Clean label wheat proteins: Kroner-Starke boosts meat alternatives range

04 Jan 2018 --- Kröner-Stärke has introduced its new range of clean label wheat proteins to the German and European market. The range enables food processors to respond to the increasingly popular trend of substituting traditional meat-based dishes, like sausages and burgers with vegan alternatives.

Kröner-Stärke's GLUTEX B, produced from vital wheat gluten, fits the bill perfectly. It is a texturized, firm wheat protein that gives a meat-like bite to vegetarian products. Combining structure and texture control with protein enrichment, excellent consistency and binding properties, it is suitable for use in products ranging from, meatballs, burgers and vegetarian Bolognaise Sauce to ready meals.

Alongside boosting opportunities for the meat-free product market, Vital Wheat Gluten can be a useful ingredient in meat products where a healthy version is required. When added to minced meat, for example, it helps to lower the fat content and hence reduce overall cholesterol levels. As Vital Wheat Gluten boasts a good level of protein content, the minced meat product still provides the consumer with an excellent source of protein.

Sausages are another product area, popular across Europe, in which wheat proteins can be used as a functional and nutritional ingredient. For this market, Kröner-Stärke has created PROPLEX – a product, rich in protein which is based on wheat. It is ideal for use in a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian sausages. It comes with excellent molding properties and a superior capacity for fat and water binding, thus acting as a replacement for other vegetable binding agents and proteins too.

A Kröner-Stärke spokesperson told FoodIngredientsFirst: “After significant growth of the market we are currently seeing a more constant development. The market seems to be settled right now. With the predicted international growth in population in the next few years, we expect to see a significant potential to replace meat in the future. In Europe, the share of vegetarians is still growing and the share of “flexitarians” who want to leave meat from time to time is increasingly important. In addition to that, we see a potential for niche products in this area. From our point of view, niche products are organic or clean label products without any additives.”

“Wheat is 100 percent GMO-free and has a positive image in comparison to e.g. soy. Wheat protein is also available in organic or could also be produced based on regional raw materials. The production process of wheat protein at Kröner-Stärke is 100 percent natural without any enzymes and additives, just wheat flour and water from our own spring.”

“Based on wheat protein, we see different opportunities to establish protein mixes with other protein sources. For human nutrition these mixes could offer perfect properties with regards to the quality of the protein,” the spokesperson says.

As well as replacing meat protein, wheat proteins are a fantastic additive to sports nutrition/protein-enriched products. Ideal for fitness-conscious customers who are looking for natural ingredients to improve their performance and stamina whilst also reducing dairy, fat and calorie content. The wheat proteins are suited to low carb protein foods like bread, where they can be used to boost the protein content.

Manufacturers of enriched protein products know the problem of product workability when high amounts of proteins are added. To increase the handling properties of vital wheat gluten it can be mixed with GLUSTAR or GLUSOL from Kröner-Stärke. This combination would offer good solubility and dispersion properties, be easy to use and is totally produced without the use of any chemical additives.

Kröner-Stärke´s product development technician, Maren Wiese, commented: “We have developed a wide variety of wheat protein products that lend themselves perfectly to being incorporated in healthy, high-protein food ranges adhering to clean-label and vegan standards. Germany is leading the way with meat substitutes in Europe and is witnessing a steady rise in vegetarianism. Our wheat proteins are developed specifically to enable food manufacturers to diversify into high-quality meat substitutes and bring added functionality and nutritional value to traditional favorites across the country and in Europe.”

By Elizabeth Green