Researchers in the Division of Food, Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Nottingham have been awarded funding to develop the next generation of plant-based protein products.
The funding is part of the UK-Canada Innovate UK initiative that aims to strengthen ties between the UK and Canadian food sectors, fostering innovation as both countries intensify efforts toward achieving net zero and creating more sustainable food supply chains.
This collaborative transdisciplinary project will involve three leading research groups from the University of Nottingham, plant-based food producer Jampa’s, as well as the Canadian food manufacturer, Tartistes
Jampa’s already has a range of clean label plant-based products focused on delivering great taste and texture. By integrating product reformulation, nutrition science, sensory science and packaging design, the project seeks to maximise the commercial success of the product and provide valuable insights into the broader category, as meat analogues face challenges from consumers.
Dr. Qian Yang, project lead at the University of Nottingham, said: “This collaboration represents an exciting step forward in our work developing innovative, sustainable food solutions.
“By collaborating with Jampa’s, this grant bridges the gap between cutting edge research and real-world application. It takes a consumer centric approach to develop nutritionally enriched and great-tasting reformulated products that truly resonate with consumers’ needs and preferences.”
Dr Yang adds: “This balanced approach will provide valuable insights in the food sector, offering healthier and more sustainable choices for consumers across global market.”
Jampa’s is building on its successful, long-standing relationship with the Food Innovation Centre (FIC) who is leading in the product design and development. The project will focus on reformulating Jampa’s current plant-based beef analogue to include local and valorised crops that have potential in both UK and Canadian markets.
To enhance nutritional value, the project places a strong emphasis on delivering nutritious plant-based products with high nutrient bioavailability and digestibility. This will be achieved at the University’s Nutritional Composition and Digestibility lab where the team will use recently developed and robust in vitro gastro-intestinal digestion techniques integrated with cutting edge mass spectrometry to evaluate protein and amino acid digestibility.
The products will then be subjected to rigorous taste tests with consumers to ensure they are optimised to the highest standards by experts at the Sensory Science Centre. The team will collaborate closely with Jampa’s innovative packaging designers to create a seamless connection with its consumers, ensuring the product characteristics are communicated effectively.
Richard Fox, Chef Co-Founder of Jampa’s, said: “Working with the University of Nottingham was an absolute game-changer for our grant application process. We’ve worked with the FIC for a couple of years, and when the IUK call came out and we needed a UK partner, they were the obvious choice.
“The entire UoN team provided unwavering support every step of the way from aligning our vision with the grant criteria to bringing together various departments whose expertise would help us achieve project objectives and create a strong proposal.
“They helped us clarify our proposal in an impactful way, and their guidance on data, formatting, IP, and deadlines ensured our application was polished and professional. What stood out most was their genuine investment in our success—they truly became partners in our journey.”
