Unilever’s Vegetarian Butcher Unveils New Vegan Bacon With Patented Fat Technology

Unilever states that its food scientists have focused on using plant oils to deliver plant-based bacon that is crispier, juicier, and has 20x more fat release meaning the product can be fried without the need for additional oil. Like the original NoBacon product, this new iteration is made from soy and wheat protein.

Fat

Through conventional cooking methods, fat is typically extracted from bacon as it cooks, providing a medium for the meat to be prepared. However, previous iterations of TVB plant-based bacon failed to release any oils while cooking, necessitating the addition of extra oils in preparation.

NoBacon now incorporates tiny oil droplets that significantly enhance the release of fat—20 times more than its predecessors. As a result, this enhanced release allows for frying without the need for any additional fat, says the company.

Texture

Plant-based products can encounter issues regarding their texture, often characterized as tough or lacking moisture.

Translucency

The initial plant-based bacon produced by TVB lacked the same heat responsiveness as traditional animal-based meat, resulting in a suboptimal cooking experience for consumers.

The Vegetarian Butcher says its latest technology enables the “fat” in its rashers to turn translucent while cooking, mimicking the behavior of fat in animal meat and enhancing the overall cooking experience.

VegConomist