Oat ingredient is stealing whey protein limelight – Biovelop
David Peters, head of global sales and marketing, told BeverageDaily.com that the ingredient, launched in April as a non-GMO alternative to animal and vegetable proteins for use in foods and beverages, was “positioned between whey and soy in terms of price”.
Derived from natural oat bran, Peters said Proatein was an “attractive alternative for producers of products containing whey protein, who have had to deal with sharp price rises in recent months”.
Swapping whey for oats...
Customers had already started substituting some or all of their whey protein for Proatein – which extracts the protein component of the oat without using chemical methods – he added, while it provided an alternative for soy protein users with GMO or allergen concerns.
Whereas many proteins had undesirable taste profiles that needed masking in, say, beverages (meal replacement shakes, for instance), the ingredient did not have an unpleasant taste, Peters said, and added: “Indeed, some customers are using Proatein to give their oat-baased products more of an oat taste.”
Asked about orders and geographies showing interest in the ingredient, Peters pointed to a protein bar launch in Sweden by a company called Alkagreens, and denied Biovelop faced a challenge selling Proatein on a protein-rich basis, given consumer connecting oats with heart health.
High consumer trust
Peters said: “Consumers recognize the heart health benefits of oats, their ability to provide sustained energy and their contribution to weight management through satiety.
“The very high level of trust which the consumer attaches to oats and the importance of including oats as part of a healthy, balanced diet, makes Proatein a natural extension of those benefits,” he added.
Key target markets for the ingredient included sports nutrition products, nutritional supplements, protein bars, bread and pasta, Peters explained
“Since Proatein also contains an element of oat oil, it works particularly well in protein bars, enabling the removal of other oils and fats,” he said.
