Google Trends shows a steady rise in U.S. searches for "Food Protein" since 2004, reflecting Americans' continued interest in the key nutrient. The highest peak, with an index of 100, was recorded in February. Despite reports that most U.S. consumers meet or exceed their needs, the demand for protein has not dimmed.
The question remains: Who and how many do not get sufficient protein? One recent paper offers surprises.
“A study published last March in the Journal of Nutrition showed that many Americans fall short of their protein needs,” says Matt Pikosky, vice president of nutrition research at the National Dairy Council. It found that 22% of 19-50-year-olds have diets below the recommended daily allowance (RDA).
The gap widens with age: 31% of those aged 51-71 and 48% of those 72 and older fail to meet the RDA. The study also emphasized the importance of protein quality, as switching to lower-quality proteins could worsen this gap.
Pikosky adds that protein quality and consumption may be especially relevant to specific populations. For example, women aged 19–50 consume less protein than men, with 32% falling short of recommendations, compared to 13% of men. Vegans and vegetarians may struggle to get enough protein since plant-based diets generally rely on lower-quality sources — so more protein is required to meet needs.
Also, anyone with protein needs higher than the RDA, such as older adults and highly active people, is at risk. Finally, people on weight management diets may struggle to meet protein needs due to calorie restrictions. Pikosky notes that this is potentially a growing group as the use of diabetes and weight medications like GLP-1 drugs increases.
With such protein needs still to be fulfilled, it is helpful to consider past R&D success and future needs.
Protein propelled by research
Consumers increasingly seek health-focused foods, and dairy protein ingredients offer a solution for creating high-protein, clean-label products, says Rohit Kapoor, vice president of product research and development at Dairy Management Inc. Kapoor points to DMI's support of more than two decades of research on membrane filtration that has helped enable the dairy industry to produce versatile ingredients such as whey protein concentrates (WPC) and isolates (WPI) and milk protein concentrates (MPC) tailored for evolving market needs.
For example, functionalized MPCs, such as reduced-mineral MPC, improve solubility and heat stability, making them ideal for shelf-stable, high-protein beverages. Acid-stable WPI, created through advanced processing, is perfect for high-acid, clear drinks such as protein waters. Kapoor adds that micellar casein, concentrated through microfiltration, provides heat stability and whitening properties, making it useful in coffee creamers and high-protein foods.
Kapoor credits DMI's product research team and its partners with driving dairy protein advances such as high-protein yogurts through enzymatic and process innovations. The group is now focusing on bioactive proteins like lactoferrin.
A recent collaboration with a university led to the commercialization of an encapsulated lactoferrin-rich ingredient that can withstand high-heat treatments while retaining its immunity-boosting properties, expanding opportunities in the wellness market.
Such supporting research is also relevant for evolving newer sources of protein.
Newer plant proteins, numerous challenges
Backed by more than 20 years of expertise in protein ingredients, applications and product development, Renee Domingo, principal scientist at Merlin Development, says, "One intriguing trend is the rise of fermentation-based proteins, especially mycoproteins and precision-fermented dairy and meat alternatives." These proteins, derived from fungi and microbes, mimic the taste and texture of traditional animal products but with reduced environmental impact.
"What's surprising is how quickly these technologies are scaling, with startups producing everything from animal-free casein for cheese to mycelium-based meat substitutes that closely mimic whole cuts," Domingo adds.
Making these novel proteins cost-competitive and widely accepted by consumers remains a key challenge. “There's still a need for improved sensory qualities, cleaner labels and broader regulatory approval to unlock their potential fully,” says Domingo.
One commercial protein ingredient supplier points to challenges overcome and others that are ongoing.
Research into plant protein ingredients highlights the need for higher-quality proteins. “One effective way to achieve this is by blending complementary plant proteins,” says Dennis Reid, vice president of specialty products and business development of Osage Food Products.
Osage took this approach with its SolvPro line of plant protein blends. For instance, combining pea protein, rich in lysine, with rice protein, high in methionine, creates a complete amino acid profile, reaching the ideal protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) of 1.0.
