Solar Foods showcases Solein’s capabilities in next-generation protein drinks
PRESS RELEASE
Solein® Protein Drink demonstrates Solein’s capabilities in an increasingly popular, widely used product category. Compared to protein drinks made with other popular protein sources like dairy-based whey and plant-based proteins, the protein drink made with Solein contains significantly less naturally occurring sugars and carbohydrates, answering the growing consumer demand for healthier products.
Solar Foods creates product concepts for the food industry to demonstrate Solein’s capabilities and suitability for different use cases for consumer products. Solein® Protein Drink follows the introduction of Solein® Protein Bites and Solein® Shake, the company’s product prototypes for protein bars and ready-to-mix protein powders made with Solein.
“With Solein, we are bringing a completely new harvest to humankind – High-quality nutrition without the use of land and animals. Even though Solein is extremely functional and easy to use, we want to help our customers integrate the new protein source into their product pipelines. We develop our own prototypes to give our customers a head start in their own product development work of creating final products for consumers”, says Godert Zijlstra, Chief Commercial and Product Officer at Solar Foods.
Solein® Protein Drink is a rich and creamy, 100% animal-free protein drink with very low natural sugar content. A good source of protein, the protein content ranges from 12 to 21 g per 250 ml package, and it can be easily adjusted according to customer and consumer needs. Thanks to Solein’s unique characteristics, the product is gluten-free, non-GMO, and contains no cholesterol or soy, making it suitable for many different diets. In addition to this, Solein has a very low carbohydrate content, enabling the development of protein drinks very low in sugars or carbohydrates. Solein contains 80% protein, from which 43% is essential amino acids and 20% BCAAs for optimal performance and recovery, and it contains also iron and vitamin B12, which plant-based proteins lack.
Solein’s mild taste doesn’t add any unwanted off-notes to final products, and it can be used in endless flavour combinations. The protein drink can be made in a variety of different flavours from classic chocolate, chocolate-raspberry and vanilla to fresh and fruity flavours like mango.
“The US Health & Performance nutrition market alone is worth approximately USD 10bn, and ready-to-drink protein drinks (RTDs) are the fastest-growing protein product segment. Protein drinks are not just for boosting performance: they are becoming increasingly popular also as meal replacements or snacks throughout the day. Usually made with dairy-based milk protein or whey protein, there is a growing consumer demand for animal-free alternatives. Also, the demand for high-quality whey protein in this category is out-growing supply. Thanks to Solein’s mild taste and great functionality, it matches the freshness and usability of whey, also bringing the upsides of sustainability as well as price and quality stability, offering an excellent protein source for products in the Health & Performance Nutrition category”, Zijlstra says.
Solar Foods will present the product concept of Solein® Protein Drink in Future Food-Tech San Francisco March 19–20.
Solein offers unmatched value for the food industry
Solein offers numerous possibilities and strategic benefits for the food industry. Solein can be produced anywhere in the world with minimal environmental impact. Its production is completely independent of land-use and large-scale water use, which makes Solein one of the most sustainable proteins in the world. Solein’s production is not dependent on farming cycles, making it a secure supply of food capable of addressing the global supply gap of protein. Solein’s production can be scaled reliably with fermentation tanks, ensuring secure availability and steady quality throughout the year with no price fluctuations. The continuous production process is carefully monitored, which guarantees consistent quality – and the food will never run out.
As an ingredient, Solein is extremely functional and processable. It is also well suited for UHT-processing, commonly used by the food industry in protein drinks, enabling the product to be stored in room temperature. The UHT treatment doesn’t alter the taste or smell of the final product made with Solein, which is more common when dairy-based protein sources are used.
“We continuously develop Solein according to customers’ wishes. We have now refined Solein’s suitability for liquid applications and improved the powder’s solubility so that it gives end products a velvety smooth texture. This has led to smoother and faster dissolution to liquids and made the Solein powder easier to handle”, Zijlstra says.
Media inquiries
Maria Rämö, Communications Manager, maria.ramo@solarfoods.com, tel. +358 10 579 3283
Images for editorial use: www.solarfoods.com/media
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What is Solein?
Solein is an all-purpose protein grown with the air we breathe: The unique bioprocess takes a single microbe, one of the billion different ones found in nature, and grows it by fermenting it using air and electricity. Solein is a nutritionally rich and versatile ingredient which can replace protein virtually in any food. Solein can also be used as a fortifier to complement the nutritional profile of various foods: it can be a source of iron, fibre and B vitamins, and it can also bring different techno-functionalities into food products. Learn more at www.solein.com.
About Solar Foods
Solar Foods produces Solein®, a protein created using carbon dioxide and electricity. This innovative production method is independent of weather and climate conditions, eliminating the need for traditional agriculture. Founded in Finland in 2017, Solar Foods is listed on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market Finland. Learn more at solarfoods.com and investors.solarfoods.com.
