Pea Protein Innovation Opening Up New Application Opportunities

Vegetal Booster is a patented vegetable drink obtained primarily from NUTRALYS pea protein, to which water, maltodextrin and NUTRIOSE FM 10 fibre are added.

14 Jun 2010 --- ROQUETTE innovation has resulted in a new ready-to-drink product christened Vegetal Booster. The concept was unveiled at Vitafoods 2010 and offers a new milk-like, vegetable drink. 100% vegetable in origin, a source of fibre, and free of lactose, gluten, isoflavones and GMOs, Vegetal Booster has numerous nutritional properties. On top of that, the new beverage is based on NUTRALYS pea protein and NUTRIOSE prebiotic fibre, making it remarkably smooth and tasty. Moreover, unlike some other vegetable alternatives to milk (obtained, for instance, from soya beans, hazelnuts, almonds, etc.), it does not contain any major allergens. The sheer number of Vegetal Booster’s benefits not only makes it distinctive – it is also why it is especially appealing to consumers seeking the well-being associated with vegetables, as well as those who are looking for an alternative to milk that can deliver both high nutritional value and easy digestibility. And beyond that, vegetal booster’s concentrated combination of nutrition and innovation makes it an ideal concept development candidate for industrial-scale producers.

Vegetal Booster is a patented vegetable drink obtained primarily from NUTRALYS pea protein, to which water, maltodextrin and NUTRIOSE FM 10 fibre are added. With a neutral taste, the latter builds in texture and body, allowing it to emulate the smoothness of milk. The improved taste of NUTRALYS is combined with a pear/vanilla flavouring specially developed by Symrise, resulting in a “soft” and “fruity” vegetable drink free of any vegetable notes or bitter aftertaste.

Vegetable “milks” are often recommended to people intolerant of dairy products and lactose. One of the objectives of the Vegetal Booster concept is to excite greater consumer interest, especially among those who wish to maximise the role of vegetable products in their daily diet. Vegetal Booster’s protein content is high and slightly higher than that of cow’s milk or soya milk. It can be consumed by vegetarians and vegans and is recommended for people unable to tolerate lactose, soya bean or other major allergens. Furthermore, the inclusion of NUTRIOSE prebiotic fibre in the recipe makes Vegetal Booster a “source of fibre”.

The functionalities (organoleptic, nutritional and also technological) of the Vegetal Booster concept have been in part obtained from Roquette’s recent perfection of the pea protein extraction process for its NUTRALYS pea protein range. Producing a more neutral organoleptic profile, high solubility and dispersibility, these technological advances are what make Vegetal Booster different from other vegetable proteins. Thanks to such developments, Roquette is demonstrating to food producers just how easy its vegetable protein is to use. That’s why the Vegetal Booster is opening up innovation possibilities in the ready-to-drink field, in desserts, as a culinary aid (in a natural formula), in ice creams, etc, etc - the potential is enormous.

Roquette recently announced that ROQUETTE innovation has succeeded in optimising the extraction process of its NUTRALYS pea protein. The result: the vegetable taste and smell generally associated with vegetable proteins are significantly reduced. With NUTRALYS S85F, ROQUETTE opens up new prospects for development in the world of vegetable-derived products, in particular for certain food applications such as dairy, dietary and slimming products and those dedicated to sports.

Up till now, the main restriction on the use of vegetable proteins was their taste - differing slightly, depending on the botanical origin of the protein, but with a persistent odour and so-called « green » (or vegetable) sensory notes. A pity, because vegetable proteins exist – such as those extracted from the pea – that offer a whole range of advantages, whether nutritional, functional or ethical. This is the case with the pea protein produced by ROQUETTE and marketed under the name NUTRALYS. Non-GMO, with high nutritional value, superior digestibility, attractive labelling and from a reliable, traced source, it is the product of an original and proven process. NUTRALYS is also suitable for the formulation of foods conducive to sustainable development. With so many advantages, it is a major ingredient in the protein market.

However, a taste natural to the vegetable world – even though only slight in the case of pea protein – remained a brake on its development. This was particularly the case in food applications such as slimming or sports diet products, in which the protein levels are inevitably very high. Likewise in sweetened food products and dairy products.

NUTRALYS S85F (containing 85% protein) benefits from a specific technology that sets it apart from other vegetable proteins. With a unique sensory profile, NUTRALYS S85F has a more neutral taste and odour than the other pea proteins. As a result it can be successfully used at the high inclusion rates needed for certain formulations.

For example, Laboratoire PYC has developed for Roquette a meal replacement recipe in which 100% of the milk protein usually used is replaced by NUTRALYS S85F. The result is outstanding. The organoleptic qualities are preserved. This example shows how NUTRALYS can meet consumer demands for safety, health, well-being, ethics and above all taste. What is more, NUTRALYS S85F appeals to the producer in search of a functional and economic protein for his product.