Plant-based meat is no longer a niche product, but an established part of vegetarian and vegan diets. Some companies are growing fat in the lab and hoping to combine it with wheat protein and spices to create a particularly meaty form of plant-based bacon.
Others use animal byproducts from traditional meat production and mix them with plant- based ingredients to create ground steak cuts. The shift could change the identity of plant.-based meat, which has previously been seen primarily as an option for vegans and vegetarians. But advocates see it as something special: a tasty way to bring plant-Based meat away from the small share of consumers who don't eat meat and into the mainstream.. Coconut oil has a much lower melting point than animal fat - meaning it melts too early during cooking. Plus, it doesn't coat the mouth in the way. “We believe this is the biggest missing piece,” said Eitan Fischer, the managing director of Mission Barn, which is growing pork belly fat in a lab.