Notre Dame University-Louaize’s (NDU) Associate Professor Dr. Christelle Bou Mitri, along with FNHS Researchers Dr. Christelle Saleme and Christy Raad have developed a plant-based alternative to the Lebanese Labneh.
Using peas, lupin, and beans, the researchers from the Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences (FNHS) initiated this development in response to the expanding vegan food market in Lebanon.
According to the university’s press, vegan products in Lebanon are hard to access, especially in terms of affordability, “which limits one’s options in adopting a vegan lifestyle, particularly for the sake of health risks.”
Thus, Dr. Bou Mitri, Dr. Saleme, and Ms. Raad decided to try and fix the issue by fermenting and processing peas, lupin, and beans, which led to a dairy-free alternative to Labneh.
The results also showed great success, as the FNHS team won the Lebanese Industrial Research Achievement (LIRA) project program.
NDU stated, “The creativity and health-consciousness of Dr. Bou Mitri, Dr. Saleme, and Ms. Raad’s venture are set to influence Lebanon’s rich food culture for the better. With an already strong start, NDU is excited to see what else awaits.”
Related: A Popular French Dictionary Added The Lebanese Word Labneh To Its Definitions
