There are tons of meat replacers on the market. What makes yours so special?

One of the influencing factors that motivated Greg Caton to undertake Lumen Foods, was the lack of quality, low-cost alternatives. Many of the substitutes available then, as now, were high in gas-producing oligosaccharides, had overpowering "beany" flavor notes, were expensive or significantly more expensive than real meat, and/or were simply not meat-like. Today, many "meat-replacers" still taste like "grain burgers," compressed rice cakes, or other field concoctions intended for use as a meat but falling far from the mark. Many others add unnatural flavor enhancers, such as MSG and the sodium triphosphates (iosinates, etc.), whereas Lumen Foods flavors are all natural.
Lumen Foods' three lines of meat replacers all have common characteristics that together set them apart from the currently available fare:
  • Very low in undesireable oligosaccharides, unlike textured vegetable proteins.
  • No hydrogenated fats or oils added, making all Lumen Foods' meat replacements very low in saturated fat. (The exception is our burger mixes, which are not made at our plant, but at the facilities of Archer Daniels Midland Co.)
  • Sold in dried form, making them shelf-stable. This allows us to sell them at very cost competitive prices.
  • Available in a variety of delicious flavors -- with custom flavors available upon request.
  • Amazingly meat-like (referring to Heartline) when prepared according to instructions. So much so, that some vegans at national trade shows have told us that they couldn't eat our products because they were "too meat-like." (As an aside: we took these comments in good humor and used them to produce our most successful ad line to date: "Our meats are so real, some vegetarians won't eat them!")
  • One of the most researched soy products in the history of the business. Heartline was a primary source in the University of Toronto study, subsequently published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The result? Heartline reduced LDL cholesterol better than any cholesterol-reducing fiber product, soluble or insoluble.
  • Lumen Foods' meat replacers are very high in isoflavones, particularly the powerful chemopreventive, genistein. Our page on isoflavones provides the analysis from Rutgers University's Center for Advanced Food Studies.
  • Comes in fat-free, low sodium variations, for those with special dietary instructions from their physician.
  • Comes in very low cost, bulk packages, available either from this site's Virtual Store, or your local health foods retailer.
  • Comes in even lower cost fines for those on a limited budget, where the reconstituted value is less than $1 a pound.
  • Sold with Lumen Foods' guarantee of satisfaction and a liberal Money-Back Guarantee!
Next to Lumen Foods' products, probably the next in time with respect to meat-like characteristics are the "soy flour concentrate" burgers, such as Green Giant's popular Harvest Burger. (There are many close variations of the Harvest Burger and with good reason: they are all made at ADM's Soy Protein Specialties facility in Decatur, IL. For those who like variety, we provide this same exact burger in our Virtual Store, at significantly less than mass market price.)


How does your product differ from TVP®?
Although our meat replacers are, in fact, textured protein products, they are quite different from their raw flour cousins. A few essential points first: TVP is a registered trademark of Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM), a Fortune 500 grain company with which Lumen Foods does some business. The term has been around since the '60's when initial techniques for texturizing soy flour using "cooker extruders" were largely developed. Somehow, along the way, the term "TVP" has become generalized -- that is, you'll hear the term used to refer to any and all textured, soy-based products, which is not at all correct from a food technologist's perspective. True TVP® is textured soy flour using very specific techniques and can cover a wide variety of characteristics: flavored, unflavored; colored, uncolored; high sodium, very low sodium; etc. However, once soy sugars are significantly reduced and the base flour becomes a "soy concentrate," you have something quite different than TVP, though the processing techniques are quite similar.
Today's better soy-based meat replacers use concentrates and not raw flours. Lumen Foods' has developed its own techniques for producing concentrates in-house, but it is not the only company to do so. The Green Giant Harvest Burgers (also manufactured by ADM) are another example of soy concentrate use. The reasons for using concentrate flours and not raw flours has been discussed elsewhere in this FAQ section, but they are important to note here: TVP's contain certain two and three-ring carbon sugars, or "oligosaccharides" that cause flatulence in addition to an undesireable "beaniness" that at least mildly offends most Westerners. These negatives alone are the reason that TVP's have never become popular, despite a 40 year presence in the market and mega-millions of dollars in promotion. This galaxy-sized oversight is one of the reasons Greg Caton founded Lumen Foods in the first place in 1986. Thus, although Lumen Foods' meat replacers are related to TVP's® and are derived from them, they are, in fact, quite different.


