Kerry launches plant protein solutions at SupplySide West 2019

Photo © iStockphoto.com/AlasdairJames

Kerry (Beloit, WI) rolled out new plant protein ingredients at SupplySide West 2019 that are designed to be easier for formulators to work with.

ProDiem Portfolio

The company introduced its ProDiem range, a plant protein “solution” that draws on such plant proteins as pea, rice, and oat, and that is “optimized for nutrition, taste, and texture.” To create ProDiem, Kerry applied its proprietary processing techniques and its flavor-masking technology to overcome the “grainy, chalky texture” typical of plant proteins as well as to hide any off notes and bitterness associated with plant proteins. The range includes ingredients for both beverages and bars.

“We use a taste-modulation system that makes it easier for the product to be used in ready-to-mix and RTDs,” said Jacqui Finegan, business development manager, proteins, North America, for Kerry Applied Health & Nutrition. “We’ve done what needs to be done to make it easier for our customers to pick up the ingredient and drop it [into a formulation].”

“For bars, we have utilized our ‘Total Novel Texture’ (TNT) technology to enhance the texture and prevent bar hardening over shelf life,” Kerry press materials state. Company testing showed that bars made with ProDiem TNT were softer compared to a plant protein control.

By blending plant sources, ProDiem can achieve a high protein digestibility corrected amino acid (PDCAAS) score, “delivering a complete protein with all essential amino acids,” the company says.

ProDiem Refresh

Kerry also introduced ProDiem Refresh, a pea protein hydrolysate specifically designed for clear beverages. “We’ve layered in our technologies to make it easier to make clear beverages, which is what the market is demanding,” said Finegan.

ProDiem Refresh is suited for low-pH beverages and optimizes solubility, stability, and clarity, the firm says, without requiring stabilizers. In addition, “ProDiem Refresh offers a clean taste and light texture to deliver maximum refreshment in a variety of applications, including waters, juices, and energy drinks,” the company says.

Marrying Nutritional and Functional Expertise

Kerry’s expertise in both nutritional and functional solutions are key resources for formulators today, company representatives say.

“We’re focusing on the functionality of products for protein fortification, making it easier to use plant-based proteins across a range of applications,” said Finegan. “That’s where we bring our Kerry skills and processes.”