Protein beyond grams: Leaft, Lallemand and Arla tackle quality, taste and texture

Protein enrichment can alter a drink’s consistency, a dessert’s texture, or the flavor of a familiar snack. For formulators, choosing an ingredient means assessing its nutritional contribution and how it behaves in the finished food. 

Food Ingredients First speaks to Leaft Foods, Lallemand Bio-Ingredients, and Arla Foods Ingredients about balancing nutritional quality with application performance as protein reaches more consumers and eating occasions. 

Looking beyond the label

Ross Milne, CEO of Leaft Foods, sees room for consumers’ understanding of protein to develop.

“Most consumers are looking at the number of grams on the pack, without necessarily understanding that 20 grams of one protein can be quite different nutritionally from 20 grams of another.”

Silvia Soragni, category manager for savory ingredients at Lallemand Bio-Ingredients, agrees.

“Protein quantity is only one part of the equation. Formulators should consider the amino acid profile and digestibility of the protein, as these determine its nutritional quality.”

Anne Sophie Pauli Raedkjaer, head of sales development for Functional Nutrition at Arla Foods Ingredients, sees growing attention to these distinctions.

“Consumer interest is shifting from protein quantity to quality, with a complete protein source being the most important factor when choosing between products,” she tells us.

“For these consumers, whey and dairy proteins stand out as complete protein sources that score highly on measures of nutritional quality, such as essential amino acid content.”

She also highlights opportunities to combine benefits. “Consumers are also increasingly interested in products that deliver multiple benefits, so formulators should focus on proteins like whey, which can be easily combined with other functional ingredients.”Leaft’s Rubisco enables protein enrichment in juice while retaining its refreshing character.

Choosing the right behavior

The practical difficulties become more pronounced as manufacturers increase protein inclusion, Milne explains.

“Adding protein to food doesn’t always make it better. It can introduce unpleasant flavors, gritty textures, or make products thick and difficult to get down. And the more protein you try to add, the harder those problems become.”

Leaft positions isolated Rubisco as an ingredient that contributes nutrition and functionality.

“Rubisco is interesting because it has a neutral flavor in its isolated form and can dissolve, foam, gel, and emulsify, giving food manufacturers more options for making products that are nutritious and also enjoyable,” says Milne.

Those properties can help build structure or stability, although additional functionality is not always desirable.

“This is why we see value in a different approach. Engevita HiPro Beyond has been specifically developed as a non-functional protein: it does not gel, emulsify, or foam and has good wettability and dispersion,” says Soragni.

Arla’s developments address texture across dairy and performance nutrition.

“Innovations such as Nutrilac ProteinBoost microparticulated whey proteins make it easy for manufacturers to control taste and texture in yogurt, ice cream, and dairy-based desserts,” says Raedkjaer.

“With performance nutrition, our Lacprodan whey isolate range enables soft-textured bars with up to 37% protein content and rich in all the essential amino acids.”

Putting protein into drinks

For Leaft, juice offers an opportunity to bring protein into an established drinking occasion. Milne says Leaft Foods has developed a version of Rubisco specifically for juice.Lallemand’s yeast protein boosts protein content without gelling, foaming, or emulsifying.

“Rather than asking consumers to drink a protein shake, we can give them the nutritional benefits of protein in a drink they already know and enjoy.”

“We’re working with major international and local partners, and expect the first products to be on shelves in early 2027. It’s a significant step toward making high-quality protein part of everyday food and drink.”

Arla is also broadening beverage options through clear shakes tailored to different activities.

“After decades of targeting elite athletes and fitness enthusiasts, the performance shake category now faces a new mainstream reality: consumers have diverse routines and distinct needs for performance and recovery,” says Raedkjaer.

The concepts feature Lacprodan ISO.RefreshShake, Lacprodan Pro2O, and Lacprodan ISO.WaterShake.

“Another formulation benefit is how well they pair with other functional ingredients — our Build shake, for example, includes creatine and is designed for strength and power activities like weight training,” Raedkjaer continues.

“Meanwhile, Sustain features carbohydrates and electrolytes for endurance-focused activities such as running, and Move includes collagen for mobility-focused activities like yoga and Pilates.”

For GLP-1 companion nutrition, Arla has developed a water-based protein shot for consumers with reduced appetite.

“Featuring Lacprodan BLG-100, it contains 21 g protein per 100 mL and is fat-free, sugar-free, and low in lactose, offering great taste, minimal astringency, and ambient shelf life stability.”

Preserving familiar textures

Lallemand is exploring enrichment across everyday foods using Engevita HiPro Beyond, derived from baker’s yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with a minimum of 80% protein.

Applications span sauces, soups, bakery, snacks, dairy alternatives, beverages, pasta, meat, and hybrid formulations.

“Hybrid foods are particularly interesting because protein enrichment does not necessarily mean reinventing the product,” says Soragni.

“In a recent hybrid dairy concept, for example, Engevita HiPro Beyond was incorporated into a panna cotta formulation to increase the protein contribution while retaining the characteristic texture and intended flavor profile of the dessert.”Arla combines whey with creatine, electrolytes, or collagen for different exercise needs.

Communicating the nutritional contribution

Milne encourages formulators to consider nutrients delivered alongside protein, highlighting iron, B vitamins, vitamin K, and other bioactives in Leaft’s Rubisco Protein Concentrate.

“Formulators should be looking for opportunities to deliver more nutrition in everyday foods, rather than simply adding protein for the sake of a higher number on the label.”

Raedkjaer sees a need to explain differences between sources.

“Today’s consumers want evidence of health benefits, and clinical research plays a vital role in building trust,” she explains.

“So while consumers increasingly understand that protein matters, they receive limited information about which proteins may be most effective for specific outcomes.”

“For formulators and ingredient suppliers, the opportunity lies in educating healthcare professionals, scientific stakeholders, and consumers through channels beyond packaging, while helping consumers understand that protein quality, and not simply quantity, matters.”