The Canadian R&D firm has filed patent applications for the new product called Clarisoy, which is derived from its newly developed “novel processes” for the production of plant proteins.
It said Clarisoy is 100 percent soluble and transparent in acidic solutions, enabling applications down to a pH of 2.5. The isolate is also said to have exceptional flavor characteristics and is heat stable permitting hot fill applications.
Burcon said the new ingredient showed great promise for use in a variety of healthy food and beverage applications and is expected to be price-competitive, which “should be of great interest to food and beverage manufacturers currently dealing with high dairy protein prices”.
Johann Tergesen, Burcon’s president and COO, said: “For the past ten years, Burcon has focused its efforts on developing the world's first commercial canola proteins, Puratein and Supertein.
“Today’s announcement demonstrates Burcon’s ability to leverage our talented team of scientists and engineers to exploit a second major opportunity.
“Our new Clarisoy soy protein isolate product and the associated extraction technology offer another major platform for Burcon to earn revenue and to pursue future opportunities.”
Protein ingredients are valued for both their nutritional qualities as well as their functional applications in foods and beverages and it is a multi-billion dollar global market.
The announcement follows Burcon’s recent boast that it had become the first to achieve GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status for use of canola protein isolates in food in the US. Its isolates, called Puratein and Supertein, have self-affirmed GRAS.
Burcon said it has filed patent applications in the US to protect its novel processes for the production of plant proteins including acid soluble soy protein isolates, as well as Clarisoy, and to protect the functional and nutritional applications of Clarisoy as an ingredient in foods and beverages.
It will also file for protection internationally.