Sustainable protein: Kemin inks deal to acquire Proteus Industries

06 Apr 2021 --- Global ingredient manufacturer Kemin Industries has acquired food technology company, Proteus Industries in a deal that adds sustainable clean label yield enhancement technology to the Kemin Food Technologies portfolio of ingredient solutions.

Kemin will rebrand the ingredient technology as Proteus, which is now available to Kemin customers in the US to help commercial food processors improve retention of moisture and texture without reliance on artificial ingredients. 

Proteus has patented clean label protein ingredients in a range of meat and poultry and protein-based applications. 

Kemin will continue to expand the Proteus platform through additional stock-keeping units (SKU’s) and protein types, and various product forms.Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, Marc Scantlin, president, Kemin Food Technologies, Americas, expands on the key drivers behind this acquisition.

“The protein industry has been a long-standing focus for the Food Technologies division within Kemin – providing clean label solutions that help to improve and extend the quality and shelf life of meat and poultry products,” he details. 

“We identified a need within the industry for an effective, clean label yield improvement technology and saw the Proteus technology as a way to fulfill this unmet need,” he says.

“Plans for global expansion of the Proteus technology are underway which will provide protein manufacturers around the world the opportunity to meet the label claims and product attributes consumers desire, while also reducing input costs and achieving greater yields.”

Proteus Industries was founded in 2001 in Massachusetts, US, as a privately owned food technology and ingredient company that created, developed and patented novel clean-label protein ingredients and applications to improve yield, nutrition and quality in a variety of meat and poultry and protein-based applications.

This acquisition strongly aligns with the strategic plan in allowing Kemin to provide the industry with additional product offerings and elevated production capabilities,” Scantlin continues.

“Strategic acquisitions enable Kemin to achieve our vision to sustainably transform the quality of life for consumers and is critical as the world population continues to grow, creating an increased demand on food supply.”

The terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed.

How will Kemin develop the technology?
Kemin will continue to expand the Proteus platform through additional stock-keeping units (SKU’s) and protein types, and various product forms in the coming months.

Muscle proteins in meat and poultry are large, highly structured molecules that limit their ability to fully interact with water or other proteins.Scantlin explains how muscle proteins in meat and poultry are large, highly structured molecules that limit their ability to fully interact with water or other proteins.

“Our patented, meat and water technology expands the protein structure to expose additional water or protein binding sites that were previously unavailable,” Scantlin notes.

“This allows meat and poultry products to retain more moisture utilizing a label-friendly ingredient, and in many cases a reduction in raw material required in formulation.”

“Kemin remains dedicated to bringing innovative technologies to the industry, and we are working diligently on various developments,” he concludes. 

Clean label boost
The acquisition adds several new technologies to the existing Kemin portfolio of ingredient solutions in the US, including:

• Clean label phosphate alternative to meet consumer demand while also increasing yield and water-holding capacity. 
• Meat block replacement used in conjunction with phosphate for additional yield and water retention while meeting USDA formulation regulations.
• Fat block for fried foods forming a protein crust around items that inhibits frying oil from being absorbed into breading. 

Muscle-based protein
The entire Proteus team has been retained, with Bill Fielding, current Proteus CEO, being named general business manager and Dr. Stephen Kelleher as a research fellow. 

“This acquisition is timely, as this technology allows us to provide the industry with additional product offerings and expanded production capabilities,” adds Giuseppe Abrate, group president of Kemin Food and Human Nutrition. 

“It is also a game-changer, as it enables us to achieve the Kemin mission to sustainably transform the quality of life for consumers who are also demanding improved nutrition and cleaner label ingredients. One of the larger challenges facing the industry today is how to meet the rising demand for protein, better nutrition and cleaner labels, without negatively impacting cost or quality.”

“We are excited for the future, as Kemin and Proteus bring together the dedication, technology, innovation, manufacturing and human resources to offer solutions on a larger scale,” adds Bill Fielding, former Proteus CEO, now general manager within Kemin Food Technologies. 

“By providing sustainably sourced, functional, muscle-based protein ingredients in various forms for easier application and greater industry reach, we can help processors more naturally retain moisture and protein typically lost in the process. This means we can accomplish so much – protecting margins with cleaner ingredients while enhancing quality and nutrition, as well as improving the way the world eats,” he says.

This acquisition closely follows Kemin Industries receiving approvals in the EU and Brazil, allowing its algae-sourced beta-glucan ingredient BetaVia Complete to be placed on both markets.

By Gaynor Selby