ST. LOUIS — Bunge Loders Croklaan (BLC) launched a new portfolio of products designed to replicate the taste, texture and cooking experience of meat in plant-based alternatives.

The portfolio leverages high-stability sunflower, canola, coconut and palm fruit oils. It includes oils for flavor and aroma release, specialty fat fractions and shortenings for juiciness and flakes for marbling. Lecithin helps enhance surface browning to improve visual appeal.  

The ingredients, which originally were scheduled to debut at Natural Products Expo West, will help BLC meet demand for products that are non-GMO, expeller-pressed, healthy and sustainable, the company said.

“While an increasing number of consumers are choosing plant-based meat alternatives for sustainable and nutritional reasons, they still insist on the experience of traditional meat,” said Mark Stavro, senior director of marketing at BLC. “Fat is a fundamental driver of the sensory and culinary experience of meatless foods, and it takes the right ingredients, scale and technical expertise to create high quality products for this growing category.”