Protein is a critical component to the bodys well-being. This macronutrient is used to make enzymes, hormones and other chemicals; it helps build and repair tissues, affecting muscles, bones, cartilage, skin and blood. In contrast to the other macronutrients (fat and carbohydrate), the body doesnt stockpile protein, making regular intake important.

Increasingly, consumers are more aware of the general health importance of protein. With the increased interest in eating healthy to stay healthy becoming more important than ever, protein-enhanced products have become very strong in helping us to achieve that in a timely manner, said David Romeo, managing director, Nutraceuticals International.

Consumers are also looking at the benefits of protein for specific areas of health. Instead of just body builders downing protein shakes, regular athletes are turning to protein-enhanced supplements and beverages to support muscle catabolism. Baby Boomers are taking in more protein to fight sarcopenia, an age-related condition of muscle wasting, and to support bone health and prevent osteoporosis. And perhaps most notably, consumers seeking to shed a few (or many) pounds are discovering the satiety boost protein can provide.

In fact, a report issued in June 2011 by New Nutrition Business, Protein PowerNew Foods, New Markets, noted weight management is the strongest health benefit platform for protein, as research is finding diets with more protein and a lower glycemic index (GI) are effective for weight loss. The report also called out senior nutrition as a significant opportunityparticularly for products that help fight sarcopenia.

The 2010 IFIC Food & Health Survey, a national trend study conducted by Cogent Research for the International Food Information Council (IFIC), found 49 percent of Americans are trying to consume more protein for a variety of reasons, with respondents stating protein can help build muscle (68 percent), help with satiety (40 percent) and aid weight-loss efforts (37 percent). However, there is a disconnect in how to get more protein, as 56 percent of respondents said protein is found in animal sources, while only 28 percent thought it was found in plant sources.

Rachel Marshall, marketing managernutrition, Fonterra, commented on the findings, noting, We realize consumers are seeking more protein; however, there are varying degrees of understanding on why they are seeking it, and different consumers have different needs. This makes developing messaging and believable formats to carry high levels of protein a challenge that manufacturers are grappling with to ensure success in the marketplace.

This is also an issue being addressed at a federal level. Jean Heggie, marketing director, Solae, called out efforts by USDA to educate consumers about the different types of protein available, including the benefits of plant-based proteins. For example, the recent MyPlate tool focuses on a protein section of a healthy plate, rather than just saying the meat food group, she said. In its consumer information, USDA stresses that choosing a variety of lean proteinssuch as plant proteins like soycan offer additional benefits such as being high in fiber and low in saturated fat.

All of these trends have driven the market to new heights. New Nutrition Business protein report forecast new proteins will be a $2.5-billion business within the decade, as suppliers will develop new protein sources to meet soaring global demand. In addition, they cite surging prices for animal proteins, which will likely continue to increase, as also driving demand for alternative sources of protein, such as those from fermented algae or fungi (such as Quorn).

Katherine Bond, director of business development, Cyvex Nutrition, agreed with the assessment. As the protein market becomes more sophisticated, manufacturers are looking for alternatives to soy and whey protein, she said. Plant-based proteins are also continuing to be evaluated in the growing protein market, as many offer an abundance of not only protein, but detoxifying chlorophyll, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and amino acids, just to name a few. In fact, Cyvex has developed two proprietary plant-based proteins: SolaThin, a potato extract comprising all low-molecular weight proteins, and the Alfapro line of alfalfa juice protein concentrate.

There is also a growing move toward protein combinations. All ages are aware of the benefits of protein and satiety for weight management, but more are learning about the benefits of blending proteins with differing digestion rates and amino acid ratios, Heggie said. We believe consumers will see an increase in products that combine soy proteins with other proteins, particularly dairy proteinsdue to the sensory, nutritional and economic benefits such products can bring to consumers.

The economics are, in fact, a key factor in selecting proteins, according to Marshall. Manufacturers face challenges with the affordability of their products, which forces many manufacturers to seek means to keep costs down while still maintaining acceptable product quality, she said. In bars and beverages, the clean taste of dairy protein delivers a gold standard product; however, to keep cost down, soy protein or other vegetable proteins are often incorporated in a blend. Dairy has the advantage of reducing the beany flavor impact of the soy, and soy reduces costs.

