Abstract

Proteins are used in the food industry for both nutritional and functional reasons. Protein is a key ingredient to enhance nutritional content in food and to improve functionality. The essential amino acids that are required for growth, development and maintenance of the human body play a significant part in all diets. Protein is also used in food applications to form gels, to absorb the juices during cooking and for their whipping and binding properties.

INTRODUCTION

The world is looking at solutions as to how to sustainably feed the 9 billion people that are going to live on planet earth in 2050. The large picture definitely shows sustainable protein as being one of the most important aspects of food security. Protein is an important nutrient in all diets but recently it has also been proven to alleviate several health concerns. Consumers nowadays are more and more aware that they need to incorporate a certain amount of protein into their daily diets. So is this trend just a short term fad or is it here to stay?

PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS

Driven by the growing awareness of the benefits of protein, supplements have been gaining in popularity among consumers in recent years. Market reports show that people are constantly trying to include more protein in their diet for weight management/satiety and for muscle growth. This emphasis on protein has led to a growing demand for supplements and especially in powder or ready to drink format. The energy and meal replacement bars are also growing rapidly in popularity. The way people consume sports nutrition is mainly through meal replacement ...