Protein has a myriad of health benefits related to weight management, muscle gain, and healthy aging.
A high protein diet also has beneficial effects for blood pressure and blood sugar management.
As health-conscious consumers become more informed about these health benefits, the demand for high-protein functional foods and beverages continues to climb.
Although dairy — whey and casein — and soy proteins own the majority of the global protein market, pea protein is just at their heels as consumers increasingly seek out hypoallergenic, plant-based alternatives.
This article explains the benefits of pea protein compared with other protein sources and discusses the potential challenges manufacturers may face in formulating products using pea protein.
Pea protein benefits and applications
Pea protein is produced from whole, yellow peas by a process that involves dry- and wet-milling technologies.
The protein content of the final product ranges from 48% to 90%, depending on whether it’s a pea flour, pea protein concentrate, or isolate. 1
Pea protein is high quality and is similar — albeit still inferior — to whey protein in terms of essential amino acid availability and digestibility.2
Pea protein also positively affects the gut microbiota and possesses antioxidant and antihypertensive effects.3
Aside from the nutritional content and health benefits, pea protein offers various functional properties, including2:
- water-binding capacity
- oil-binding capacity
- foam expansion
- foam stability
- whippability
- gelation
- emulsion stability
Compared with soy protein isolates, the gels made from pea protein isolates are weaker, but pea proteins are a better emulsifier and foaming agent at a neutral pH.1
The functional properties of pea protein are dependent on the cultivar, protein fraction, extraction method, and environmental conditions. 3
Owing to its functional and nutritional properties, pea protein has a wide range of applications, including:
- plant-based meat alternatives, including meat balls, burger patties, hot dogs, and cold cuts
- plant-based dairy alternatives, including frozen desserts, cheeses, yogurts, creams, and milk
- sports nutrition products, including protein powder isolates and protein bars
- infant formulas
- weight management products, including meal replacement powders and bars
- therapeutic nutrition products, including oral and enteral formulas
- bakery and snack items, including crackers, cereal bars, muffins, and cakes
Market and formulation challenges
According to research by MarketsandMarkets, the pea protein market size is currently valued at USD 1.7 billion and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 11.9% to reach USD 2.9 billion by 2027.4
The rising demand for plant-based proteins such as pea protein from consumers can be tied to several factors.
Some of these factors include:
- Recognition of health benefits associated with plant-based diets
- Health concerns regarding high consumption of animal proteins
- Concerns related to environmental sustainability of food systems
- Concerns over the ethical treatment of animals
- Allergies or intolerances to animal-based proteins or components
Pea protein also offers benefits for manufacturers due to its broad functionality, marketability as a high-quality, sustainable, and GMO-free protein, and since no allergen declaration is needed.
However, soy and dairy proteins have advantages over pea protein related to cost, availability, nutrition, taste, and functionality.
Finding utility for the pea starch produced as a by-product of pea protein manufacturing can help bring down costs.
Still, pea protein doesn’t have to be used in isolation, since some consumers aren’t forgoing traditional dairy but are instead embracing a semi-vegetarian or flexitarian diet.
This allows manufacturers to produce functional food or beverage products that appeal to consumers who are shifting their diets to include more plant-based options by blending dairy and pea protein, allowing improved functionality, reduced costs, and fewer palatability challenges.
The bottom line
Pea protein is a high-quality protein and offers a variety of functional properties that lends its use in a wide range of applications, from plant-based meat alternatives to sports nutrition categories.
Several factors are driving the demand for pea protein, including its perceived health benefits over animal proteins and consumer concerns related to the environment or animal welfare.
Still, factors related to cost, taste, and functionality — particularly when compared with dairy or soy protein — remain challenges for manufacturers.
References
- Nadathur SR, Wanasundara JPD, Scanlin L. Sustainable Protein Sources. Elsevier; 2016.
- Hertzler SR, Lieblein-Boff JC, Weiler M, Allgeier C. Plant proteins: assessing their nutritional quality and effects on health and physical function. Nutrients. December 2020;12(12):3704.
- Ge J, Sun CX, Corke H, Gul K, Gan RY, Fang Y. The health benefits, functional properties, modifications, and applications of pea (Pisum sativum L.) protein: current status, challenges, and perspectives. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. July 2020;19(4):1835-1876.
- Pea Protein Market by Type (Isolate, Concentrate, and Textured), Form (Dry and Wet), Source (Yellow Split Pea, Lentils and ChickPea), Application, and Region (North America, Europe, APAC, South America and ROW) – Global Forecast to 2027. MarketsandMarkets.com. March 2022.
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