Heartline Meatless Meats
You can find a complete explanation of Heartline on its catalog page, as well its nutritional information on all our meat replacement products. Heartline is available in discounted bulk sizes and even more discounted in our fines section.

Cajun Jerky
Cajun Jerky is our "drier chew" imitation meat jerky snack. You can find a complete explanation of Cajun Jerky on our catalog snack page, and its nutrition facts and ingredients on our nutrition page. Cajun Jerky is available in discounted bulk sizes and even more discounted in our fines section.

Stonewall's Jerky
Stonewall's Jerky is our "wetter chew" imitation meat jerky snack. You can find a complete explanation of Stonewall's on our catalog snack page, and its nutrition facts and ingredients on our nutrition page. Stonewall's is available in discounted bulk sizes and even more discounted in our fines section.

Heaven-On-Earth Fat-Free Milk Replacer
One of Lumen Foods' goals is to make animal replacement products available to everyone. Central to this goal is pricing animal replacements at or below the foods they're intended to imitate. Soy milk is easy to make, so when Greg Caton found soy milk (a common replacement for real "cow's milk") selling in the health food retail markets in antiseptic tetrapaks for $4 a quart, he saw an alternative. Heaven-on-Earth has its own catalog page, and if you've never tried it, you'll be surprised. Although the product is "fat-free," it's very thick and creamy, like whole milk. (This comes from the modest addition of "guar gum" to the formula.) Heaven-on-Earth is available in "Original" and "Carob" flavors.

What products do you sell in bulk?
Virtually, all the products which Lumen Foods manufactures in-house, including its meat replacement products are available in bulk. See our bulk catalog page for more information, and our milk replacement catalog page for bulk information on Heaven-on-Earth.


What are fines?
Fines are the smaller particle by-products of many food processing facilities. They are every bit as good as the primary product, but are usually discarded because of consumer perception about smaller or irregular sized food pieces. See our fines catalog page for more information about deep discounts on our quality fines.


Do you have a fat-free, low sodium version of any of your products?
Yes, two. Heartline has a Lite version of four its flavors, and our milk replacer, Heaven-on-Earth Fat-Free Milk Replacer fits the bill.


Can I freeze my Lumen products?
We can't imagine why you'd want to, because our products are shelf-stable. But let's assume you do. Upon thawing the product, and this is especially true of our meat replacers, you must use them or keep them at least refrigerated. If you do not, the product(s) will probably mold. For you more technically minded readers, here's the reason: freezing separates the water molecules from the sorbates and general solutes which inhibit microbe development. Some food techs call this "brining" (after the salts that separate from the water). When "free water" (as opposed to "bound water") is available (increasing the Aw factor), microbes have an area they can reproduce in. This is why we discourage any freezing of our products unless and until they are reconstituted, and then after that point we discourage thawing until the product is intended for immediate use.

Do any of your products have a five or ten-year shelf life?
Yes, our Heaven-on-Earth Fat-Free Milk Replacer has an indefinite shelf-life if kept at a cool, dry environment. As for our meat replacers, we do product an extended shelf-life version of Heartline, traditionally made for missionary members of the religious community. It does not cost more to purchase this version, but you have to call our plant directly and special order the product. Without this additional drying process, our meat replacements have a six to twelve month shelf-life for maximum freshness. After that, our meat replacers tend to get drier, harder, more stale, and produce flavor variants called "off notes." We recommend using our meat replacements within 30 days or so after purchase to get the best eating experience.


