we can cement our relationship by partnering to tackle big industry challenges around plant-based foods.
Jason Stokes (JS): It’s exciting to work with Motif, especially since your team includes a bevy of academics from around the world. We started this adventure when I was in the industry about 15 years ago and it continued when I joined UQ. We wrote influential pieces about how food is transformed during the eating process—this is something that no one really focused on before and now we’re uncovering new techniques to examine that. Collaborating with Heather Smyth is really the step change because we can bring in a more sensory angle.
Heather Smyth (HS): We’ve been doing a lot of work to understand how functional ingredients can change and how we can modify them to create a more pleasurable eating experience for consumers. We have a unique offering here, with both a fundamental understanding of human oral physiology and sensory science, as well as the chemical engineering, structural or physical properties of food.
MT: Consumer demand for plant-based food is rising steadily, but the food industry has struggled in providing a plant-based experience that emulates the overall taste, texture, and aroma of meat. Why is this so challenging for plant-based proteins?
HS: Well, they’re not meat proteins to start with! They don’t functionally behave the same way that meat proteins do. So, they don’t release juiciness like a beef burger does or break down in the same way. And they don’t have that elastic quality when you’re eating a meat burger. We need to understand why they’re different, how they’re different and what consumers are really looking for from meat alternative products.
MT: How will this grant help uncover the differences between plant-based proteins and meat, especially in how they behave in foods we love to enjoy like burgers?
JS: As we eat food, we chew it, it interacts with saliva, it breaks down and that food is transformed quite dramatically. My research tries to understand that process in a mechanical sense and how that links to our sensory perception of the food, both in texture and taste. What is it that’s different about the structure in the product that leads to a difference in perception? If we can get a better handle on that, then we can deliver a seamless sensory experience and emulate as many features as possible with plant-based meat.
MT: In many ways this research grant is quite timely as consumer demand for plant-based foods has been rising steadily for the past few years, as has the global population and awareness of the global climate crisis. Why do you think people are adopting more meat alternatives into their diet and will consumers’ desires help drive it forward?
HS: Certainly, there’s a strong consumer drive for food products that are more sustainable and allow us to make choices that are better for the environment. Let’s say there’s a protein shortage in the future if our population doubles as is predicted, we still need to feed all those people and they’ll want to eat something that’s both sustainable and delicious.
JS: This grant is exciting because it’s focused on plant-based foods. One of the biggest challenges in research is that consumers are driving this desire to be more focused around sustainability. This project is aimed at the most commonly eaten foods and trying to understand what makes meat products so interesting. What is in the structure of meat that leads to a different sensory presence and why are we attracted to it? We want to keep a similar eating experience but with alternative proteins.
MT: This is a three-year research project, where do you hope to be by the end of it?
JS: I expect that the knowledge and insights we generate will be used by Motif to make better plant-based foods. We will generate new knowledge that’s not been previously available and expanding that knowledge base into the sector is really important. We also want to train the next generation to think creatively and make a step change for companies in the food sector.
HS: In the short term, I really hope that we’re able to make some real breakthroughs in understanding how to modify and change plant proteins in a way that makes them just as good as meat. It’s going to take some breakthroughs in understanding how to make plant proteins as delicious as their animal counterparts. Together, UQ and Motif are working hard to develop a plant protein a sustainable option that meets high consumer standards.
Read more about Motif’s work with the University of Queensland team.
Motif BeefWorks™ Plant-Based Beef Grounds are now available in a vegan taco salad at Foxtrot
BOSTON, September 21, 2023 —Motif FoodWorks, the food technology company making plant-based foods more delicious, announced a partnership with Foxtrot, the next generation corner store and café, who is now offering Motif’s alternative beef product in a premade meal across their 30 locations. This comes following Motif’s entry into foodservice earlier this year, where the company launched their Motif BeefWorks™ Plant-Based Burger Patties and Grounds and Motif PorkWorks™ Plant-Based Grounds products.
Foxtrot, the Chicago-based brand known for redefining convenience for the modern consumer, offers a wide variety of products including freshly crafted chef-prepared meals, premium groceries, handpicked wine and spirits, snacks and sweets, along with personal care products. The brand initially signed an agreement with Motif for a limited time offering. However, Foxtrot opted to extend their partnership and make the product a multi-season feature on their menus. Foxtrot’s Vegan Taco Salad featuring Motif BeefWorks™ Plant-Based Beef Grounds atop a bed of romaine lettuce, roasted corn, tomatoes, jalapeño, onion, cilantro and a lime vinaigrette, is currently available to purchase for pickup or delivery at all of Foxtrot’s locations.
“Motif BeefWorks™ came with lots of deep savory flavor that we historically find absent in most plant-based alternative proteins. I was impressed by how workable the product really was…it seared, caramelized, and roasted much like animal-based proteins,” said Justin Schaub,
Senior Director of Culinary at Foxtrot Market. Schaub also added that “While perhaps not relevant to our current concept [the Taco Salad], I feel like the Motif product is [also] a best-in-class beef alternative for burger-making—especially smash burgers, which is the vehicle through which I first sampled the product.”
