Increasing the range of alternatives to animal protein consumption in the market was the objective that led four students of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of the University of Coimbra (FCTUC) in Portugal to develop the innovative “Legutê” – legume in pâté.
The “Legutê” range consists of three varieties of pâtés – beans, peas and lupins – 100% natural, rich in protein, fiber, vitamins and antioxidants and with low fat and zero cholesterol.
The idea emerged in the course “Entrepreneurship: from idea to business” of the master’s degree in Biodiversity and Plant Biotechnology of the Department of Life Sciences of FCTUC. Bruno Simões, Jéssica Tavares, Mariana Correia and Tercia Lopes investigated and, “when we verified that the supply of non-animal protein in the market is deficient”, we advanced to the development of an innovative product that was based on family legumes of the traditional Mediterranean diet.