ETH Zurich scientists give lentils a meat-like texture

ETH Zurich has found a way to make whole lentils and other pulses bite like fibrous meat or fish. The method, reported on September 1, 2026, addresses one of the most persistent problems in plant-based food: creating a convincing structure without relying on heavily processed protein ingredients.

The researchers soak the pulses, purée them and heat the mixture to 90°C for 30 minutes. That produces a gel. They then place the gel in a mould insulated on every side except one, allowing it to freeze from a single direction. As the ice front advances, crystals grow in parallel lines and push the pulse material into layered strands.

Those layers remain after thawing, giving the product a more substantial bite than a smooth lentil purée. Project leader Patrick Rühs said the texture is reminiscent of meat or fish. The result could give Swiss kitchens and food producers another route into plant-based dishes, using familiar crops rather than only imported or highly refined ingredients.

ETH’s work arrives as Switzerland’s plant-based meat alternatives market remains relatively small but continues to attract commercial interest. Its estimated potential was CHF 242 million in 2025, with a projection of CHF 361 million by 2030.

A one-sided freeze turns a pulse gel into an edible layered structure. The crucial step is controlled ice growth. ETH researchers used a mould with insulation around all but one face, so cooling entered the mixture along a single path rather than from several directions.

That directional freezing matters because randomly formed ice crystals would create a more broken, irregular mass. Growing crystals in parallel produces channels and layers inside the gel. Once the material thaws, the resulting architecture stays in place and creates resistance when bitten.

The process uses familiar kitchen operations, although consistent industrial production would require precise control of water content, cooling speed and mould geometry. The researchers found that the ingredients themselves also influence the outcome. Different pulse varieties generated different levels of firmness, and hydration changed the consistency. Red lentils produced a firmer structure than soya beans.

This variation gives chefs and food manufacturers room to develop different products, from softer fillings to denser slices. It also creates a technical task for the next stage of research. ETH says it plans to investigate how the different consistencies can be controlled more precisely, a necessary step before producers can promise the same texture in every batch.

The researchers designed the technique to use harvested pulses as fully as possible. Lentils and beans can be processed as whole pulses, which supports ETH’s stated aim of reducing food waste. The source does not quantify how much waste the method could prevent, but the principle is direct: more of the crop can enter a finished food rather than being discarded during selection or diverted into lower-value uses.

Pulses also offer a broad testing ground. ETH reported that the process worked with a wide range of varieties accounting for 96% of global pulse production. That reach matters for a technology that aims to move beyond a single specialist ingredient. It suggests the method could be adapted to regional crops and to products with different nutritional and culinary profiles.

For Switzerland, the approach has a practical cultural fit. Lentils, beans and peas are familiar foods, while Swiss consumers are already encountering plant-based alternatives in supermarkets, restaurants and institutional catering. A product that retains the identity of a pulse may also appeal to buyers who want a shorter ingredient story.

The next challenge is to measure the full resource picture, including water use, energy for heating and freezing, packaging, transport and storage. The ETH study establishes a texture platform. Its environmental value will depend on how producers operate it at scale.

Turning a laboratory texture into a supermarket product will require more than a successful freeze. Manufacturers would need equipment that can cool large volumes evenly, preserve the layered structure during handling and thawing, and deliver consistent firmness across batches. Water content varies naturally between pulse varieties, so industrial recipes would need tight specifications or flexible processing settings.

Food companies would also need recipes that make the texture useful. ETH PhD student Andrea Bach said the method is simple enough for home kitchens, while the research group is leaving specific recipes to professional chefs. That puts culinary development alongside engineering. Marinades, cooking temperatures, portion sizes and shelf life will determine whether the structure works in everyday meals.

The Swiss market provides a reason to test those possibilities. Plant-based meat alternatives had an estimated potential of CHF 242 million in 2025, rising to CHF 361 million by 2030 according to Swissinfo. Yet the sector remains a niche market, so new products must compete on taste, price, convenience and familiarity.

Regulation adds another constraint. In May 2025, a Swiss court ruled that plant-based alternatives could no longer use names directly referencing animals, such as vegan chicken or vegan pork. Producers using lentils will need clear descriptions that communicate texture without breaching naming rules.

ETH’s next experiments will focus on controlling texture rather than simply producing it. Researchers want to understand how pulse type, hydration and freezing conditions determine firmness. That work could allow producers to design specific textures for burgers, dumpling fillings, sliced foods or fish-style products, provided chefs can translate the laboratory material into recipes people want to buy.

The project also gives Switzerland a possible role in the next phase of plant-based food development. ETH Zurich supplies the food science, while Swiss food companies, chefs and farmers could test how the process fits local supply chains. The country’s market is projected to grow from CHF 242 million in 2025 to CHF 361 million by 2030, creating space for new formats if they meet consumer expectations.

The immediate significance is practical. Lentils do not need to be transformed into an imitation of a specific animal product to become more versatile. A stable, fibrous structure could expand how cooks use pulses while keeping the ingredient visible on the plate.

Whether the method reaches Swiss shelves will depend on production cost, energy demand, food safety validation, recipe quality and repeatable texture. ETH has supplied a workable process and a broad base of pulse varieties. The commercial test now belongs to manufacturers and kitchens.