“88% of consumers expect to maintain or increase their consumption of plant-based foods, and we’re proud to create products that make that goal a little bit easier – and tastier,” said Michael Leonard, CEO of Motif FoodWorks. “Working with partners like Foxtrot amplifies our mission to bring the next generation of delicious foods to the world by offering consumers the better tasting, plant-based options they have been demanding. This is only the beginning for Motif and we look forward to continuing our momentum into foodservice.”
For more information about Motif’s line of foodservice offerings, visit www.servewithmotif.com
To try Foxtrot’s Vegan Taco Salad made with Motif BeefWorks™ Plant-Based Chili-Spiced Taco Grounds, visit your nearest Foxtrot location or order delivery from the app: https://foxtrotco.com/get-the-app
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About Motif FoodWorks
Motif FoodWorks is creating the next generation of food. We are a food technology company developing breakthrough ingredients that unleash the promise of plant-based foods and transform the eating experience – from first bite to lasting impact. With food as our passion and innovation coded into our DNA, we are driven by the science of more. More taste. More texture. More choices for consumers. That is why our work has gone beyond the lab. We have taken it all the way to the plate with products grown from the universal experience of what great food should be: tantalizing, satiating, and nourishing. Our ecosystem of ingredients and finished products are designed for people of all habits and beliefs and with the health of our planet always in mind. Because at Motif, we believe the food of the future should set you free. For more information, visit www.madewithmotif.com.
About Foxtrot
Foxtrot is redefining convenience for the modern consumer, marrying the best of neighborhood retail and e-commerce technology to create a community of discovery. Its spaces offer the most-loved aspects of neighborhood cafés, and you can turn to the Foxtrot app or website for 30-minute delivery and five-minute pickup of a city’s best goods – from local beers and fine wines to chef-prepared meals and everyday essentials. Foxtrot also ships the best of its favorite foods, goods and curated gifts nationwide via Foxtrot Anywhere. There are currently 30 Foxtrot locations across Chicago, Washington, D.C., Dallas and Austin, with plans to continue expansion in existing markets. For more information, visit https://foxtrotco.com/ or download in the App Store.
Media Contacts
Julia Dacri
Motif FoodWorks
jdacri@motiffoodworks.com
- PTAB finds “reasonable likelihood” Motif will prevail in challenge of key Impossible patent
- Second setback for Impossible in effort to secure monopoly on use of heme in plant-based foods
BOSTON, June 20 2023 – In a highly-anticipated ruling by its Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office announced Friday it would institute inter partes review (IPR) of Patent 9,943,096 B2 claimed by Impossible Foods. The ruling commences an administrative trial, expected to take about a year, on the validity of one of Impossible Foods’ most important patents.
Motif FoodWorks petitioned for review of the patent after Impossible sued Motif in federal court last year, alleging patent infringement in using heme to create plant-based meat substitutes.
In the PTAB’s ruling on Friday, Administrative Patent Judge Donna M. Praiss wrote that Motif “has demonstrated a reasonable likelihood of prevailing with respect to at least one claim of the ’096 patent, and we institute inter partes review of all claims and all grounds asserted in the petition.”
The Impossible patent now under review – titled “Methods and Compositions for Affecting the Flavor and Aroma Profile of Consumables” – seeks to “better replicate the aromas and flavors of meat, particularly during and/or after cooking,” according to filings at the Patent and Trademark Office.
“We are pleased with the Patent Trial and Appeal Board’s decision to institute inter partes review (IPR) for Patent 9,943,096 B2, finding that Motif has shown a reasonable likelihood we will prevail,” said Michael Leonard, CEO of Motif FoodWorks. “Statistics show the PTAB invalidates one or more claims in 80 percent of the patents that reach a final decision in IPR, so we look forward to seeing this process play out.“
“This is not just a victory for Motif – it’s a victory for consumers,” added Leonard. “For us, this whole process is about protecting innovation and consumer choice in plant-based foods.”
Friday’s ruling marks Impossible’s second significant setback in its effort to secure a monopoly on using heme – a naturally occurring protein – to flavor plant-based meat substitutes. Late last year, the European Patent Office revoked an EU patent held by Impossible. Meanwhile, its lawsuit against Motif is still pending in federal district court in Delaware.
Motif and Impossible both use heme proteins in plant-based meat alternatives. Impossible’s heme protein is identical to soy leghemoglobin, a protein found in nodules attached to the roots of nitrogen-fixing plants like soy. Motif’s heme protein, HEMAMI™, is identical to bovine myoglobin, which is found in the muscle tissue of cows.
Motif argues that these ingredients, which have been used to develop the taste and smell of meat and meat alternatives in food products for decades, are not patentable by Impossible. Indeed, Motif argues that the ingredients that Impossible claims to have discovered have existed and been sold in everyday food products for decades and that the claims are a legally and factually baseless attempt to stifle innovation and limit consumer choice.
