To refashion Henry Ford’s dictum, markets which were saddled with ‘any protein as long as it’s whey’, and then ‘any plant protein as long as it’s soy’, are now blessed with an abundance of choice. For example, those familiar with the less widely used types of legume say that, while the flavour profile of pea can be off-putting, chickpea is relatively flavourless and offers strong functional properties in terms of texture. However, extracting the protein component can take more effort than with some other crops. Gay at Prinova agrees that protein sources such as chickpea and fava have more than mere modishness to recommend them. “In a blend of proteins, they can help with the flavour, but they can also add a really nice smoothness to the texture,” he says. Many predict that protein from crops such as chickpea, fava and even mung bean will not only help to grow the overall plant proteins market but also encroach on categories hitherto dominated by soy. This kind of substitution is already happening with pea protein, according to Gay. “We find that many companies are switching from soy to pea,” he says. “This is partly because soy is considered an allergen, but also from a nutritional perspective, in terms of the amino acid profile.”
In fact, just as in the shift away from dairy proteins, there appears to be a tangle of concerns in play here. At Frost & Sullivan, India-based senior industry analyst and nutrition specialist Smriti Sharma points out the higher growth rates projected for pea and rice protein, as opposed to wheat and soy, in the company’s own figures.
Plant-based polyphenols show health benefits
“The key factors here include growing consumer demand for clean-label, sustainable, allergen- and GMO-free, high-quality plant-based proteins,” she says. She references an ADM Consumer Study from 2019, which indicated that 57% of U.S. flexitarian consumers avoided soy protein and considered beans and other legumes to be the most eco-friendly plant-based proteins. Pea is also favoured by the increasing number of variants and formats when it comes to ingredients. On a straightforward level, Gay contrasts the type of extruded pea protein which can be used to replace meat in burgers and hydrolysed pea protein, with the type of optimised solubility which allows its formulation in beverages. “In the early days, pea protein was strong-tasting and gritty,” Gay recalls. “We’re not quite at the point where we can say it’s completely similar to whey protein, but when it comes to flavour, it has come a long way, thanks to how it is prepared.” At Axiom, Janow provides his own perspective on pea protein’s performance. “Its growth is due to increased consumer acceptance, functionality, neutrality—and North American production,” he says. “With at least three new factories coming online, formulators will try to integrate it more.” According to Axiom, while proteins such as fava and chickpea work even better than pea in certain applications, little has been done to scale up production, in North America, at least. The company underlines other opportunities. “While seed-based proteins such as pumpkin and sacha inchi are used in small amounts, their growth is hindered by a stronger taste and colour,” Janow says. “On the other hand, hemp protein’s popularity is growing a little more quickly, as the colour and flavour are becoming more neutral.” He points out, though, that being labelled a ‘novel food’ in the EU and other areas will be a “key hurdle” for hemp to overcome before it can reach the popularity levels of rice and pea.
Podcast
Meanwhile, there has been little take-up of algal protein in nutrition markets, according to Frost & Sullivan. “Use is still limited due to the inefficient conventional extraction technologies, reduced protein digestibility and the bitter taste and smell due to the high chlorophyll content,” Sharma says.