Kröner-Stärke’s new proteins boost meat alternatives
Clean label starch and flour producer Kröner-Stärke has introduced its new range of clean label wheat proteins to the German and European market.
The range enables food processors to respond to the increasingly popular trend of substituting traditional meat based dishes, like sausages and burgers with vegan alternatives.
According Mintel, in 2016 Germany launched more vegan food products than any other country; however, many consumers are unwilling to give up meat completely. Products that provide the texture and appearance of meat but do not actually contain animal products can be enjoyed by everyone and therefore have wide appeal across the population.
Glutex B, produced from vital wheat gluten, is a texturised, firm wheat protein that gives a meat-like bite to vegetarian products. It is suitable for use in products ranging from, meatballs, burgers and vegetarian bolognaise sauce to ready meals, Kröner-Stärke says.
Alongside boosting opportunities for the meat-free product market, the brand maintains that vital wheat gluten can be a useful ingredient in meat products where a healthy version is required.
Sausages are another product area, popular across Europe, in which wheat proteins can be used as a functional and nutritional ingredient. For this market, Kröner-Stärke has created Proplex – a product, rich in protein which is based on wheat.
Proplex is marketed for use in a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian sausages. It comes with improved moulding properties and a superior capacity for fat and water binding, thus acting as a replacement for other vegetable binding agents and proteins too.
Kröner-Stärke also states that wheat proteins are an ideal additive to sports nutrition/protein enriched products. The wheat proteins are suited to low carb protein foods like breads, where they can be used to boost the protein content, the brand says.
Kröner-Stärke´s product development technician, Maren Wiese, comments, “We have developed a wide variety of wheat protein products that lend themselves perfectly to being incorporated in healthy, high protein food ranges adhering to clean label and vegan standards.
“Germany is leading the way with meat substitutes in Europe and is witnessing a steady rise in vegetarianism. Our wheat proteins are developed specifically to enable food manufacturers to diversify into high quality meat substitutes and bring added functionality and nutritional value to traditional favourites across the country and in Europe.”
