Plant-based Meal Replacement

For food designers who wish to capitalize on the growing popularity of plant-based diets, Canadian yellow peas are a versatile, nutrient-dense functional food ingredient.

Supporting a Plant-Based Diet

Vegan and vegetarian diets are becoming increasingly popular as consumers shift away from meat, dairy and other animal-derived food products. Fortunately, the alternative protein market is expanding at a rapid pace to meet this growing demand.

Traditional plant-based proteins like soy, beans and nuts are excellent alternatives to animal products, but they often present one key obstacle: allergen labelling. By contrast, Canadian yellow peas offer excellent digestibility, a high level of protein purity, and low allergenicity — they are not deemed as a major allergen by FDA, CFIA or EU regulators.

Applications At-A-Glance

Propulse™ Pea Protein

When incorporated into plant-based meat alternatives, pea protein offers:

  • High level of protein purity (80% db)
  • Excellent digestibility
  • Easy dispersibility & blending
  • An economical choice compared to other proteins on the market

AccuGel™ Pea Starch

  • Binding in cheese and meat analogues
  • Gelatin replacement for vegan foods
  • Improvements to soy protein-stabilized food emulsions (i.e. tofu)

Endless Possibilities

Our proprietary Propulse™ Pea Protein offers product designers an easy means of vegetable protein enrichment. Low in fat and high in iron, vitamins and other minerals, Propulse improves the nutritional value of an array of processed foods. From pea-based beverages to health bars to baked goods, pea protein is a versatile ingredient that can be incorporated into a wide range of vegan-friendly foods.

Accu-Gel™ Pea Starch is particularly effective in vegan and vegetarian products where a jellified texture is sought and where sterilization temperatures are applied (e.g. as a binder in plant-based “meats” or as a gelatin replacement). In these products, pea starch permits improved water control during sterilization. This helps improve texture, as canned products made with potato or wheat starch are not stabilized, consequently absorbing more water during storage and resulting in a soggier, softer texture.