However, this protein blend example only addresses nutritional aspects. With the SolvPro line containing various combinations of plant proteins, Osage Food Products must also consider processing and flavor targets.
When product developers use plant protein blends in formulas, they may face challenges with solubility, dispersion, texture and product stability. Reid suggests formulators experiment with blends, processing methods, emulsifiers, stabilizers and pH adjustments to improve these properties.
Second, plant proteins may also have strong or off-flavors. In this case, carefully chosen flavoring agents can complement or neutralize the taste without overpowering the product’s overall flavor profile. A third challenge, texture and mouthfeel issues, can arise from insoluble matter in plant proteins, resulting in a gritty or chalky texture. Flavor-masking technologies can alleviate this.
It is daunting to consider all these challenges. Reid emphasizes the importance of working with an experienced plant protein supplier. He points out that the SolvPro line also employs masking agent technologies and specialty texturizers to optimize the blends’ flavor profiles and mouthfeels in a finished product.
While academic and proprietary research is abundant in improving food protein properties and functionality, helpful investigations also are found in other industries.
Sensory science solves bitterness
Bitterness is a significant issue for pharmaceuticals and can be a deal breaker for many food ingredients, including proteins.
Research advances and commercial developments in masking bitterness and bitterness blocker usage have generated much interest. Alex Woo, CEO of W2O Food Innovation, clarifies the difference.
“Masking strategies reduce bitterness, with aromatic flavors or sweeteners, for example, through mechanisms directly impacting perceptions in the brain,” says Woo. In the case of “mixture suppression,” as sweetness goes up, bitterness goes down. Sweeteners such as table sugar, honey, fruit juices and molasses reduce bitterness.
Bitter blockers, in contrast, target the tongue’s TAS2R bitterness receptors, which interfere with the ability to detect bitterness. Woo offers a list of options that can be labeled as “natural” and categorizes them into three stages: emerging, pacing and mature.
“Most leading and mature bitterness blockers have FEMA numbers,” he adds. (See Chart: Tip for Emerging Protein Bitterness.) “Emerging bitterness blockers like the tryptophan-tryptophan dipeptide are recently discovered and generally not commercialized.” “Pacing” ingredients are currently setting the pace and thus leading in the marketplace. Mature bitterness blockers are becoming commoditized.
Research provides an understanding of how these blockers work. For example, sugar cane distillate targets multiple bitterness receptors, minimizing the perception of bitterness from a broad range of bitterants.
While these compounds can be applied to well-known targets, such as bitterness taste receptors for caffeine, emerging proteins are challenging. Woo suggests using blockers known to interact with multiple bitter receptors. A star on the “Tip for Emerging Bitterness” chart identifies suggestions that include sodium gluconate and AMP. The latter is a nucleotide found in milk. Woo suspects this is one reason milk decreases bitterness in coffee.
Woo advises that prospective bitter blockers must be tested in food or beverages to determine their effectiveness and ensure an optimal finished product.
Such research and development efforts offer the hope of protein products with improved nutrition, flavor and texture, convenience and affordability.
A Webinar on New Proteins
Food Processing held a November 2024 webinar on the subject of The New Proteins; you can still see it at https://www.foodprocessing.com/webinars/webinar/33016524/new-proteins.
Study Shows Methods to Improve Soy Protein
Over 50 years of research have optimized soy protein’s nutritional and functional properties. A January 2025 article in Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety (2025 Jan; 24(1)) explores new methods for further improvements.
Like most proteins, the researchers note that soy protein can denature or aggregate under certain conditions, reducing its effectiveness. Linking proteins to polysaccharides or polyphenols, either covalently (to form conjugates) or noncovalently (to form complexes), can enhance their solubility, emulsification, foaming, gelling, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
While conjugates are more stable, complexes do not require additional regulatory approval. These advancements could reduce soy allergenicity and expand applications in areas like traditional food and 3D food printing.
