Kraft Heinz’s New Vegan Hot Dogs + How Precision Fermentation Could Revolutionize the Food Industry

The Kraft Heinz Company made waves in the food industry by introducing vegan hot dogs and sausages under its well-known Oscar Mayer brand. This significant move marks the brand’s first foray into the plant-based arena with its NotHotDogs and NotSausages. In this episode of the Xtalks Food Podcast, Sydney talks about the new offerings, which were developed in collaboration with NotCo, a Chilean food-tech firm renowned for its AI-driven approach to crafting plant-based food solutions. The products contain ingredients like bamboo fiber, pea protein and mushrooms. Additionally, the offerings have the distinctive “snap” of the outer casing and the savory smokiness of Oscar Mayer products. The company aims to attract flexitarian consumers looking for plant-based options that don’t compromise on taste, texture and variety. The team discusses the significant price difference between the new offerings and traditional hot dogs and wonder whether name recognition will help boost sales.

Also in this episode, Sydney talks about a new precision fermentation study that provides compelling evidence that this technology could be the key to future food sustainability. One of the core findings of the precision fermentation study is its potential to drastically improve food quality. Moreover, this technology allows for the production of specific food ingredients, including those that contribute to the savory taste in dishes, sourness in soft drinks and essential enzymes in cheese manufacturing. The study also highlights how genetically engineered microorganisms can inhibit the growth of foodborne pathogens. Not to mention, by using self-replicating microorganisms that produce minimal waste, precision fermentation paves the way for the production of food ingredients from renewable substrates. The team talks about the obstacles to overcome in order to get precision fermentation-made foods into the mainstream, like consumer education and perception.