For a year now, plant-based pioneer Planteneers and filling and portioning system manufacturer Handtmann have been collaborating to enable customers to offer plant-based steaks or filet strips with fine marbling and authentic fibrous structure. In order to make the best use of the new technology, the product range has been extended with cost-optimised steak varieties, bacon, cooked ham, and carpaccio. It is presenting the cost-optimised steak as an example at this year’s IFFA in Frankfurt (Booth C89 in Hall 11.0), the world’s leading trade fair – technology for meat and alternative proteins.

Florian Bark, senior product manager Planteneers, said, “After the launch last year we received lots of positive feedback on our offerings. The quality of the plant-based steaks, with their marbling and fine fiber structure, was very well received by customers. This resulted in requests for further options. We got to work and developed new application possibilities for the marbling unit.”

It uses European-grown soy protein for the cost-optimised steaks, instead of fava beans and peas. With fiildMeat P-series functional systems and Handtmann machines, manufacturers can offer authentic plant-based alternatives to rump steak and filet.

In developing the three further applications, the plant-based experts, focused on products with high sales potential in the European markets. The results are plant-based alternatives to bacon and cooked ham, which are popular in a great many countries. Plant-based carpaccio is a specialty that adds further variety. “With these additional applications our customers are now much more flexible in designing their product lines,” said Bark.

Manufacturers can make these products with fiildMeat P and fiildMeat S system solutions from the company and a forming and marbling unit for the well-known Handtmann filling and portioning systems. This flexible coextrusion system creates the desired plant-based products. The size and shape of the final products can be adjusted to customer desires, as can the definition of the fat layers. Depending on the fat ratio and machine setting, asymmetrical fat marbling is possible. A coarse fat structure and fine fat marbling can be produced together or individually. The high output is another big advantage of this technology. Unlike production processes like 3D printing, the Handtmann system enables a throughput of over a tonne per hour. With this, manufacturers can turn out large quantities of steak and cold cut alternatives and thus meet the demand from larger trade partners.