Vegan cheese made from watermelon seeds developed

India-based startup Katharos has recently launched a unique vegan cheese range based on watermelon seeds, comprising cheddar and mozzarella.

According to the company, these are the world's first cheese blocks made from watermelon seeds. The soft, creamy cheeses are made with other simple ingredients such as coconut oil, carrageenan (a seaweed extract), apple cider vinegar, corn and potato starch, and nutritional yeast, and can be melted and grated on pizza, sandwiches, burgers, fondue, and more.

Founded in 2019 by Jasmine Bharucha, Katharos — which means «pure» in Greek — has set itself the goal of revolutionising the vegan food industry in India by applying modern plant biochemistry and food science to create plant-based alternatives to dairy products. In addition to the new watermelon seed-based cheese, the brand also offers cashew-based pizza cheese sauce, soft cheese spreads in flavours such as peri-peri, roasted cumin, jalapeño, and nacho, almond-based feta cheese, as well as energy balls made from dates, cashews, and sunflower seeds. Katharos products are currently available through the company's own website as well as through Indian online food retailers Big Basket and Urban Platter.

«We are delighted to add the world's first cheddar and mozzarella based on watermelon seeds to our range«, said Bharucha in a statement. «These cheeses are not only nutritious but also rich in texture and flavour. We firmly believe in offering people healthy and affordable plant-based products. This is yet another step towards satisfying the cheese cravings of committed vegans and those making the switch.«

What is vegan cheese made from?

While the first vegan cheeses were often made from starches and oils, the industry has evolved toward more realistic alternatives, frequently crafted from cultures and a variety of nuts such as cashews and almonds. Watermelon seeds could be the secret ingredient of a next-generation vegan cheese, and Katharos is not the first to experiment with this unique component.

Earlier this year, American vegan brand Miyoko's Creamery launched a novelty: cultured vegan cottage cheese made from organic watermelon seed milk and sunflower seed milk. The new cultured plant milk cottage cheese offers the same mild flavor and creamy, curdled texture as traditional dairy-based cottage cheese and is set to hit retail shelves next year.

During the research and development phase, Miyoko's innovation team tested a wide range of cultures and formulations, exploring how various plants and their proteins behave in cheesemaking. In the course of their research and development, they discovered that watermelon seeds have a high content of a protein called globulin, which supports curdling.

«The idea for cottage cheese came about in my home kitchen while I was experimenting with different plant milks and discovered a way to form curds reminiscent of cottage cheese», Miyoko's Creamery founder Miyoko Schinner told VegNews. «I handed the project over to our innovation team, which developed the processes to achieve consistent curd quality and the best overall flavor by testing a variety of cultures and refining the formula through many iterations.»

Vegan cheesemaking methods

While Katharos and Miyoko's experiment with watermelon seeds, other companies are working to incorporate other protein-rich ingredients such as beans into vegan cheese. In Amsterdam, food technology startup Mr. & Mrs. Watson is launching the first vegan cheese wheel made from fava beans. The sliced Gouda-style cheese is fermented in the same way as traditional dairy cheese and offers a high protein content from fava beans, which are used in place of cow's milk.

To make the new Gouda cheese, the Watson couple first produces plant milk from locally grown fava beans, ferments it with live cultures in the same way as dairy cheese, and pours the resulting liquid into traditional cheese molds. «It is time for beautiful, traditional, and protein-rich cheese alternatives to come to market that are accessible to the general public«, said Nick Piña, co-founder of Mr. & Mrs. Watson, in a statement. «With our plant-based sliced cheese, we are setting a new standard in terms of nutritional value, craftsmanship, and flavor.»

Meanwhile, other startups are also using traditional cheesemaking techniques to produce vegan cheese, replicating the taste and texture of dairy cheese and ultimately transforming the dairy industry as a whole. Canadian vegan startup Future of Cheese was co-founded in 2020 by entrepreneur Jen Wojtaszek, chef Craig Harding, and Maître Fromager (master cheesemonger) Afrim Pristine. The startup uses a cashew base to create plant-based versions of traditional aged Brie, which is naturally ripened and has a delicate, mature rind.

«Our products are crafted by experts who have spent a lifetime mastering the art of cheesemaking and perfecting the culinary excellence of the world’s best«, Wojtaszek told VegNews. When Future of Cheese launched its first plant-based aged Brie in 2021, it sold out in less than 24 hours after the pre-sale went live.