Kemin opens facility to produce Proteus clean-label functional proteins that enhance meat and poultry products

Photo of the new Proteus production plant in Verona, MO. Photo from Kemin Industries.

Kemin Industries (Des Moines, IA) has opened its first manufacturing plant dedicated to producing the Proteus brand of clean-label functional proteins, which are designed to improve the texture and moisture retention of meat and poultry products, especially during the cooking process. The production plant is located in Verona, MO.

Proteus clean-label dry functional protein ingredients can be added to meat and poultry products in order to enhance their mouthfeel, texture, and juiciness. As the company’s website explains, “Muscle proteins in meat and poultry are large, highly structured molecules that prevent them from interacting with water or other proteins. Our patented muscle and water technology expands the protein structure to expose natural water- or protein-binding sites that were previously hidden. This allows your meat and poultry products to retain moisture with label-friendly ingredients as an alternative or in addition to using high levels of salt or chemical additives such as phosphates.”

Typically, meat processors have used phosphates to achieve these textural and quality improvements. However, phosphates are not considered as clean-label as other options. By contrast, Proteus is offered as a clean-label alternative to achieve these same targets.

In addition, “Proteus offers increased cook yields with reduced sodium contribution as compared to sodium phosphates or high levels of salt,” the website adds. “It is also a great alternative to traditional fillers that are often labeled allergens, such as soy.”

The new, 38,000-sq-ft Proteus facility “will have an initial capacity to produce enough functional protein to treat more than a billion pounds of meat, poultry, and protein-based applications,” the company’s press release adds.

“Since acquiring Proteus in April 2021, we’ve been eager to open this site and serve customers, who continue to demand sustainably sourced, technology advanced solutions,” said Marc Scantlin, president of Kemin Food Technologies, North America, in the press release. “Opening our first-ever Proteus dry production plant provides the opportunity to partner with more meat and poultry manufacturers, positively impacting the quality of our global food supply.”