“Impossible is wasting resources, creativity, and opportunities through a failing litigation strategy,” Leonard said. “The company seems more concerned with securing monopoly power over a protein than with growing this sector.”
“Since our founding in 2018, Motif has reinvented plant-based meat, making it better tasting, more nutritious and sustainable,” added Leonard. “Impossible is determined to stop that innovation – hurting consumers, our industry and, ultimately, our planet. We will continue to fight Impossible’s aggressive actions to limit competition and are gratified that the PTAB found merit in our position.”
About Motif FoodWorks
Motif FoodWorks is creating the next generation of food. We are a food technology company developing breakthrough ingredients that unleash the promise of plant-based foods and transform the eating experience – from first bite to lasting impact. With food as our passion and innovation coded into our DNA, we are driven by the science of more. More taste. More texture. More choices for consumers. That is why our work has gone beyond the lab. We have taken it all the way to the plate with products grown from the universal experience of what great food should be: tantalizing, satiating, and nourishing. Our ecosystem of ingredients and finished products are designed for people of all habits and beliefs and with the health of our planet always in mind. Because at Motif, we believe the food of the future should set you free. For more information, visit www.madewithmotif.com.
Media Contacts
Julia Dacri
Motif FoodWorks
Motif BeefWorks™ and Motif PorkWorks™ Plant-Based Products now available for shipping.
BOSTON, May 9, 2023 – Motif FoodWorks, the food technology company making plant-based foods more delicious, launches its foodservice portfolio of Motif PorkWorks™ Plant-Based Ground and Motif BeefWorks™ Plant-Based Burger Patties and Grounds at NRA. The company will also be showcasing a limited preview of Motif ChickenWorks™ Plant-Based Cutlets, which will launch later this year. Motif’s portfolio of plant-based foodservice products gives restaurant owners and operators menu options that mimic the taste and texture of real meat, satisfying consumer demand for better plant-based alternatives.
Taste and texture are the top two barriers to consumer adoption of plant-based meats. Fifty-three percent of consumers said they would eat more meat alternatives if they tasted better and were more akin to the animal meat experience1. Motif has transformed the plant-based industry with its pork, chicken, and beef alternatives by recreating the meaty flavor and springy, juicy texture found in animal products with their first two commercialized ingredient technologies. For taste, Motif created HEMAMI™, a heme protein that provides a rich meaty flavor and aroma to plant-based meat alternatives. For texture, Motif created APPETEX™, which simulates the connective tissue found in animal meat products with plant-based ingredients and offers the chewiness, springiness and juiciness found in animal meat. The combined use of HEMAMI™ and APPETEX™ delivers a range of more authentic, finished options for foodservice distributors and retailers.
“Motif answers operators’ desire to meet consumer demand for great-tasting plant-based food by creating alternatives that truly mimic the taste and texture of animal meat,” CEO Michael Leonard said. “With APPETEX™ and HEMAMI™, we have refined our portfolio of products to meet the needs of foodservice customers and are eager to share samples of what is the new benchmark in plant-based meats at NRA.”
Motif FoodWorks will be sampling its new plant-based pork in several dishes, including Bahn Mi Meatball Toast and Kofta Kebab, in addition to its other plant-based meats at NRA from Saturday, May 20 – Tuesday, May 23. Motif will be located at booth 490 in South Hall, Organic & Natural Pavilion.
For more information or to request a sample, visit www.madewithmotif.com/foodservice.
About Motif FoodWorks
Motif FoodWorks is creating the next generation of food. We are a food technology company developing breakthrough ingredients that unleash the promise of plant-based foods and transform the eating experience – from first bite to lasting impact. With food as our passion and innovation coded into our DNA, we are driven by the science of more. More taste. More texture. More choices for consumers. That is why our work has gone beyond the lab. We have taken it all the way to the plate with products grown from the universal experience of what great food should be: tantalizing, satiating, and nourishing. Our ecosystem of ingredients and finished products is designed for people of all habits and beliefs and with the health of our planet always in mind. Because at Motif, we believe the food of the future should set you free. For more information, visit www.madewithmotif.com.
1 Mintel Reports US, Plant-based Proteins, 2022.
About Motif FoodWorks
Motif FoodWorks is creating the next generation of food. We are a food technology company developing breakthrough ingredients that unleash the promise of plant-based foods and transform the eating experience – from first bite to lasting impact. With food as our passion and innovation coded into our DNA, we are driven by the science of more. More taste. More texture. More choices for consumers. That is why our work has gone beyond the lab. We have taken it all the way to the plate with products grown from the universal experience of what great food should be: tantalizing, satiating, and nourishing. Our ecosystem of ingredients and finished products are designed for people of all habits and beliefs and with the health of our planet always in mind. Because at Motif, we believe the food of the future should set you free. For more information, visit www.madewithmotif.com.
Media Contacts
Julia Dacri
Motif FoodWorks