For vegans and sweet tooth

Topic news

For more than 60 years of activity, the staff of RUE "Institute of Meat and Dairy Industry" has created thousands of product samples. Our correspondent found out how the scientists of the enterprise help people eat healthy and tasty, and the dairy and meat industries of Belarus become more and more competitive in the world market.

Scientific support

In August 1960, a research laboratory for the dairy industry was established at the Belarusian Research Institute of Food Industry. Over the years, IT has turned into a huge cluster that provides scientific support to the meat and dairy industry.

Now the institute is working in a number of areas: the development and production of bacterial starters, new types of meat and dairy products, resource- and energy-saving, innovative and import-substituting technologies for the production of dairy and meat products, technologies and methods for sanitizing technological equipment and production facilities.

We are doing practical research. For example, we test raw materials and finished products for compliance with the level of quality and safety, we are engaged in standardization both in the dairy and meat industries, - emphasizes the Director of the organization Gordey Gusakov. - Our scientific research is relevant, reflects the real needs of the meat and dairy industry and is aimed at reducing resource consumption, import substitution, increasing the biological value of products, expanding their range. The Institute of Meat and Dairy Industry is one of the leading enterprises in the development of technologies and new types of products. We are constantly looking for new solutions.

Sausage for "vegans"

The institute's specialists have created recipes for vegetarian products that are analogous to meat products.

- At the heart of the development of the "vegan" direction are components such as pea and buckwheat Flour, starch, semolina, walnuts, mushrooms and much more. In sausage for lacto-vegans, in addition to vegetable ingredients (mashed potatoes and pea flour), there are also dairy ingredients (Milk powder , cheese, butter), Gordey Gusakov notes.

The institute is engaged in the creation of plant analogues of dairy products using legumes, cereals, oilseeds and nut crops.

- Products developed for vegetarians have the necessary nutritional and biological value, balanced in amino acid and fatty acid composition, which actually allows you to fully replace meat products, - says the director of the institute.

Wide range of starters

The Institute of Meat and Dairy Industry is the only one in Belarus that produces starter cultures for the dairy industry, which are used in the manufacture of fermented dairy products: cottage cheese, soft and semi-hard cheeses, sour cream, fermented milk products, including functional ones.

This production has been in operation since 2010. Today we produce 25 types of frozen and 18 types of dry starters. Every year we increase their range, - says Gordey Gusakov.

In 2021, the production of frozen concentrated starters for cheeses with cheddarization and melting of the cheese mass, as well as dry concentrated multi-species starter cultures "Optima Protect" for dairy products - as protective cultures, began. A new development of the institute is a line of dry starters for making fermented milk products at home under the Lov&Сo trademark, which is already on store shelves.

Ice cream for weight loss

Taking into account the trend towards healthy eating, the specialists of the institute have developed a new range of ice cream and sweet curd products with a reduced calorie content.

- They have reduced the mass fraction of fat and 30% - the Sugar content. There are products that replace sugar with natural low-calorie sweeteners. In general, the calorie content is reduced by 20–60%, depending on the type of product,” the director notes.

Especially these products will appeal to those who are on a diet, lead a healthy lifestyle or suffer from diabetes.

“Despite the reduction in calorie content and the absence of sugar, the new dairy products have a classic taste, natural composition, and the safety and stability of their quality are guaranteed by the requirements of national standards,” Gordey Gusakov emphasized.

In 2022, the enterprises produced more than 100 tons of these products.

We print food on the printer!

Belarusian scientists have created emulsions and dry mixes based on raw materials of animal origin for food 3D printers. Now with their help it will be possible to make a whole range of products.

– For such equipment, you can use soft cheeses such as ricotta or mascarpone, reconstituted dry meat mixture. Meat pates are also suitable, as well as chocolate, caramel, mastic and creams, Gordey Gusakov notes.

Solution for Phenylketonuria

A considerable number of Belarusians have to limit themselves in products containing protein. Especially strict diet - in patients with phenylketonuria.

“The basis of the diet for such people is special milk formulas with a low content of phenylalanine,” explains Gordey Gusakov. “We have developed a low-protein dairy product that allows you to prepare drinks, cereals and other dishes. It contains no artificial flavors, colors or milk fat substitutes.

Previously, Belarusian enterprises did not produce such products. People for whom protein intake is contraindicated or strictly limited were forced to buy foreign goods.

“Since December 2022, we have organized the production of these products at the facilities of scientific and experimental production,” said the director of the institute.

RUE "Institute of Meat and Dairy Industry" became one of the central participants of the exhibition "Intellectual Belarus". The organization presented samples of developments at several stands, which were visited, among other things, by guests of honor and senior officials of the country.

As a result of joint research and development work of the Institute of Meat and Dairy Industry and OJSC "Luninetsky Dairy Plant" , a new range of products from A2 milk under the brand name "Asablivae" has appeared - an innovative premium class product. It is especially rich in beta-casein.

Alexander NOVOKHROST, photo - Maxim GUCHEK