We bought bulk product from you over a year ago and it's still here. Is it still good?
Most probably, if it's been kept in a cool, dry environment. However, there will be some "off notes" to the flavor and the product will be drier and harder. Not a very enriching taste experience. We recommend that our customers purchase whatever product they will use in a month or two for the best eating experience. After that, you can still eat the product. It will be okay, but hardly optimal.

What's the best way to store Lumen products?
In a cool, dry environment... in its original packaging.

Do your products contain any wheat?
Wheat gluten or other wheat protein, no. However, wheat is used in our soy sauce, which can be found in virtually all our meatless snacks and beef versions of Heartline. We make this distinction because those who are allergic to wheat are usually allergic to some component of its protein fraction. If you have questions about a personal allergy consult your physician. We should note that in twelve years of business, we have never received a call from a customer allergic to wheat who had a reaction to anything we make. Nonetheless, we can't be presumptuous and assume there can't be a first time.

Do your products contain any sugar?
This question brings out the food tech is us. We assume that sugar here means sucrose, or table sugar (C12O22H11).
If so, the answer is no. In fact, we do not add any "simple sugars" or sweetening agents of any kind to our products with the following exceptions: (1) our Heaven-On-Earth Fat-Free Milk Replacer (both flavors), and (2) our newest version of Stonewall's Teriyaki Beef. To both products we add small amounts of fructose (one of several simple sugars bearing the empirical formula C6H12O6). On the consultation of endocrinologists we decided to use fructose instead of "sugar" in deferrence to the needs of "regulated diabetics."


Are you sure your meat replacements products contain no animal?
Absolutely, with the inclusion of perhaps a occasional microbe, we're free and clear. ; ) It should be noted, however, that in a few of our meal systems, ingredients include whey and, in one meal, dried sour cream. If you are a strict vegan, you will want to avoid these meals. This is easy because the ingredients for the meal systems are clearly listed so you can check contents.


Are your products kosher?
Kosher status is ultimately dictated by the Law of Moses, and the requirements are rather clear. Every single one of our products is kosher using this standard. Unfortunately, to be able to tell the world you're kosher, there is a separate requirement: you have to have a kosher certification board behind you. That is, an organization of authorized Jewish rabbis must give you their stamp of approval (called "kosher certification") and you are then able to display this same organization's kosher seal on your products' packaging. And it isn't just a little expensive: to a small manufacturing company the more prestigious certifications (such as "Kathrush" or "circle U") cost just this side of an arm and a leg. We are aware of a few compassionate rabbis who have really stuck their neck out and gone well out of their way to establish other kosher organizations. In these rabbis' view, money alone should not prevent a legitimate product or products from achieving kosher certification status. We heartfully applaud their efforts. Unfortunately, the larger percentage of merchants within the orthodox Jewish community doesn't recognize these "alternative" kosher certifications as legitimate, thus sadly diffusing their efforts. In time Lumen Foods will acquire kathrush certification (something that will require a major bank loan). In the meantime, we leave those of customers, both Jewish and goya, to make their own decisions, and, as always, we welcome their input on this sensitive topic.


How long will your products last after they've been reconstituted?
Not long. Treat them as you would the very animal products they substitute. Standards practices of refrigeration are in order.

I left my Heartline out and now it's dried up. Is it still good?
Yes. You'll have to spend a few minutes longer reconstituting it perhaps, but otherwise there should be no problem.


Do you make a shrimp flavor?
No, not yet. But we're working on it.


You use potassium sorbate. Why?
We answer a question similar to this in the preceding section. However, for the more inquiring mind, we give potassium sorbate its own page. To answer in the briefest way possible, we use potassium sorbate because: (1) it occurs naturally in nature, (2) it inhibits mold, while being treated as any other polyunsaturated fat by the human body (breaking down into CO2 and water), and (3) it has the seal of approval from Dr. Michael Jacobsen, president and founder of Center for Science in the Public Interest.


