SentiaNova launches patented pea protein technology to remove off-flavors and cut formulation costs

SentiaNova has emerged from stealth with a patented pre-processing technology designed to remove off-flavors from plant-derived proteins, launching publicly at HACK Summit in Lausanne as it prepares to bring commercial volumes of its first pea protein concentrate to market later this year.

• SentiaNova has launched publicly with patented technology designed to remove off-flavors from plant-derived proteins before concentration or isolation.
• Independent sensory testing found its pea protein concentrate achieved statistically significant reductions in overall off-notes at 99% confidence.
• The company has made sample volumes available now, with first commercial volumes planned for Q4 2026.

The Zürich-based food technology company launched on April 23, 2026, with sample volumes of its fully neutral-tasting pea protein concentrate already available. First commercial volumes were planned for Q4 2026, while pea protein isolate was identified as part of the company’s near-term roadmap.

SentiaNova has developed its process to address one of the most persistent barriers facing plant proteins: taste. Off-flavors naturally associated with pulses such as pea, faba and chickpea have often limited how much plant protein manufacturers can include in products before consumers reject them.

Rather than masking those notes with flavor systems, SentiaNova’s technology removed off-flavors before concentration or isolation. The company reported that the process also improved color and helped steer functional properties including dispersibility, water-holding capacity and emulsification, potentially enabling higher inclusion rates in premium food applications.

“The conditions for plant proteins to close the protein gap are finally in place. Processing capacity is built, legume cultivation is being incentivised across Europe for local protein sovereignty and nitrogen capture, and demand is accelerating. Taste has been the last barrier,” said Daria Reisch, Co-founder & CEO of SentiaNova. “SentiaNova removes it, and the independent validation we are publishing today shows we are not incrementally better. We are in a different category.”

The company pointed to a structural protein shortage of more than three billion kilograms, citing new dietary guidelines, rising protein demand from GLP-1 users and continued population growth as drivers. It argued that while animal protein cannot scale fast enough to close the gap, plant-derived proteins could make greater use of existing infrastructure, including European dry fractionation capacity for food-grade pulse protein concentrates that remained underutilized.

An independent sensory evaluation conducted by Haystack Consulting, with application development supported by Nursh, compared SentiaNova’s pea protein concentrate with leading de-flavored pea protein benchmarks on the market, including a leading de-flavored pea concentrate and top-end pea isolate.

A panel of 12 trained sensory evaluators found SentiaNova’s ingredient was the only one to achieve a statistically significant reduction in overall off-notes at 99% confidence. The panel also recorded consistent and significant reductions in bitterness, astringency and green notes, resulting in a cleaner and more balanced flavor profile.

The evaluation also assessed downstream formulation economics. In a vanilla pudding application, replacing what the company described as the market’s current most neutral concentrate with SentiaNova’s ingredient reduced total formulation cost by 15%. The saving came from eliminating masking agents and reducing vanilla flavoring from 1.0% to 0.8%. SentiaNova added that the saving would be greater compared with regular pea concentrate from the market.

“I have spent 26 years building plant protein facilities, and I have watched a lot of interesting technologies fail because the unit economics did not work,” said Roi Wurgaft, Co-founder & CTO of SentiaNova. “That is why we built SentiaNova the way we did. Clean taste at an affordable price is what the industry has been asking for. Everything else is secondary.”

SentiaNova said it operated an OpEx and CaPEx-light production model, working with established pulse protein manufacturers to bring high volumes to market in shorter timeframes. The company also reported that the ingredient was clean label and required no regulatory approvals in major markets.

The startup made its public debut at HACK Summit in Lausanne on April 22 and 23, where it hosted a tasting event for food scientists, ingredient buyers and investors. Attendees tasted the pea protein concentrate in its pure form alongside reference benchmarks, previewed early pea protein isolate samples and evaluated three finished applications: a vanilla pudding, a ready-to-drink protein beverage and a protein ball.

SentiaNova was built out of FOOD FOUNDERS Studio following 12 months of advisor and ingredient manufacturer validation before launch. The company was led by Reisch, a serial founder and 16-year veteran of B2B AgriFoodTech, and Wurgaft, who brought 26 years of experience building pilot- to full-scale plant protein facilities.

(Main photo shows Robert Boer, Roi Wurgaft, Daria Reisch, Giacomo Cattaneo and Alex Morel)