Müller’s Mühle, a German-based supplier of legume and rice flours, has invested €14.5 million (US$17.6 million) in new refining technology for legume flours. With the help of a modern air separation plant, the company can now produce functional flours with a protein content of up to 65 percent, enabling protein enrichment and nutritional optimization of many foods.

The move from the company comes amid growing demand for more versatile ways to increase the protein of plant-based foods. 

Speaking to FoodIngredientsFirst, Jürgen Berning, senior sales manager B2B at Müller’s Mühle, says the world faces the imminent and daunting challenge of feeding ten billion people with limited resources and a fragile planet. 

“It’s therefore crucial, particularly in Western countries, to reduce consumption of animal-derived proteins. That’s because livestock production is extremely resource-intensive. So when it comes to the way we eat, and a decisive approach to minimizing CO2 emissions, a crucial part of the solution is increased use of plant-based proteins.”

Dietary habits evolve 
For many consumers, the planet’s health has triggered change in dietary habits, Berning recalls.  

“Yet more and more people also want to prevent animal suffering and switch to plant-based proteins as a result. Both these reasons often go hand-in-hand, but another primary factor is human health. A balanced, plant-based diet provides lots of valuable nutrients,” continues Berning. 

“At the same time, it lowers the risk of classic health problems associated with affluence, such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disorders.”

Moreover, the variety of plant-based alternatives is growing tremendously, and the taste experience keeps getting better. 

“As a result, it will be easier for more and more consumers to do completely or partly without meat. While the meat-alternative segment has skyrocketed over the last few years, there is still huge scope for innovation in other food categories.”

Spotlight on alternatives 
The development of convincing alternatives for cheese or seafood, for example, is still at a relatively early stage. 

“There is great movement in the market, and such developments make plant-based diets more attractive for an increasing number of people,” Berning states. 

Furthermore, Generation Z, born between 1995 and 2010, are keen to follow a vegetarian lifestyle. They will play a key role in shaping the future plant-based market, he adds. 

Legumes’ starring role
“Smart Pulses Pro” legume flours are particularly suitable as a basis for plant-based alternatives such as meat, egg and milk substitutes, as well as for snacks, baked goods and pasta. 

Müller’s Mühle uses different legume species as raw materials and processes them gently to preserve their valuable nutrients. 

The flours are marketed under the “Smart Pulses Pro” brand. At the source, they are naturally free of allergens and are also clean label. 

With their high-quality nutritional and functional properties, “Smart Pulses Pro” ingredients enable the development of innovative product concepts in the plant-based segment.

Trending applications 
From cheese, yogurt and quark substitutes to plant-based drinks and desserts, the range of applications for milk alternatives is enormous. In this area, lentil-based flours are particularly interesting thanks to their relatively neutral taste profile. 

Thanks to their protein content and structure-forming properties, Smart Pulses Pro concentrates can be further processed into high-quality texturates that serve as a basis for meat substitutes. 

In addition to purely vegan and vegetarian products, pulse-based texturates are also suitable for hybrid products in which the meat content is partially replaced.

Be it for baked goods, vegan mayonnaise or dressings, the emulsifying effect of the new concentrates makes it possible to replac eggs in various recipes. But the legume flours are also the base for innovative egg substitutes, such as vegan scrambled eggs.

“When it comes to protein enrichment, the range of possible foods is huge – these include pasta, baked goods, breakfast cereals, snacks, infant nutrition, sports nutrition and products for weight management,” Berning notes. 

“Besides supplying essential amino acids, the flours deliver dietary fiber, B vitamins, minerals and trace elements. They also have a low GI and promise good satiety. From a functional point of view, the flours score with their water-binding capacity, providing, for example, snack fillings and convenience meals with an appealing texture.”

More than protein 
Smart ingredients also impart appealing consistency and creaminess to products. Furthermore, their nutritional profile enables high-protein positioning and a desirable NutriScore.

Regarding sustainability, legumes do not require artificial nitrogen fertilizer, increase soil fertility and have a low water requirement. 

Legume-based products, therefore, meet the needs of environmentally-conscious consumers who are willing to pay a higher price for food that is produced as sustainably as possible.