Food Safety Standard

Plant Based Protein Products

What is a Protein called?

A protein is a naturally occurring, extremely complex substance that consists of amino acid residues joined by peptide bonds. Proteins are present in all living organisms and include many essential biological compounds such as enzymes, hormones, and antibodies.

Protein synthesis occurs in the ribosomes of cells. In eukaryotic cells, ribosomes are found as free-floating particles within cells and are also embedded in the rough endoplasmic reticulum, a cell organelle.

Proteins are not stored for later use in animals. When an animal consumes excess proteins, they are converted into fats (glucose or triglycerides) and used to supply energy or build energy reserves. If an animal is not consuming sufficient protein, the body begins to break down protein-rich tissues, such as muscles, leading to muscle wasting and eventually death if the deficiency is severe.

What Is Plant Based Protein?

Plant based protein is the protein found in plants only, not from fish or animals. It can include a variety of foods, though mainly plant proteins are found in nuts (both raw and roasted), legumes, seeds and beans. Potatoes and some other vegetables also contain protein, including broccoli, kale, asparagus and mushrooms. Another good food that’s filled with plant protein is the nutrient-dense Ezekiel bread, which is made from barley, wheat, lentils, millet, and spelt.

Why Proteins are Needed?

Proteins are essential for life and are essential for a wide range of cellular activities.
Protein enzymes catalyse the vast majority of chemical reactions that occur in the cell.
Proteins provide many of the structural elements of a cell, and they help to bind cells together into tissues.
Proteins, in the form of antibodies, protect animals from disease, and many hormones are proteins.
Proteins control the activity of genes and regulate gene expression.

Why plant-based Proteins? What is the hype?

In recent years, the benefits of a plant-based diet have been widely publicised. Lowering heart disease, fighting acne, maintaining weight. These are all claims linked to making the switch. And with all this hype, it’s inevitable that many people are asking the question: when can I start?!
But as with any dietary choice, it’s important to separate fact from fiction. Or at least fact from unproven claim. For instance, “going plant-based can cure cancer” is yet to be proven on a scientific level. There’s also continued debate over what diet our ancestors evolved to thrive on.
Since most of these foods are low in calories, and other whole foods (such as beans) provide protein, the plant-based approach can help reduce calorie consumption whilst still providing adequate nutrition.
Reduced calories can mean weight loss, improved digestion and lowered blood pressure and cholesterol.

What are they?

Plant protein is simply a meaningful food source of protein which is from plants.
This group can include pulses, Soya tofu, soya, tempeh, seitan, nuts, seeds, certain grains and even peas. Pulses are a large group of plants, which include chickpeas, lentils, beans (such as black, kidney and adzuki beans) and split peas.
Plant proteins, mostly globulins, have been obtained chiefly from the protein-rich seeds of cereals and legumes. Small amounts of albumins are found in seeds. The best known globulins, insoluble in water, can be extracted from seeds by treatment with 2 to 10 percent solutions of sodium chloride.

Types of plant-based protein:

Soy-based: tempeh, tofu, edamame, Impossible Burger, soy milk, soy crumbles (textured vegetable protein)

Bean- or legume-based: lentils, beans and rice, chickpeas, black beans, bean burgers, eggless eggs
Pea protein-based: Pea protein, pea milk
Grain-based: seitan, Ezekiel bread, whole wheat flour, spelt, teff
Nut- and seed-based: almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts, pistachios, chia seeds, flax seeds, quinoa
Veggie-based: potatoes, sweet potatoes, spinach, broccoli, asparagus
Other: mycoprotein, spirulina