What does it take to get your products in customized packaging sizes?
Just ask. With specific flavor requests, private label, and other "not-off-the-shelf" requests, do expect a certain minimum order requirement to fulfill your request.

Where do you stand on the "non-GMO soybean" issue?
I've heard that genetically modified soybeans are harmful.

soy seed Quick Introduction: Well, to the extreme frustration of our competitors, we make the best certified NON-GMO snacks in the business, but that doesn't really answer the question, so, first, a little background...
For those who haven't yet heard, "GMO" (short for, "genetically-modified organism") refers to certain recently developed crops (and, of course, the seed used to produce them) that have been developed over the last ten years. (It is viewed by many as a pejorative term created by anti-biotechnology groups in an attempt to make recent advantages in genetic engineering sound mutated and unhealthful.) The truth is, except for perhaps a few aboriginal groups, there is now no living human being on this planet who is not eating genetically engineered foods. The only difference is that in the past, food scientists cross bred various seed to get desired results, whereas the newest techniques allow geneticists to pinpoint precise genes they wish to alter so that they get the result they want without undesireable by-products from their changes to the seed's genetic composition. It's like using a shot gun, when what you really want (and what would really serve you better) is a sniper rifle.
Currently, there are 56 biotech crops altogether and rising (though soybeans, corn, and potato have been getting most of the press). Nearly all American adults now consume biotech foods in over 30% of their diets, and have been for some time. (Biotech soybeans, for instance, have been in the public food supply since 1994.) Biotech foods come from crops in which the genetic characteristics of the seed have been altered to improve that plant's performance in the field -- whether it's increasing the plant's survivability in the face of adverse weather, making it more disease-resistant, or in the case of Monsanto's "Round-Up Ready Soybeans" (R), allowing the plant to thrive where herbicides are used (Round-Up is an herbicide, hence the name). The techniques involved go beyond the traditional mating of various seed to get the best hybrid, and, in fact, in some cases, genetic material from outside the species of plant being modified is employed (called "transgenic"). (Example: although early GM soybeans contained a gene from petunias, Roundup Ready (r), one of the most popular biotech seed varieties, contains a gene that comes from a bacterium called Agrobacterium tumefaciens -- and even this is simply a different version of a gene which already exists in all soybeans. The gene alteration makes the soybean plants more resistant to pests.)
In the U.S. corn and soybean crops are currently about 30% biotech (up from 10% just two years ago). Despite fictional news and conflicting surveys to the contrary, Reuters reported that the year 2000 growing seasoning is already seeing a dramatic increase in biotech soybean seed sales: an astonishing 66% to date (see Reuters, "USA: Seed sales show US farmers not rejecting GMO crops." 1/13/2000).