Another area of interest is the use of specialized ingredients that have been optimized for particular applications. Hot ingredients depend on the application, with traditional protein ingredients increasingly being replaced by more specialized ingredients designed to improve the sensory experience for the final consumer, or improve processability, stability, etc., Marshall said. Proteins are delicate ingredients and can be challenging to use at high levels without damage during processing and/or seeing significant detrimental changes during shelf life. Additionally, taste and texture challenges arise with high protein levels in many applications. Specialized application-specific ingredients such as those offered by Fonterra deliver significant advances in processability, taste, texture and stability across a wide range of applications.

Increasingly, suppliers are developing application-specific ingredients or offering help in formulation to overcome product challenges. All proteins, including whey, caseinates and soy, have the potential to impact taste, mouthfeel or shelf life, noted Courtney B. Kingery, marketing and customer development manager, ADM Specialty Products Oilseeds. One example is formulating fortified beverages. For developers, formulating fortified beverages is like a juggling act. Flavor, viscosity, shelf life, cost and nutrition are all the balls that get thrown up in the air, and it is up to the developer to get them all moving in unison. It all comes down to using the right ingredients from the beginning to hit the final product specifications. (For more on formulating functional beverages with whey and soy ingredients, see this related article.)

Loren Ward, Ph.D., director, R&D, Glanbia Nutritionals, said the company has also explored new opportunities in functional proteins. For example, its OptiSol line of protein solutions is formulated to deliver specific effects on functionality such as emulsification or viscosity, while also improving the nutritional profile. And its PepForm line uses patent-pending technology to bind specific amino acids to peptides to improve the solubility of the amino acids and improve absorption and utilization.

Glanbia has not only developed a range of technologies and processing techniques for different applications, but is working more closely with its customers. We opened the Glanbia Collaboration Center a couple of years ago so we could invite customers to come and learn how to incorporate protein into these applications by working side-by-side with our scientists, Ward said. This helps reduce product development time and allows manufacturers to reach rapid and more effective solutions.

The collaborative efforts will likely become more important as consumers are looking for protein in a wider range of products. New Nutrition Business protein report noted bars and beverages have been the traditional method of delivering large doses of protein; however, most consumers dont necessarily look to those types of products to meet protein needs. Instead, manufacturers need to broaden the scope to deliver center-of-the-plate options as well as foods that can be consumed at different meal times.

According to Innova Market Insights, the number of new products introduced in 2009 positioning protein increased 77 percent to 4,606, Heggie said. In 2010, launches were up another 10 percent to 5,059. Many of these launches occurred in the cereal/energy bar, nutritional drinks, meat substitutes, dairy drinks and breakfast cereal categories. Going forward, Solae believes yogurts, baked goods and more novel snack and beverage formats will be important targets for protein fortification.

Marshall concurred that the high-protein bars and beverages in the past have had only niche appeal, in part due to taste and texture limitations. As a wider range of consumers seek protein-enhanced products, there is an opportunity to broaden the range of protein-fortified foods such as more palatable beverages (smoothies, waters, drinks, tea, coffee, etc.), meals, yogurts, more indulgent bars and more, she said. We are seeing an increase in launches of protein-fortified/high-protein products along with the highlighting of protein content on the front of the pack across a range of categories, including traditional nutrition bars and beverages, cookies, brownies, prepared meals and yogurt. In addition, science is showing we should spread our protein consumption out across a day to maximize muscle maintenance benefits, with around 30 g of quality protein several times a day being more effective to boost muscle synthesis than a larger dose once a day. This opens an opportunity in targeting meal occasions such as breakfast and lunch.

Re-defining what to expect in the beverage and bar arena may be one tactic, Kingery suggested. As the demand for health and wellness products continues to grow, categories like beverages expand to now include energy drinks, high-solids fruit/vegetable juice blends and vitamin-fortified waters, she said. The definition of a bar has evolved to include a wide variety of textures and products like baked breakfast cookies or co-extruded fruit and grain bars, leading to the expansion of ingredients, especially proteins used in bars.

There are also new frontiers that cross supplement/food/beverage lines. Marshall cited protein-based supplements available in 3-fl.-oz. shot formats that can deliver up to 42 g of protein. However, such products generally rely on hydrolyzed collagen, which is not a complete protein source, making it less effective for health areas such as muscle building. We anticipate that there will be increased activity in this space to allow protein to be delivered in more concentrated, ready-to-consume formats to meet the needs of athletes, patients requiring protein supplementation, and for general well-being for the wider population as consumers seek more protein, but also less calories, she said.

Whatever the ingredient or finished product, its likely there is a target audience looking for just that offering. Manufacturers can turn to protein to bulk up their sales while meeting consumer demand.