A team of UNSW chemical engineers has developed a dairy-free cheese alternative that blends plant proteins with complex carbohydrates.
The plant-based cheese behaves much like its dairy counterpart, melting, stretching and browning under heat. The breakthrough pairs pea protein with polysaccharides to replicate the texture of animal-derived cheese.
“Colours and flavours are the easy part, but replicating the structure — that pull of melted cheese, or the juicy mouthfeel of meat — is the real challenge” said research professor at UNSW Cordelia Selomulya.
Although demand for plant-based products continues to rise, many alternatives disappoint when heated and often fail to deliver the nutrition stated on the label or the sensory qualities of dairy foods.
The engineers are therefore testing the cheese’s performance through freeze–thaw cycles, high-temperature cooking and nutrient release during digestion. Early results indicate a promising future for dairy-free options.
“By focusing on polysaccharide blends, we’re now able to achieve the kind of elasticity and structure you’d normally associate with dairy cheese,” said senior lecturer and researcher at UNSW Yong Wang.
“We’ve also made progress in preserving key nutrients, which is something most commercial products don’t do well.”
The chemical engineers plan to look for commercial partners to lay groundwork for plant-based foods to be a mainstay of the global food industry. However, they emphasises that their goal is not to replace meat or dairy entirely, but to widen sustainable food choices and ease environmental pressures.
“We’re not here to replace meat and dairy,” said Selomulya.
“Our technology just allows us to create valuable, sustainable food products using crops that are already abundant in Australia.”
Australia’s plant-based market is forecast to reach $13 billion by 2030.