Baking & Snack - February 2020 - 72

PROTEIN

Formulators
must pay close
attention to a
protein ingredient's
water absorption
to ensure it won't
negatively affect
the dough's ability
to be machined.
Cargill

services, Lesaffre Corp. To accomplish this, bakers must
know their options, how these different proteins can
work together and the math of making a claim.

Not all protein is equal
Front-of-package claims such as "good source" or "excellent source" of protein depend upon the percent
daily value listed on the Nutrition Facts Panel. Foods
making a "good source" claim need to provide 10% of
the daily value, and those with an "excellent source"
claim need to deliver 20%. Only certain kinds of protein contribute to that number. Only complete, or
"quality," proteins - those containing all nine essential
amino acids at the appropriate levels - contribute to
the percent daily value of protein listing.
"The biggest thing when talking about achieving a
protein claim is the difference between total protein and
quality protein," said Matt Gennrich, senior food scientist, Cargill. "Total protein is the full amount of protein
nutritionally in a product."
For example, a bread product may have an impressive amount of total protein, but any incomplete protein
will not count toward making a claim. "Even if a product
has 10 g of total protein, enough to qualify for 'excellent
source' if it was all quality protein, when we calculate the
percent daily value for the Nutrition Facts Panel, we can
only count the quality protein," Mr. Gennrich explained.
"In this example, if the product contains 5 g of quality
protein, it would only qualify for 10% daily value claim,
or 'good source of protein' claim."
A protein's quality is determined by its protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS), which
compares the concentration of amino acids against the
standard amino acid profile. "The score is based on the
amino acid requirements of humans and their ability to
digest it," said Ricardo Rodriguez, marketing manager,

72 Baking & Snack February 2020 / www.bakingbusiness.com

confectionery and bakery, Ingredion. "All proteins have
different amino acid profiles, and some may be more deficient in one versus another."
Soy, dairy and egg proteins are all complete or quality protein. These sources contain all nine of the essential amino acids necessary for the human body. Because
these contribute to the percent daily value, they help
formulators hit the minimum for front-of-pack claims
quickly. "A dairy protein is a complete protein, so you
can use less of it to get where you need to," said Marissa
Stubbs, account manager, bakery, Agropur. "If you're using other incomplete proteins, you have to add more to
get the grams, but you're not going to get that percent
daily value you need."
To avoid allergens or control costs when using incomplete proteins, formulators can blend different sources
to make up deficits and hit those percent daily values.
Wheat, for example, is a natural source of protein for
baked goods as it typically makes up the bulk of the
formulation in the flour. However, when wheat is used
alone, it is an incomplete protein due to being low in lysine. "To get those higher protein claims, you'll have to
substitute or augment the wheat that's inherently there
with another protein source," Mr. Gennrich explained.
In light of this, it's important that bakers wanting to
make a claim understand the makeup of the different
sources. For example, pea protein is high in lysine, making it a natural counterpart to balance wheat's deficiency.
While amaranth and quinoa are complete proteins, most
other cereal grains are low in lysine like wheat. Potato protein is low in methionine and isoleucine and can be combined with wheat or other cereal grains to fill in the gaps.
"Soy and pea proteins offer high-protein quality, functionality and textural benefits, but are often blended
with ancient grains or legumes to achieve a more wellrounded nutritional profile," said Jacquelyn Schuh,

http://www.bakingbusiness.com

Baking & Snack - February 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Baking & Snack - February 2020