Pea protein crisps add health kick to cereals and snacks, claims PGPI

The Californian ingredients company claims the crisps will provide food manufacturers with a competitive edge in a market where energy-boosting protein, weight management and clean eating are in high demand.

The pea protein crisps can be incorporated into a wide variety of products including cereals, snack bars, energy foods and confectionery.

They can be used in both cold slab and baked bars, incorporated into clusters, or simply added to cereals and granola.

Their light flavor profile also means they can be added to sweet foodstuffs.

Advanced technology​

The crisps were developed using PGPI's latest extrusion technology, which it claims helps maintains high levels of protein, while making the crisps free from hexane, a neurotoxic petrochemical solvent.

Ovid Liu, national sales manager for PGPI, told BakeryandSnacks this gives the company an advantage.

“Other producers are more than likely utilizing hexane extraction techniques to separate the peas into oil, protein and fiber,”​ he said.

According to Liu, because the pea protein crisps are non-GMO, gluten-free, 100% vegan and Kosher, food producers will be able to make clean label claims.

The proteins are also hypoallergenic and can be consumed by people who are intolerant to animal-based proteins or soy.

Health and fitness​

The protein is said to improve satiety​​ between meals as it stimulates intestinal secretion of peptides that signal to the central nervous system food intake should be reduced, according to the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Liu also pointed to a 2015 study that reported pea proteins are high in branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), which help maintain the body in a muscle-building state,​​a benefit sought by fitness enthusiasts.

The company has added the 60% pea protein crisps to its product lineup of soy and rice protein crisps.

PGP International is part of ABF Ingredients and headquartered in Woodland, California with three manufacturing sites across the US. It specializes in developing extruded ingredients, cereal specialities, enzymes, esters, speciality flours and yeast extract.

Sources:​

Pea proteins oral supplementation promotes muscle thickness gains during resistance training: a double-blind, randomized, Placebo-controlled clinical trial vs. Whey protein​​

Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition

Nicolas Babault, Christos Païzis, Gaëlle Deley, Laetitia Guérin-Deremaux, Marie-Hélène Saniez, Catherine Lefranc-Millot and François A Allaert.

Satiating effect of proteins in healthy subjects: a comparison of egg albumin, casein, gelatin, soy protein, pea protein, and wheat gluten​​

The American Society for Clinical Nutrition

V Lang, F Bellisle, J M Oppert, C Craplet, F R Bornet, G Slama, and B Guy-Grand.