Vegan foods: Mimic meat products in the Italian market

Abstract The current concern about meat consumption tackles many aspects: health, social life, food behaviours, animal welfare, natural resources exploitation. People are more sensitive about these topics and they are shifting individual food habits in favour of a more plant-based diet. Surveys provide a concise view of the increasing percentage of both vegetarians and vegans. The aim of the present research was to develop adequate recipes to prepare food products that mimic the shape and the texture of traditional wurstel and Mortadella, focusing on the Italian market. The challenge faced was multiple: firstly, to maintain the similar characteristics of the traditional foods; secondly, to accomplish the consumer's requests; thirdly, to enlarge the market share of the food industries. The results obtained demonstrated that “mimic- wurstel” and “mimic-mortadella” were created with vegan allowed ingredients and proteins of vegetal origin. In the case of “mimic-mortadella” the addition of tofu cubes tried to recreate the visual effect of fat globules.