The firm has identified low fat, high protein flour as a new emerging market, and as a result has been focusing on developing innovative texturising ingredients for the bakery sector.
Our customers are seeking ingredients that offer benefits to both manufacturer and consumer," said Henk Jan Buurman, Cargill soy protein product manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
"In bakery products, soy flours offer proven advantages over animal proteins, including lower cost, increased functionality and greater shelf-life."
Buurman claimed that soy's well-documented nutritional and health benefits - lowering cholesterol levels, improving cardiovascular conditions, increasing bone mineral content and reducing post-menopausal symptoms - are factors that have become key consumer demands.
The addition of soy, he said, could therefore help differentiate products in what is a highly competitive food and beverage market.
Prolia is made from de-oiled beans, which are processed into soy flours with different granulations (such as flakes, grits, powders) and functional properties. Prolia soy flours are high in protein, (54 per cent) and low in fat (less than 2 per cent), allowing manufacturers to give their recipes a high quality, yet truly cost-effective protein boost, whilst keeping fat content low for either production or end-user satisfaction purposes.
In bakery products defatted soy flour contributes to a better crumb structure and improved dough machine-ability, making the dough more elastic. It also increases water absorption and retention and replaces eggs.
Of particular benefit to both retailers and consumers are Prolia's film-forming properties that significantly increase the shelf-life stability of baked products by preventing fat migration and water uptake.
Prolia soy flours have a range of bakery applications including breads, muffins, doughnuts, whole-grain products, cereals and nutritional bars.
Cargill Texturising Solutions is one of the world's leading suppliers of texturisers and emulsifiers to the global food and beverage industry.