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The challenge

Hydrolyzed vegetable proteins (HVP), particularly vegetable proteins from soy, wheat gluten and corn, and yeast extracts are often used to round off and enhance the umami taste of soups, sauces and snacks while enabling salt reduction. But vegetable protein made with acid-hydrolysis (aHVP) cannot be listed as natural flavor in the EU. The acid-hydrolysis process is also tough on equipment, workers’ safety and the environment and can generate undesirable by-products such as 3-MCPD.

Yeast extract is – although it’s a natural ingredient – in some parts of the world less popular. This is due to its taste and some consumers do not perceive it as an ingredient you would use for cooking at home.


 

Label-friendly and tasty

When health-conscious consumers select savory products at the supermarket, they want them to taste great and to be labelled with recognizable ingredients produced by natural methods.

Enzymatic hydrolysis of plant proteins (eHVP) is considered a natural process and can – unlike aHVP - be labelled as a natural flavor preparation in EU. eHVP is also an excellent alternative to yeast extract in those regions where yeasty flavors are not preferred or where yeast extract is a less welcome ingredient on the food label.


 

Design your optimal hydrolysate

Novozymes enzymes help you design your most versatile and valuable plant protein hydrolysate. Make a low-salt, cost-competitive, label-friendly, great-tasting hydrolyzed vegetable protein that fits your processing needs and the requirements of the final product.

More information about Protana® flavor enhancers

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For productions requiring wild-type enzymes Flavourzyme® can be used instead of Protana® Prime

More information about Flavourzyme® flavor enhancers

Download overview

Reduce cost-in-use by up to 40%

Recent Novozymes innovations have brought about new and effective Novozymes exo-peptidases and endo-protease, delivering a degree of hydrolysis up to 50-60% - higher than ever seen before. These, in combination with the new and affordable Novozymes glutaminase, make it possible to reduce the cost-in-use of eHVP by up to 40% which makes eHVP able to compete with Yeast Extract and aHVP on both cost and umami impact.

Improve your process

Enzymatic processing offers many advantages over acid-based processing. It’s safer and more robust than acid treatment. It is easy to control, and there is no risk of equipment corrosion. Processing conditions are better for your employees and the environment. Your process becomes more sustainable, because enzymes are both highly efficient, specific and fully biodegradeable.

Your solutions for hydrolyzed plant proteins

Enzymes provide the high degree of hydrolysis necessary to release the amino acids of your substrate and some can also boost the umami taste of your hydrolysates.

Novozymes Alcalase® is used for broad variety of applications, including hydrolysates from dairy, fish and meat, and plant proteins. Alcalase® is a broad-spectrum protease with high activity from mildly acidic to alkaline pH ranges. Well-established applications include yeast extract, extraction of gelatin or heparin, whey and plant protein hydrolysates, and conversion of animal co-products for pet food and animal feed.

Used concurrently with Protana® Prime a degree of hydrolysis higher than ever seen before can be obtained.

Novozymes Protana® Prime is a unique exo-peptidase blend releasing free amino acids from proteins. Applied in high dosages in combination with Alcalase® an unsurpassed deep hydrolysis of proteins is obtained. The Protana® range is ideal for industrial, large scale production of high-quality, natural flavor enhancers from substrates such as soy bean meal, pea protein and wheat gluten.

The full savory potential is captured when used together with Protana® UBoost which transforms glutamine with limited taste into umami tasting glutamic acid. The efficiency of Protana® Prime and the affordability of Protana® UBoost bring natural plant-based flavor enhancers (eHVP) within reach for cost neutral and label friendly exchange of e.g. acids hydrolyzed proteins (aHVP) and yeast extracts.

Novozymes Protana® UBoost is a cost-effective glutaminase which converts glutamine into glutamic acid. While glutamine has little taste, glutamic acid is a strong flavor enhancer. Together with smaller peptides glutamic acid constitute the natural umami flavor of protein hydrolysates.

The full savory potential is captured when used together with Protana® Prime and Alcalase® which break proteins up into free amino acids and smaller peptides. The Protana® range is ideal for industrial, large scale production of high-quality, natural flavor enhancers from substrates such as soy bean meal and wheat gluten.

Novozymes Flavourzyme® is a unique enzyme able to provide a deep hydrolysis of plant and animal proteins to generate high-quality flavor. Used alone, it can hydrolyze protein to generate savory flavors from a variety of substrates. When more extensive hydrolysis is needed to solubilize a substrate, Flavourzyme® can be used in combination with Alcalase® to generate even more intense flavors. At lower dosages, Flavourzyme® can also be applied to reduce bitterness in hydrolysates produced from Alcalase® and Neutrase®.

Flavourzyme® 1000L is a wild-type blend of endo-and exo-peptidases which can be used as an alternative to Protana® Prime/Alcalase® in production of eHVP which must comply with certain labelling requirements (Organic, Ohne Gentechnic ets.).

Questions about hydrolized vegetable proteins?

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