October 2013 Danish Macroalgal Conference

The TASTE Project: The Application of Edible Seaweed for Taste Enhancement and Salt Reduction

Sarah Hotchkiss

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This project has received funding from the European Seventh Framework Program managed by REA – Research Executive Agency http://ec.europa.eu/research/rea.” FP/2007-2013) under grant agreement n° 315170.”

Overview

October 2013 Danish Macroalgal Conference

• Introduction to CyberColloids

• who are we and why are we interested in seaweed?

• The TASTE Project

• rationale, aims and objectives

• progress thus far

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Who are CyberColloids?

• Independent R&D company (SME) based in Co. Cork, Ireland

• Established in 2002 - grown to 11 staff (9 in Cork, 2 in UK)

• Core expertise in hydrocolloid and polysaccharide chemistry -focussing on food, nutrition & industrial applications

• We offer a complete contract research & business solutions service – from raw material sourcing & basic research through process and product development to final application testing and strategic business advice

• Recognised research provider at EU level

• Participating in 5th collaborative Framework 7 project

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Why the interest in seaweed?

• CyberColloids have been working with seaweed ingredients for many years - agar, alginate and carrageenan

• Expertise within the team that spans the entire seaweed value chain

• From raw material suppliers through processing to application in end products

• Established network of harvesters and processors across Europe & globally

• In 2005 penny dropped that most of the good stuff was being thrown away!

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Why the interest in seaweed?

• Since 2005 focussing on developing higher value products from seaweed using innovative processing techniques

• Mainly for food, health & wellbeing:

• Seaweed ingredients for naturally healthy foods and functional foods

• LMW fibres, prebiotics & gut health

• Anti-cancer potential

• Antioxidant & anti-inflammatory potential

• Natural flavour for salt replacement

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The TASTE Project

October 2013 Danish Macroalgal Conference

The Application of Edible Seaweed for Taste Enhancement and Salt Replacement

• EU funded Research for the benefit of SMEs project (Oct 2012 –Sep 2014)

• Aim to develop new healthy flavour ingredients from edible seaweeds with the potential to replace sodium in food products

• SMEs from the seaweed, food and flavours industries in Ireland, Iceland, Germany, France& Spain

• RTDs from Iceland & Germany

• Large end user company from Slovenia

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Project objectives

October 2013 Danish Macroalgal Conference

• Development of innovative processing techniques

• Production of new seaweed flavour ingredients

• Development of novel formulations in meat products, bakery products, snacks and soups

• Pilot scale validation of ingredient and end product production

• Development of appropriate sensory tools

• Focussing on 3 species:

• Ascophyllum nodosum, Fucus vesiculosus & Saccharina latissima

Generic strategy for sodium reduction

October 2013 Danish Macroalgal Conference

• Industry target: to reduce sodium levels by 60-70% using a combined approach

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Potential technical solutions using seaweed

1. Direct replacement of sodium with natural mineral blends

• Key minerals & trace elements - Na, K, Ca, Mg, Zn, Fe

2. Boost overall flavour and allow a reduction in sodium taste using:

• Taste enhancement properties of proteinaceous compounds -amino acids, glutamates, ribonucleotides (IMP)

• Utilise other non-volatile flavour precursors

3. Generate flavour through processing

• e.g. Maillard reactions with amino acids and reducing sugars

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Added potential for salt replacement

October 2013 Danish Macroalgal Conference

• Reduction or removal of salt is not just about taste – it can also result in loss of quality in terms of functionality (texture/structure) & stability of products

• The composition of seaweeds renders them a potentially useful in this regard:

• FUNCTIONALITY – inherent properties e.g. water binding

• STABILITY – source of natural antioxidant & antimicrobial actives

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Progress thus far – sensory characterisation

October 2013 Danish Macroalgal Conference

• Sensory profiles of the seaweeds developed by trained sensory panels at Calaf, Frutarom-Etol, Matis & Fraunhofer using descriptive analysis and free choice profiling

• Sensory tools used to detect differences between species and also to assess the effects of different processing techniques

• Key odour active compounds determined using HRGC/O & linked to descriptors such as metallic, spicy and mouldy, cardboard-like, medicinal and seaweed-like

• Chemical characterisation of potential flavour active & precursor components

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Natural source of minerals & trace elements• 100g table salt (NaCl) = 40g Na

• 100g AN, FV & SL could contain ≈ 15-40g minerals (dw) of which < 5g = Na

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1 Data from Centre d’Étude et de Valorisation des Algues (CEVA) France

Key minerals content of TASTE seaweeds (g/100g dw)

Ascophyllum nodosum Fucus vesiculosus Saccharina latissima

TASTE Typical 1 TASTE Typical 1 TASTE Typical 1

Na 3.2-4.3 0.7-3.9 4-5.5 3.3-5 4.7-5.4 2.5-5.1

K 2.5-3.1 1.8-2.7 4-4.7 0.2-2 9.6-11 3.7-9.3

Ca 1-1.1 0.9-2.6 1.3-1.4 0.9-2.8 1.3-1.4 0.6-0.7

Mg 0.7-0.8 0.2-1.6 0.8-0.9 0.2-2 0.9 0.4-2.5

Natural source of proteinaceous compounds

• AN, FV & SL could contain ≈2.5-23g/100g (dw) protein

• Contain 15 of 20 common amino acids – high in free forms

• Preliminary analysis encouraging

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Ascophyllumnodosum

Fucus vesiculosus Saccharinalatissima

Avg. total protein 10.4 15.1 22.6

Glutamic acid 0.3 0.4 n/a

Important others LYS, VAL, ALA, LEU

ASP, LYS, VAL, ALA, LEU

n/a

Protein & amino acid content of TASTE species (g/100g dw)

Progress thus far – innovative processing

October 2013 Danish Macroalgal Conference

• Using a combination of physical & enzymatic processing to “unlock” the important flavour components

• Used commercially available enzymes and specific enzymes from partner Prokazyme

• New processes designed with scale up to commercial production in mind & to fulfil specific requirements of SMEs

• Physical & chemical properties of ingredients, performance c.f. commercial comparators, regulatory considerations, cost etc.

• Basic processes in place currently being optimised at lab scale

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Next steps

October 2013 Danish Macroalgal Conference

• Production of new seaweed flavour ingredients for use in laboratory scale application trials

• Development of novel formulations in meat products, bakery products, snacks and soups

• Pilot scale validation of ingredient and end product production

More to follow next year!

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Thank you!

sarah@cybercolloids.net

Please visit our website

www.tasteproject.net

This project has received funding from the European Seventh Framework Program managed by REA – Research Executive Agency http://ec.europa.eu/research/rea.” FP/2007-2013) under grant agreement n° 315170.”