General Mills Files Patent for Fava Bean Yogurt

Food corporation giant General Mills recently filed a United States Patent Application for a project that focuses on creating dairy-free products from various beans and legumes. The company stated it will explore non-soy, plant-based ingredients such as fava beans, chickpeas, lentils, adzuki beans, and other legumes in creating dairy-free products such as yogurt, eggless mayonnaise, and plant-based milks. General Mills disclosed that it intends to experiment with various methods of hydrating and heating legumes, adding an acidification agent (such as vinegar) as well as flavorings to create alternatives to both animal- and soy-based dairy products. “Protein is an ingredient that continues to grow in consumer health interest, and is an ingredient needed in the developing world,” the application states—before discussing consumer trends toward non-dairy alternatives, pointing to reasons related to both lactose intolerance and avoidance of animal products for ethical and environmental reasons. This isn’t the first time that the multi-national company has explored dairy-free options. Last May, General Mills led an $18 million round of investment into California-based vegan company Kite Hill through its venture capital fund, 301 Inc.