There are two major routes to a textured pea protein with 65% protein content:

1) The conventional recipe is using pea protein isolate (85% pea protein, wet processed by the use of acids and bases) adding an amount of pea flour. By this recipe the salt content will typically be 2,3%-2,9% in the textured pea protein, depending on the supplier of pea protein isolate.

2) The other route is using a pea protein concentrate (55% pea protein, dry processed by wind sifting only) adding an amount of pea protein isolate to reach the desired 65% protein content. By this recipe the salt content in the textured pea protein will typically be 1,1%-1,4%.

Another major difference between the two routes is the carbon footprint. Pea protein concentrate from Vestkorn has a significant lower carbon footprint compared to pea protein isolate, where both acids and bases are used as well as a considerable amount of water.

The different routes also impacts other nutritional values like the amount of carbohydrates and internal fibre. Route 2 can also imply a lighter color of the textured product, this depends on the parameter settings of the extruder. When it comes to taste and bite, our experience is that this is more influenced by the extruder and the extruder settings than the different routes of recipes.

Vestkorn produces Pulsetex® textured pea protein based on route 2). We are using our own produced pea protein concentrate and adds an amount of pea protein isolate to reach the amount of 65% in the finished ingredient. Vestkorn is the only producer having a texturing line fully integrated with the production of pea protein concentrate. Further Vestkorn is one of very few producers of textured pea protein and textured faba protein only running gluten-free and soy-free ingredients on our extruder.