In the UK, consumer demand for plant-based products has boomed in the past few years, leading to an explosion in plant-based NPD across a wide variety of sectors. For instance, since 2017, plant-based mayonnaises & dressings have experienced a CAGR of 16.6%!
In response, Ulrick & Short & Silverson Machines have worked together to demonstrate the manufacture of a plant-based mayonnaise application, utilising U&S’s latest clean-label egg replacement technologies, and Silverson’s high viscosity in-line mixers.
Clean Egg Replacement Ingredient Solutions
Ulrick & Short have developed a new ingredient specifically for plant-based mayonnaise & dressing applications. The ingredient, called ovaproxTM 11, is the latest addition to the company’s egg replacement range. ovaproxTM 11 has dual functionality, firstly acting to replace the emulsification function of egg in mayonnaise, and secondly acting as a stabiliser, meaning the product does not require the addition of hydrocolloids with less consumer-friendly declarations, such as like guar and xanthan gum.
ovaproxTM 11 carries with it a clean-label declaration, as well as being non-GMO, and allergen free – ensuring consumer friendly ingredient declarations.
High Viscosity In-Line Mixers
Silverson’s range of high viscosity In-Line mixers has been developed for the manufacture of products such as sauces, including ketchup, mayonnaise and sweet sauces and for applications in the pharmaceutical, cosmetics and chemical industries. Silverson’s Flashmix powder/liquid mixers are also suitable for higher viscosity products where large amounts of powders need to be dispersed and hydrated. Silverson offer mixers suitable for the production volumes of mayonnaise from 10 to 500L. In addition a full range of equipment from laboratory scale to full production is available for other applications, meaning the results obtained in the laboratory can easily be reproduced on the production floor.
Ulrick & Short’s R&D Technologist, Tobias Powell, said “ovaproxTM 11 doesn’t only replace the functionality of the egg in emulsifying, but it also acts as a stabiliser. This means the mayonnaise doesn’t require the addition of hydrocolloids, which often carry label declarations that are not always perceived as positive by consumers, such as gums.”
Powell added, “ovaprox 11 is one of 3 formulations which have been tailored to work at different oil content levels – anything from a 50% to 70% oil recipe. This ensures the product is stable throughout manufacturing, and that the oil and aqueous phases do not separate, or ‘break’. It also provides the thick texture & creamy mouthfeel characteristic of a ‘conventional’ mayonnaise.”
Lesley Smith, New Product Development Engineer at Silverson said “Following on from the success of our Flashmix Powder/Liquid mixers, we’ve developed a pilot scale version. This new mixer is an ideal mixing system for recipe and process development. Large enough to represent full scale production and producing sufficient batches for consumer testing, yet small enough to be bench-mounted and used in a test kitchen.”
Smith added, “Using the innovative pumping rotor design, high viscosity products such as Mayonnaise can be successfully mixed on this hygienic pilot scale mixer. Designed with scale-up in mind, processes can easily be scaled up to larger Silverson mixers such as the Mayonnaise plant, achieving consistent results without the need for reformulating.”
