How does plant protein develop rapidly?

Experts point out that the growing interest of consumers in health and sustainability will drive the boom of plant-based food and beverages.

According to SPINS, the plant-based market is growing at an annual rate of 29%. That’s almost double the 15 percent growth rate of the overall food and beverage market, SPINS said.
Similarly, plant protein products are growing twice as fast as animal protein products in most areas. Experts expect this trend to continue as more people look for healthier, more natural products.
Plant-based products are no longer niche products. This has prompted large CPG companies to redesign and innovate new product lines. Consumers are turning to plant-based products for a variety of reasons, but the two reasons we hear most often are that plant-based products are perceived to be better for their health and the planet.
A June 2020 International Food Information Council (IFIC) survey reported that nearly 70 percent of consumers believe plant-based sources of protein are the healthiest; Twenty-four percent said they ate more plant-based dairy products; According to Cargill, more than 40 percent of people believe that plant-based products are healthier than non-plant-based products. In addition, sustainability is also an important factor for consumers to choose plant-based.
In addition to health and sustainability, the outbreak itself has also boosted interest in plant-based products. According to the IFIC Food and Health Survey, 85 percent of Americans have changed their eating habits due to the pandemic, with 28 percent eating more protein from plant-based sources, 24 percent eating more plant-based dairy products, and 17 percent eating more plant-based meat alternatives.
Trendy protein
Cargill’s Plant Protein Senior Technical Services specialist noted that soy remains the dominant plant protein on the market because it is inexpensive, powerful and one of the few plant proteins to determine nutritional integrity based on its protein digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS). However, due to its label friendly status and its nutritional and functional properties, pea protein has become a significant competitor. From a nutritional point of view, pea protein is very high in protein. PURIS pea protein contains at least 80% protein, enabling it to have a higher level of protein than many other plant options. Although pea protein is not a complete protein, its PDCAAS value is as high as 0.78, which is much higher than most plant proteins. Functionally, pea protein has a good texture, emulsification and water-binding properties, and has a high solubility – all key attributes for beverage applications. Not only that, the current market offers ripe opportunities for new plant protein options, including barley protein options.
Package marking
As plant-based diets become more mainstream, consumers are becoming more selective about the type of protein they seek, making labeling on packaging even more important.
Traditionally, we’ve seen plant-based products simply state “plant-based protein” on the front of the package. However, consumers are increasingly concerned about their protein choices, and they now also want to know what kind of protein is in the products they buy and where it comes from. So we’re starting to see specific protein sources on the packaging. Experts expect this shift to continue as consumers have a better taste experience with different types of proteins. Especially in the sports nutrition category, many brands use plant-based protein ingredients and promote them with slogans like “plant-powered proteins.” In the purchasing decision, protein fortification/enhancement is a key factor in the purchasing decision.
Challenge
Experts also point out that despite the popularity of plant-based proteins, consumers still have high expectations for how products taste. While early consumers of the plant-based movement may have been more tolerant of the taste of plant-based products, today’s consumer base has grown significantly, along with their expectations for good taste and texture, and their ability to switch to a plant-based diet. Fortunately, plant proteins have also come a long way, and there are many solutions to the formulation challenges that generally arise. Cargill, for example, notes that the lack of milk fat in plant proteins can lead to texture and taste challenges. As a solution, formulators often turn to texturizers to add textures that consumers expect. Other challenges include a lack of sweetness, solubility and protein delivery. As a result, formulators often use natural flavors, emulsifiers, and supplemental protein sources to achieve the finished product they want. But sometimes the nature of the drink itself can cause problems. For example, coffee drinks and fruit smoothies often have low pH levels, which can pose challenges for recipes. For beverages that face color, texture and taste challenges, complementary flavor configurations can be used, such as chocolate, coffee, mocha, etc. While the taste and formulation of the beverage are crucial, the economic and scalable aspects of the beverage are equally important when it comes to the supply chain and processing technology. Crop diversity and overall best practices focused on agronomy and agricultural inputs are both critical from a variety and regional perspective.