Plant proteins can be derived from various plant sources

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P
lant proteins, such as soy, peas and other pulses, are
gaining in popularity with customers. According to
the 2018 Food & Health Survey from the International
Food Information Council Foundation (IFIC), 73%
of consumers see protein from plant sources as healthy. And
why wouldn’t they? Dietary protein in general is linked to car-
diovascular health, weight management, immune function, and
muscle and bone health. Plant-based protein ingredients may be
considered meat substitutes, but they also play significant roles
in enhancing the nutrient density of sports and energy drinks,
beverages, bakery and confectionery, and ready-to-eat prod-
ucts. And they can be more cost effective than animal proteins.
The demand for plant proteins is clearly surging. In a September
2018 study, Modor Intelligence noted that the global plant protein
market was valued at $5.978 billion in 2017 and is expected to
register an estimated CAGR of 7.1% between 2018 and 2023.
And while soy has long held the lead in plant protein, pea
protein use is booming. MarketsandMarkets expects that
market alone to be worth $34.8 million in the U.S. by 2020
and used in a wide range of applications, including snacks,
beverages, nutritional supplements, and meat alternatives and
extenders. The driver for this wave can be attributed, according
to Nutritional Outlook, to a combination of pea protein being a
non-major food allergen and having vegan appeal.

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“Pea protein is hot and manufacturers really like to have it on their
label instead of legacy proteins,” said Matthew Jacobs, product
line leader for Plant Protein at Cargill. Earlier in 2018, Cargill
signed a joint venture agreement with PURIS, the largest North
American producer of pea protein. “Pea is still new enough that
there’s quite a bit of luster and excitement to it. But it’s not so
leading edge that it feels unfamiliar. It’s very accessible.”
“Pea protein is hot and
manufacturers really
like to have it on their
label instead of legacy
protein.”
Matthew Jacobs, product line leader for Plant
Protein at Cargill
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The Roles Plant
Proteins Play
Plant proteins can be derived from various plant sources, of
course, but they also will have different functionalities. While
there are certain common functionalities across sources, others
are very distinct. A few examples are textured soy flour, soy flour,
and pea protein.
Textured soy flour, such as Prosante®
, produced by Cargill, has a
minimum protein content of 50%. Defatted textured soy flour is
economical as a low fat, high protein, lean meat replacement. It
functions as a binder to retain moisture, holds and absorbs fat
and oil, and can help create a better texture.
According to Cargill’s technical services specialist, Melissa
Machen, “It’s a very cost-effective addition to meat, offering an
attractive value-for-protein ratio for a plant-sourced alternative
to meat protein. Moreover, textured soy positively enhances
the texture of meat fiber to maintain the experience consumers
expect from meat. It also enables 100% meat substitutes like

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veggie burgers and patties for a fibrous texture. It has a neutral
flavor, making it a versatile and easy tool for formulators to use.”
Beyond burgers and patties, you’ll find Prosante texturized soy in
products as diverse as pizza toppings, egg rolls, chicken nuggets,
and snacks and cereals. It’s also used in soups, sauces and chili.
Soy flour, like Cargill’s Prolia®
, also contains a minimum of 50%
protein. Instead of being a meat extender, soy flour is typically
used in bakery applications, according to Machen. The gains
in using soy flour include better water absorption; improved cell
structure in breads, cakes, or dough; and added flavor profile. It
can replace eggs, and, thanks to its film-forming properties, can
significantly increase the shelf-life stability of baked goods. Machen
explained that soy flour can also increase necessary protein
content for structural integrity, replace breadcrumbs in items like
meatballs and meatloaf, and is used in soy milk for protein fortifica-
tion. Beyond bakery and bar applications, you’ll find soy flour like
Prolia in processed meat and fish, and snacks and cereal.
Then there’s pea protein. Like Prolia, pea protein can be utilized
in numerous food applications, adding not only protein, but func-
tionality and in some cases a label-friendly appeal. Pea protein
is commonly added to bakery, beverages, dairy alternatives and
meat alternatives, to name only a few.
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Pea protein, like that produced by Cargill partner, PURIS, has
a minimum of 80% protein, giving manufacturers the ability to
fortify at a much higher level. PURIS™ pea protein offers a more
premium product—what Jacobs considers a new tool. Each
PURIS product is made with different parameters to give them
unique functionalities for certain applications. In baked goods,
for example, manufacturers can use PURIS Pea 860 to keep
products fresh and flavor optimum through low water absorption.
“Pea protein can prevent moisture migration, especially in bars
that would otherwise turn into ‘bricks,’” explained Jacobs. “It
helps solve a classic problem in formulations.”
For beverages, such as protein drinks and dry beverage blends,
a different ingredient, PURIS Pea 870H, is preferred to address
liquidity and viscosity. A mildly hydrolyzed version can deliver
superior solubility. PURIS pea protein has a distinctly clean flavor
and smooth texture, creating high demand in non-dairy milks,
yogurt, frozen desserts, creamers, toppings, and cheeses.
Each PURIS™ product
is made with different
parameters to give them
unique functionalities.

