Transforming Vegan Foods: How a Two-Step Fermentation Process Improves Flavor

March 1, 2026 6

Researchers find a new fermentation method to eliminate unpleasant smells in plant-based proteins, using yogurt cultures.

Transforming Vegan Foods: How a Two-Step Fermentation Process Improves Flavor

The novel two-step fermentation process can eliminate unpleasant aromas in healthy plant-based proteins. The technique was developed by researchers from The Ohio State University.

Off-putting smells often make healthy plant-based proteins unpalatable.

By using specific microbial cultures (yogurt cultures), researchers successfully removed 95% to 99% of ‘beany’ and ‘earthy’ smells, outperforming traditional one-stage methods.(1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Researchers want a better whiff of plant-based proteins

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This innovation in food science makes vegan dairy alternatives and meat substitutes more appealing, helping consumers embrace nutritious, sustainable food choices without sacrificing taste.

Mitigating Bitter and Earthy Off-Notes in Alternative Protein Sources

Based on a study from ACS Publications, experts explore ways to fix the bitter, ‘grassy’ taste of plant proteins. By using better processing and fermentation, they aim to make vegan food taste as authentic and satisfying as meat.(2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Mitigating Off-Flavors of Plant-Based Proteins

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The study compares meat to plant substitutes, showing how traditional fermentation (like in tempeh) creates savory ‘umami’ flavors, helping plant-based foods mimic the taste of real meat.(3^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Flavor and Metabolite Profiles of Meat, Meat Substitutes, and Traditional Plant-Based High-Protein Food Products Available in Australia

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Scientists used high-tech analysis (Gas-Chromatography/Mass-Spectrometry) to identify the specific chemicals that make soy and pea protein smell ‘beany.’ Pinpointing these odors is the first step toward removing them to create better-tasting plant-based foods.(4^✔ ✔Trusted Source
A Rapid Gas-Chromatography/Mass-Spectrometry Technique for Determining Odour Activity Values of Volatile Compounds in Plant Proteins: Soy, and Allergen-Free Pea and Brown Rice Protein

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Why Aroma Matters: Solving the Flavor Perception in Vegan Food

“Plant-based proteins are becoming more and more popular, either as people become vegetarians or just want to reduce their meat consumption,” she said. “Consumers want that option, but they don’t want to give up on the taste.”

Most plant-based proteins, especially those produced as alternatives to milk and dairy products, naturally emit odors that can negatively affect their reception by consumers. Since smell greatly influences flavor perception, these scents, often described as beany, grassy, earthy, sulfurous or cereal-like, can make it difficult for consumers to choose healthier food alternatives.

“Lots of factors all contribute to food preference, but it’s really hard to say I’m going to force myself to eat a product because it’s good for me, even if it tastes bad,” said Barringer.

Still, as global demand shifts toward more sustainable, health-conscious and allergen-friendly foods, scientists are having to get creative about raising interest in plant-based proteins. Aside from their compatibility with vegan and lactose-intolerant diets, alternative proteins would likely also be beneficial for the long-term health of the global food supply, as well as help reduce the environmental impact of our food systems.

Lactobacillus plantarum and Yogurt Cultures Can Deodorize Plant Proteins

Depending on the product, successful fermentation can take anywhere from a few hours to a whole day. Adding the second step doesn’t overcomplicate this process, meaning that future plant-based proteins created using this team’s anti-smell method won’t cost consumers more or take longer to make, said Manpreet Kaur, lead author of the study and a PhD student in food science and technology at Ohio State.

“We are using the same things that are used in the normal fermentation process,” said Kaur. “The only thing changed is how we utilize the bacteria.”

In the first stage of the experiment, researchers added a type of beneficial bacteria, Lactobacillus plantarum, to their microbial cultures, allowing it to ferment and begin breaking down the compounds responsible for foul smells. In stage two, they used a traditional yogurt culture containing a variety of common bacteria known for developing and modulating desirable aromas to complete the fermentation process.

Even Allulose and Fruit Preserves Help Enhance Bacterial Deodorization

The team then applied this method to solutions containing eight different plant proteins: 9% soy, pea, chickpea, mung bean, faba bean, rice, barley-rice and hemp. In each test, human sensory evaluation results revealed consistent and often near-complete reductions in smells.

Kaur and colleagues also found that adding certain ingredients could affect the outcome of the process. For example, while the natural sugar allulose could enhance Lactobacillus plantarum activity, strawberry preserves aided the performance of the bacteria in the yogurt. In contrast, non-fermentable additives, such as pectin, xanthan gum and oil, were introduced with only minimal effects on odor reduction.

Overall, this work not only advances the field’s understanding of how fermentation can be used to mitigate unsavory sensory challenges, but also offers a practical solution for the development of flavorful plant-based dairy snack alternatives, the researchers say.

“There’s a real focus on people wanting to be healthier and more environmentally conscious, and a push for plant-based products instead of meat and dairy products,” said Barringer. “So, I expect this area of research will absolutely continue to grow in the next many years.”

References:

Researchers want a better whiff of plant-based proteins – (https://news.osu.edu/researchers-want-a-better-whiff-of-plant-based-proteins/)
Mitigating Off-Flavors of Plant-Based Proteins – (https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jafc.1c03398)
Flavor and Metabolite Profiles of Meat, Meat Substitutes, and Traditional Plant-Based High-Protein Food Products Available in Australia – (https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/10/4/801)
A Rapid Gas-Chromatography/Mass-Spectrometry Technique for Determining Odour Activity Values of Volatile Compounds in Plant Proteins: Soy, and Allergen-Free Pea and Brown Rice Protein – (https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/13/4104)

Source-Eurekalert