Background
A food manufacturer wanted to develop a plant-based product replicating the texture and mouthfeel of an animal-based product, but existing plant protein formulations produced a texture consumers rated as noticeably inferior in early testing.
The Challenge
It was unclear whether any combination of plant proteins, binding agents, and processing methods could replicate the required texture profile using ingredients suitable for large-scale production.
Technological Uncertainty
It was not known in advance whether a formulation and processing method existed that could achieve the target texture and structural properties, given the specific behaviour of the available plant protein sources under processing conditions.
Experimental Development
The team systematically tested combinations of protein blends, binding agents, and extrusion processing parameters, measuring texture properties instrumentally and evaluating structural consistency across production-scale trial runs.
What Failed?
An initial protein blend achieved the target texture in small-batch testing but failed to maintain structural consistency when processed at production scale, revealing that the extrusion parameters needed to be redeveloped for the new formulation.
Technological Advancement
The team developed a formulation and extrusion process combination that consistently achieved the target texture at production scale, generating new formulation and processing knowledge specific to this ingredient combination.
Potentially Relevant SR&ED Activities
- Systematic formulation testing across protein and binding agent combinations
- Instrumental texture analysis and structural consistency testing
- Extrusion process development and scale-up trials
What Would Generally Not Qualify
Standard production runs using the finalized, validated formulation and process would be routine manufacturing and would not itself qualify.
Documentation
Formulation trial records, instrumental texture measurement data, and scale-up trial reports documenting process adjustments would support this claim.