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The Appeal of Plant
Proteins
Plant-based foods clearly are making inroads with consumers.
While research from Mintel released in February 2018 shows that
taste, at 52%, is the top reason why U.S. adults eat plant-based
foods—ranking above concerns about diet, animal protection,
the environment, and even health—all of these reasons remain
significant to consumers.
Health
Soy protein dominates the plant protein ingredient segment. The
high nutritional value of soy protein has shown a positive effect on
lowering cholesterol levels and fighting heart disease, according
to Modor Intelligence. Pea proteins are noted for offering health
benefits such as weight management, maintaining healthy muscle,
improving blood circulation and calcium absorption, boosting me-
tabolism, and regulating blood sugar, noted MarketsandMarkets.
Additionally, pea protein is sought out as an ingredient because it
is not sourced from a major food allergen. Certain manufacturers,
including PURIS, offer organic varieties of pea protein.
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The Environment
A 2018 study published in the journal Nature noted, “Climate
change cannot be sufficiently mitigated without dietary changes
towards more plant-based diets. Adopting more plant-based
‘flexitarian’ diets globally could reduce the greenhouse gas emis-
sions of the food system by more than half, and also reduce other
environmental impacts, such as those from fertilizer application
and the use of cropland and freshwater, by a tenth to a quarter.”
“If you think about the amount of land use and water use with
meat proteins, the impact on the environment is measurable,”
said Jacobs. The lower impact of plant proteins on the
environment is especially true with pea protein. “PURIS prides
themselves on being 100% sourced in North America and
manufactured in the U.S. for their non-GM and USDA-Certified
organic pea ingredients. A good number of our customers value
that. They also appreciate that local sourcing is cutting down on
material traveling around the world,” he said.
“A second aspect of cultivation that helps lower the environmental
impact of pea protein is that peas can be grown as a cover crop,”
Jacobs added. “That helps farmers minimize erosion, and it
naturally puts nitrogen back in the soil, requiring less fertilizer. Peas
provide another revenue stream for farmers.” Finally, PURIS pea
protein is processed without the use of hexane or other chemicals.

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Alternatives
Flexitarians, vegetarians, and vegans, along with mainstream
consumers, are seeking options beyond traditional animal
protein—whether for reasons of ethics, animal treatment, or
simply variety. “A higher percentage of people around the world
now want more protein from a broader range of sources in their
diet,” he said. “With increasing economic power, people typically
strive to increase the amount of protein they consume, but less
so in the form of animal proteins that have historically been
the ‘center-of-the-plate.’ Rather, they’re diversifying when and
how plant-based sources can incrementally—if not completely—
change their regular dietary habits, leading to a more realistic and
sustained lifestyle change,” said Jacobs.
As consumer interest has burgeoned in plant proteins, so
has product innovation. New product launches have grown
significantly since 2012, with the largest growth in Cereal and
Energy Bar, Sports, Weight Loss, and Meal Kit categories,
according to Innova Market Insights. There have been 1,322
products launched in the Savory/Salty Snacks category in the
past six years, and 456 in the Take-Home Ice Cream category.
And with these product innovations, the quality in flavor and
texture has improved greatly. Those who may have been turned
off years ago by early versions of meat and dairy alternatives
are coming to them today and finding a different, very satisfying
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experience. “There’s been a quick evolution from a research
and development perspective how much plant proteins have
improved,” said Jacobs.
Added Jacobs, “Consumers have become more savvy over the
last couple of decades about the composition and appropriate
consumption of carbohydrates and fats, and how they decide
to incorporate them in their diet. However, protein is the last
frontier among these macro ingredients and as people become
more knowledgeable about them we will see greater expec-
tations for specific aspects of protein, including bio-availability,
amino acid profiles and protein quality. There is much research
being done in each of these areas, and the near future will be a
dynamic place for plant proteins.”
“Protein is the last
frontier among these
macro ingredients.”
Matthew Jacobs, product line leader for Plant
Protein at Cargill

11. Cargill’s plant protein solutions satisfy consumers’ hunger for
protein-enriched foods and beverages, with delicious flavor
and label-friendly appeal. Our team of technical experts help
customers tackle new product development—whether with
traditional solutions like soy or new sources like pea and
other emerging botanicals. Our secure supply chains ensure
product is available when you need it.
LEARN MORE

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