Update on plant-based proteins

IN 2018, the industry will see more releases and applications for plant-based proteins, a market that will grow from USD8.35 billion in 2016 to USD 14.22 billion by 2022, according to Research and Markets. Because they are now increasingly favored over animal-based proteins, and more so over synthetic versions, plant-based proteins will be turning up in more food and beverage products.

In fact, giant retailer Whole Foods Market has identified plant-based products among its food trends for 2018. The company expects plant-based diets and dishes to gain a larger following particularly with the help of science and technology. How? It says by advancing recipes and manipulating plant-based ingredients and proteins, new techniques will allow the creation of alternatives like “bleeding” vegan burgers or sushi-grade “not-tuna” made from tomatoes. New production techniques will bring some novel varieties of nut milks and yogurts made from pili nuts, peas, bananas, macadamia nuts and pecans. Since dairy-free products like vegan frosting, brownies, ice cream, brioche and crème brûlée are improving in taste, they will also appeal to non-vegans.

New extrusion technologies will also improve the processing of peas, a common source of protein for snacks, flour, and other products.

Given the importance of innovation in the food and beverage space, the Specialty Food Association’s Trendspotter Panel (namely Ken Blanchette, FreshDirect; Jonathan Deutsch, Drexel University; Kara Nielsen, CCD Innovation; Perla Nieves and Alysis Vasquez, Midnight Market; Alison Tozzi Liu, James Beard Foundation; and Elly Truesdell, Whole Foods Market) also said plant-based foods will be a top trend for 2018.

“Macro trends like sustainability and health are converging in the 2018 trends,” said Denise Purcell, head of content for the Specialty Food Association.

The Panel said plant-based options are proliferating in many categories aside from meat substitutes. Segments like cheese and frozen desserts are enjoying growth in plant-based subcategories. As for meat alternatives, algae is winning fans. Plant-based convenience foods will be among the new products for 2018.

Plant-based proteins are widely used in food and beverage industry as food supplement. Research and Markets further said that consumers are more inclined towards plant protein ingredients which ultimately have paved away the non-meat diet. Plant based proteins are derived from sources such as soy, wheat and other vegetables being an essential part of the food and beverage industry are providing strong competition to animal proteins.

Soy protein ingredients

The soy ingredients market in particular will grow from $9.07 billion in 2017 to $12.84 billion by 2022 at a CAGR of 7.2%, said Research and Markets. Helping to boost the market is the fact that soy has always been a cost-effective alternative for high protein. According to the firm, some issues are still holding back the growth of the soy ingredients market: the presence of anti-nutritional components and the prohibition of GM-based soy products.

Yet this ingredient has become accepted in more food and beverage applications as a result of new technologies including enzymatic systems that give soy ingredients are more neutral taste.

With supportive health claims from the Joint Health Claim Initiative (JHCI), soy proteins are being developed as an essential ingredient in functional foods and nutraceuticals. Soybean and processed products are the most important ingredients in the food & beverage industry, and their functionality is still being studied. They have a major share in the meat alternatives and functional food segments, thereby driving the overall market for soy protein ingredients.

The market for soy protein ingredients in the North America region was the largest in 2016. The soy protein ingredients market in North America is expected to witness considerable growth during the forecast period. This is due to the increasing awareness of the health benefits associated with soybean, among health-conscious consumers. Soy protein ingredients are an affordable alternative to meat and dairy products and are gradually replacing these products. Other applications of soy protein ingredients are weight management, muscle health, infant formulas, and personal care products. These trends have led to substantial growth of the market, according to Research and Markets.

APAC is into the trend

The Asia-Pacific region is promising for plant-based protein, and players can increase their revenue by providing products for different applications. In Japan, North America, and Western Europe where consumers are notably health conscious, the market will remain profitable. The market will also grow in developing countries as a result of emerging economies and the increase in demand for healthy food products. Plant protein is also a popular ingredient in animal feed, enabling manufacturers to consume less energy, land and water in animal feed production.