AAFCO: Not allowed to label pea isolates for pea starch and pea protein. From 01 January 2015, only the natural pea products made by dry milling and classifying can be labeled pea protein, pea starch and pea fiber respectively.
This is great news for the buyers of pet food. With the new rules, the buyers of petfood can be sure that when pea protein, pea starch and pea fiber is labelled it is always ingredients made without the use of abrasive chemicals.
Other important distinctions between natural dry processing and chemical processing is that the dry method is better taking care of the nutritional values. Minerals and vitamins soluble in water are not present in the chemical treated products – the isolates.
Sellers of pea isolates may call their products concentrates. Do not be misled. If a protein “concentrate” contains more than 60% protein you should expect that all or part of it is chemically treated. For the starch, if the “concentrate” contains almost no protein and/or more than 75% starch, expect it to be chemically produced as well.
Read the full story in Petfood Industry, September 2014.
Vestkorn blog 