From bug bolognese to plant-based salmon, scientists have been working hard to create vegan alternatives to our favourite foods.
Now, the ‘holy grail’ of vegan foods has been formulated – a plant-based cheese that melts and pulls just like the real deal.
The cheese is the brainchild of scientists from the University of Guelph in Ontario, who tested multiple types of plant-based proteins, as well as range of alternative ‘cheese scaffolds’.
Their final product contains a blend of coconut oil, sunflower oil and pea protein.
While this might not sound like a particularly appetising combination, the researchers say their concoction replicates the ‘creamy, cheesy’ qualities of real dairy.
‘Ultimately we want to improve the nutrition, increase the protein content and lower the saturated fat content of cheese alternatives,’ said Alejandro Marangoni, an author of the study.
‘But keeping all the functionality in there, which includes the melt and the stretch of the “cheese”, is very difficult.’
So, can you tell whether the photos show real cheeses or the vegan imposter? Scroll down for the answers.
Can you tell if this is a real cheese or the vegan version? The ‘holy grail’ of vegan foods has been formulated – a plant-based cheese that melts and pulls just like the real deal
Whether it’s for health reasons or a bid to reduce your carbon footprint, many Britons are trying to find ways to reduce the amount of meat and dairy they consume
Whether it’s for health reasons or in a bid to reduce your carbon footprint, many Britons are trying to find ways to reduce the amount of meat and dairy they consume.
In fact, a recent study found that the number of vegans in the UK increased by 1.1 million between 2023 and 2024.
While many plant-based alternatives are impressively similar to the real deal, vegan cheese remains a real bugbear for many dieters.
‘If you wanted to strictly only eat plant-based products, you would end up eating a lot of beans and tofu, which can be little bit boring after a while,’ said Mr Marangoni.
‘Now, consumers expect essentially the same animal product but with plant-based ingredients, which is very difficult.’
To create the cheese, the researchers tested three plant proteins – lentil, faba bean, and pea – as well as several oils.
‘The behavior of milk proteins and meat proteins is reasonably well understood, but knowledge about the functionality of plant proteins is lacking,’ Mr Marangoni said.
‘There is also a huge variety of different plant proteins, each one very different from one another.’
While many plant-based alternatives are impressively similar to the real deal, vegan cheese remains a real bugbear for many dieters
Their tests revealed that increasing the amount of coconut oil increased the hardness of the cheese.
However, due to the unique protein-fat interactions, they found that a blend of 25 per cent coconut oil, 75 per cent sunflower oil, and pea protein was the winning combination – resulting in better melt and stretch than versions with 100 per cent coconut oil.
The study comes shortly after researchers warned that many vegan cheeses have ‘little nutritional value’ and contain far more bad fats than the real deal.
And it’s because manufacturers try too hard to make vegan cheese look, taste and even melt like the real deal, according to nutritionist Richard Hoffman.
Alternatives are often made using plant oils that are high in saturated fat and bad cholesterol and void of any vitamins or minerals.
Eating too much could raise the risk of heart disease and other health problems, like weak bones, according to Mr Hoffman, from Hertfordshire University.
Did you spot the real cheese?
1.
REAL CHEESE
2.
VEGAN CHEESE
3.
REAL CHEESE
