DSM upcycles canola meal into high quality protein isolate for use in plant-based foods and beverages

NETHERLANDS – Dutch multinational health, nutrition, and bioscience company DSM has added a new protein isolate to its Vertis plant protein portfolio.

According to DSM, the new ingredient known as Vertis CanolaPRO, will allow food and beverage producers to develop plant-based products that offer complete proteins and are free from major allergens.

Its high credentials come from the fact that it is produced from Canola seeds, also known as rapeseeds, which are one of the world’s few available plant sources of complete protein, meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids required for good health.

When used as part of a protein blending strategy, Vertis CanolaPRO is highly complementary to proteins from legumes and cereals and fills in gaps in essential amino acids, according to DSM.

The new ingredient is reported to have a protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) of 1, on par with soy or whey, and a high digestibility score (DIAAS ≥ 100).

Its functional benefits include improving the bite and texture of meat and fish alternatives and creating a smoother mouthfeel in dairy alternatives and performance nutrition products.

“We are immensely proud to bring Vertis CanolaPRO to the market to help address the need for nutritious, delicious, and sustainable plant-based food and beverages,” says Patrick Niels, Executive Vice President of Food & Beverage at DSM.

The icing on the cake for the protein isolate is the fact that it is produced from a canola meal, a co-product of canola/rapeseed oil production.

The ingredient therefore has a small carbon footprint4 and requires no additional arable land for its production.

Its sustainability go further. DSM says that VertisTM CanolaPRO is produced in a proprietary process with minimal water use, low temperatures, and no solvents.

“At DSM, we’re driven to partner with our customers in the food and beverage industry to produce great products that have benefits for both people and the planet,” adds Niels.

VertisTM CanolaPRO® is produced in a joint venture with Avril Group, a leading processor and financer in the vegetable oils and proteins sector based in France, at a newly constructed facility in Dieppe.

“With the launch of Vertis™ CanolaPRO® alongside our legume-based offering, we are establishing a leading portfolio of healthy and sustainable plant proteins that even better positions us as a go-to innovation partner for the plant-based market,” Niels stated.

Only feed manufacturers in the Baltics, Ireland, Poland, Bulgaria and Slovenia are expected to keep feed production at a similar level to the last year.

The pig feed sector is likely to be the most affected with production estimated to decrease by – 5,6% compared to 2021 following the reductions in herd size / the number of sows or farmers leaving the business in some member states (MS).

Increased production costs and animal health issues such as African swine fever (ASF) is believed to be behind the change of heart by many pig farmers.

 The situation is especially critical in Belgium (-11%), Denmark (-9%), Portugal (-8.4%), Germany (-8%), & Czech republic (-7,4%).

Netherlands and Belgium, on the other hand, continue to depopulate their pig herds to reduce agricultural environmental emissions, further exacerbating the problem.

The EU poultry feed sector will see a fall in production by -3,4% in 2022 compared to the previous year. FEFAC has attributed the decline to avian influenza spreading across the EU where FR, BE, IT & HU are particularly hard-hit countries.

Farmers, following increased costs of production (feed, energy, packaging) for both eggs and poultry meat, are also postponing new production cycles/flock rotations.

 The EU trade policy offering temporary “zero tariff, zero quota” access for Ukrainian products entering the EU may have also partly contributed to the declines as they allowed for significant imports of poultry meat and eggs in July and August.

Finally, due to inflation pressures on disposable incomes, farmers have difficulties selling high-value products like organic and free-range, FEFAC observed.

The cattle feed production is projected to decrease by – 1.3% compared to the previous year despite increased sales of compound feed over the summer months when grass yield has been negatively impacted in the EU (especially FR, DE, Benelux and Southern Europe).

Farmers have reduced their herds / shortened lactation cycles both to respond to green policies / and to reduce feed usage.

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