Catalan company creates new formula to reduce chemical additives in vegetarian and vegan food

The company BDF from Girona, the biggest town in Northern Catalonia, has created a formula that improves the texture of vegan food products.

The innovation is based on an enzyme called transglutaminase, which when applied to a product allows for reduction of currently used chemical additives. This solution can also be applied to foods such as fish, dairy products, and pasta. The Director General of BDF, Jordi Bosch, explained that this new technological procedure also improves the production process.

The formula will be distributed internationally, which in turn will be provided to the production companies in the sector. The idea is that at the end of the production line the formula will be applied directly to the product, which will then be vacuum-packed so it can be exported using any kind of transport.

In order to develop this technology, BDF received the support of Catalonia Trade & Investment –the agency that supports the internationalization of companies from Catalonia- through their financial support for Innovation. The product is slated to be on the market by the end of the year, coinciding with the company's participation at the Food Ingredients Global in Frankfurt, Germany, in November.

Support for Innovation

The goal of the Support for Innovation by the Catalonia Trade & Investment Agency is to guarantee access to innovation for Catalan start-ups. Companies ranging from 5 to 100 employees can apply either to start or to continue to develop an innovative project, whether a product or service, an improvement in the production line, or a new business model. They can apply for a financial support of up to 6,000 euros. All financial aid granted is valid for eight months.