Propulse™ Pea Protein

In recent years, consumers have turned to plant-based proteins to enhance athletic performance, reduce weight, and supplement their overall health. Derived from Canadian yellow peas, Propulse™ is an excellent source of plant-based protein enrichment for a variety of everyday foods.

Overview

In recent years, we’ve seen increasing interest in high-protein diets, even as consumer sentiment has shifted away from animal-derived proteins. To meet this growing demand, food companies now seek plant-based ingredients to boost the protein content of their food products.

Derived from Canadian yellow peas, Propulse™ Pea Protein offers designers an easy means of vegetable protein enrichment. With digestibility comparable to the best animal proteins, excellent amino acid balance and a low allergenicity profile, peas are a high-quality functional food ingredient. And because Propulse is manufactured without the use of solvents, irradiation or chemical modification such as hydroxylation, it’s a sustainable and source of added protein with clear nutritional, economical, and environmental benefits.

Quick Facts

• Protein level: 80% minimum on dry basis
• Propulse consists primarily of globulins and a small fraction of albumin proteins. The globulins are storage proteins located in the pea cotyledons and consist of protein subunits legumin, vincilin and convicilin.
• Isoelectric point: pH 4.5
• Shelf life: 2 years

Protein Fortification in Everyday Foods

Manufacturers are increasingly adding protein to everyday staple finished products in an effort to differentiate themselves in a booming market. Fortunately, Propulse is an easy-to-use protein source, as it can be dispersed with limited dust and foam formation due to our proprietary manufacturing and drying process.

The opportunity to incorporate pea protein into daily foods is endless:

• Propulse works well in applications where soy and whey proteins are currently used, such as sauces, dressings, snacks, pasta, beverages cereals, baked goods and nutrition bars.
  
• Thanks to its non-gelling and thin viscosity, pea protein is ideal for use in beverages, soups and other liquid systems.
• As a nutritional supplement, Propulse can be used in protein-bars, power shake mixes, geriatric supplements and in liquid and enteral diets.
• Diet products in the form of meal replacement beverages and snacks utilize pea protein as an easy means of protein fortification.
• In gluten-free pasta, baking mixes, cereals and energy bars, Propulse improves the nutritional value of these products that have a tendency to be high in fat and low in nutrients.

Film-Forming Properties

Edible films produced from Propulse solutions have demonstrated enhanced strength and elasticity, possessed a good moisture barrier and maintained physical integrity. The physical and mechanical properties of pea protein films were comparable with those of soy protein and whey protein films. Where most proteins show either a high strength or a high elongation at break, pea protein films combine the two properties, which is rare.

Protein	Tensile strength (MPa)	Elongation at Break (%)
Pea (pH 7/10)	7.4	140
Pea (Compression Moulded @ 140)	5.2	170
Soy Isolate	6.5	50
Soy Isolate (Compression Moulded @ 140C)	7.0	75
Wheat Gluten	1.9	230
Rapeseed	8.2	30