How brewer’s yeast could provide a protein source plant-based meat alternatives

SURPRISING as it may seem, it's possible to upcycle leftover yeast from the brewing process to create an alternative protein source.

This concept, developed by the French start-up Yeasty, makes use of a raw material that would usually be discarded, and could pave the way for healthier plant-based foods.

Peas, soy, beans and sometimes wheat can be used to replace animal proteins in plant-based patties. The recipe often includes all sorts of ingredients supposed to give texture and "bite" to the product, such as corn starch, but also methyl cellulose, from wood cellulose.

Often highlighted by consumer associations for their all-too-long lists of additives, plant-based alternatives could fuel their success by providing consumers with more natural and healthy compositions.

This is a future trend confirmed by the quantity of new food products presented during the last international food fair (SIAL) in Paris.

In many of these plant-based products, there is now a discreet ingredient that could soon become a major must-have: yeast. Used in the form of an extract to give products texture, yeast is a microorganism that drives the fermentation process.

It is the focus of a circular initiative helmed by a French start-up whose idea involves upcycling leftover yeast from the beer brewing process to create an alternative protein source.

In concrete terms, it involves recovering waste from the bottom of brewery tanks in order to transform the remaining material into a flour.

This process is particularly interesting from a nutritional point of view, since it contains between 50 and 60% protein, but also essential amino acids and nearly 20% fiber.

Eventually, the Yeasty food company, which managed to raise €1.4 million in funding to make its project a reality, envisages using its star ingredient in plant-based alternatives to meat, or for sports nutrition or in vegan eggs and cheeses.

The concept has several benefits: not only are breweries' carbon footprints reduced by reusing leftover yeast, but the end product could provide a healthier protein base for consumer foods.

In the United States, the recipe for Impossible Foods' plant-based patties was the subject of controversy a few years ago.

Beyond Meat's major competitor, which supplies various fast-food chains with plant-based alternatives, uses a genetically modified yeast to express the gene for soy leghemoglobin, which gives the end product a red colour but also a meaty flavour.

This is not the first time that the brewing world has inspired a food company working on a circular approach. Various start-ups have built their business on reusing spent grains, the leftover residues from brewing grains.

In France's Hauts-de-France region, a small company called Happy Drêche turns this waste into snack crackers. Meanwhile, in the Ile-de-France region, Ramen tes drêches uses this waste to make noodles for the Japanese dish, ramen. – ETX Daily Up, December 7, 2022