The creation of biotech seed is a major biotechnological feat and conquers a host of problems that have been at the center of man's attempt to control the uncontrollable: weather, pathogenic organisms, pests, etc. So important are these developments that U.S. President Bill Clinton awarded the scientists involved in the discovery with the coveted National Medal of Technology in April, 1999, claiming, "Their work heralded the birth of biotechnology, both as a science and as an industry, and placed the United States at the forefront of this new science." Employed by Monsanto, their company's CEO, iconoclast Robert Shapiro proclaimed, "(Their) achievements... are enhancing the sustainability of U.S. agriculture while providing products with superior performance and economic and environmental benefits to growers, food processors, and consumers around the world."
For Lumen Foods' part, we maintain a neutral position with respect to what we offer our customers. In fact, since last year ('99) we have offered our own line of "non-GMO" products to serve the concern of consumers who are opposed to this new science. More recently (March, 2000) we have even taken our leading lines (including Stonewall's Jerquee) and made them Non-GMO certified for our health foods industry trade. Both lines can be found in our Virtual Store.
Nonetheless, our neutrality with respect to the right of consumers to demand (and get) the exact food they want, should not be confused with our position on biotech crops themselves. And to make our point, I can think of no better analogy than a similar event that occurred in the 1980's:
In 1987 Lumen Foods was heavy on the health foods trade show circuit. We attended almost every major health foods show that year. I remember preparing foods with a microwave and getting castigated by at least a half dozen people at every show. "How could you use a microwave? Don't you know you're killing all the nutrients with radiation." There were, of course, many variations.
Today, you don't hear those arguments anymore. In fact, studies have shown that microwaving reduces the time that nutrients are exposed to heat and actually results in food with higher (though marginally) nutrient value.
In the 1990's we now have a equally vocal network of people, most of whom are radically opposed to biotechnology, and in particular, genetic engineering. (A major faction within this network resides in Fairfield, Iowa, home of Maharishi International University. I am familiar with this environment because I lived in the community, as a student and a businessman, from 1979 to 1983.) The foundation of this thinking, which is currently quite dominant in Europe, is as follows: to alter the genetic composition of soybeans, or any grain, legume, fruit, etc. at its current level of sophistication is to alter natural law. When you play with natural law, you supposedly introduce unknown factors that could be harmful to the ultimate food consumer. That's their thinking in a nutshell. (Links to more elaborate arguments can be found on the Biotech Education Series page.)
What you never hear are the more extreme arguments from the anti-biotech groups. For instance, the founder of Maharishi International University (MIU), Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, went on record in 1990 as saying that in just a few short years, people who consumed biotech foods were going to be suffering from severe health consequences. (Frankly, I've been eating biotech foods for years, and I have yet to see any adverse consequences.) (In a separate article I've provided called, "GMO vs. Non-GMO Arguments ," Lumen Foods, with the help of Dennis Avery, an expert on the subject and senior fellow at The Hudson Institute analyzes the standard media feed from those who oppose biotechology in general, and genetic modification, in particular.)

Essentially, this is the problem for those who oppose genetically engineered foods: their arguments are all theoretical. And if something bad doesn't happen real soon, the anti-biotech crowds are going to end up looking like the anti-microwave radicals of the '70's and '80's.
The fact is: many groups which are traditionally considered "natural law" proponents are now not only running away from the non-biotech crowd, but they are actively encouraging pro-GMO, pro-high-yield-farming, in private, if not in public. Even that bastion of pro-environmentalism, The Sierra Club initially took a pro-genetically-modified position, largely as a result of the great promise that biotech foods hold for the environment. (Unfortunately, The Sierra Club later modified their own argument under pressure from other conservationists.) Moreover, as a recent Wall Street Journal article so eloquently notes, "GMO soybeans" are saving millions of square miles of wildlife habitat from being plowed for low-yield traditional family farming. In fact, the result of using biotech soybeans parallels the environmental benefits of a vegetarian diet.
At Lumen Foods we're committed to foods that are healthy and nutritious. Our commitment to vegetarianism, for instance, is rooted in the indisputable scientific evidence that you will enjoy a healthier life, all things being equal, if you leave the animals alone. In fact, I wrote The Lumen Book in 1986, when I founded Lumen Foods, because I felt it was essential to begin on a scientific, factual note, not some liberal, feel-good idea. The concern behind biotech foods has no similar basis in science or anything empirical. Comparisons to bovine hormones (which has nothing to do with transgenic seed development) are just ludicrous. There is no connection.
Having just made our own position clear, let me add that we understand that these things have an emotional component as well. Facts don't have to be supportive for us to realize, once again, that consumers have a right to demand whatever they want. That is why we carry a "non-GMO" versions of our products, and have gone so far as to non-GMO certify our major lines for the health foods trade.
These non-biotech products cost a little more, but they fulfill the requirements of those pressing for non-GMO alternatives.



Greg Caton
President / Founder
Lumen Foods