01.06.2008

Animal and soy proteins

Theme of the issue: "Animal and soy proteins in the meat processing market"

At the end of 2007, in connection with interruptions in supply of swine skins to the Ukrainian market, which was widely used for preparation of emulsions, and a significant increase of prices, processing enterprises began to try to use highly functional animal proteins in production. Their use made it possible to exclude the risk of bacterial contamination of manufactured products and greatly facilitated the technological process. Despite the high cost of animal protein (averagely 3-5 times more expensive than soybean), they began to be actively used by large MPFs. Their use increased in the first half of 2008, which was due to shortage and instability in the meat market. In particular, many technologists, in anticipation of introduction of the DSTU, were interested in the question: will the use of animal protein increase the mass fraction of protein in the meat product and can its use be identified in the finished product in the laboratory? (Answers to these questions can be found in part in the article "Structural and Functional Features of Animal Proteins for the Meat Industry", p. 44).

Despite negative attitude to GM products, which are often associated with soybean, and the rise in prices on the world market, demand for soy proteins in Ukraine, as many technologists mark, is still high. Can we talk about the existence of "competition" between soy and animal proteins? Suppliers say that animal proteins have a higher hydration (1 to 15-25), depending on the type of product and method of application (cold or hot water), but the price of animal protein is significantly higher. Of course, they are inferior to both the protein content and the amino acid composition to soy proteins. What are distinctive features of the technology of using soy and animal proteins and how things are going on in the market of these products in general, we asked to respond to market participants.

1. How do you assess the situation in the market of soy proteins in Ukraine today?
2. How relevant is the problem of negative attitude to GM foods in Ukraine today, and how does this affect the demand for soy proteins? How has the consumption of soy proteins (in%) changed in the first half of 2008?
3. How do you assess the situation and offer in the market of animal proteins in Ukraine today? How much (in%) has consumption of this type of protein increased in the first half of 2008?
4. What technological features of the use of soy and animal proteins in the meat industry should be noted?

Roman Kvashenko, owner of the company "Technology Trade" (the exclusive distributor of the company "Aromadon" (Russia) and the official representative of Scanflavour as (Denmark):

1-2.      At this stage, the company "Technology Trade" practically does not supply soy proteins, and therefore it is difficult for us to comment on the situation in this market. The only thing I can mention: the price increase and some instability of supply, which was noticed by other market participants. The customs fee in this group has not been revised and makes 5%. Regarding the control of the presence of GM components in soy proteins, there is a number of nuances here, and the most important one is the complexity of such monitoring. After all, there are very few laboratories in Ukraine that could implement it. In addition, the cost of the analysis for the presence of GM components is very high and today it ranges from 2000 to 3000 UAH per batch of the product.

3. The increase in the use of animal proteins in Ukraine began in late 2007 and was associated with interruptions in the supply of pigskin and a significant increase in prices for it, which led to a more active use of highly functional animal proteins. In a certain way, the deficit and the rise of prices of raw meat in the first half of 2008 contributed to growth of animal protein consumption.

The main world producer of animal proteins from pigskin is Denmark. This is due, above all, to highest level of quality of raw material and its constant availability. So, the pig population in Denmark totals 25 million, whereas the population is only 5 million.

Leaders in production of animal proteins are two companies: Scanflavour AS, the official partner and distributor of which are companies "Technology Trade" and BHJ. There are several other producers, but their share in the total world production of animal proteins is very small and does not deserve attention.

In Ukraine, products of a number of other well-known companies are also represented, but they produce various mixtures based on animal proteins and do not have their own production.

Beef animal protein is also represented on the Ukrainian market, but its functionality is significantly lower than the pig's one at a higher price, which does not allow it to compete on an equal footing with the pig's one.

In my opinion, the consumption of animal proteins in Ukraine in 2008 increased by 50%.

No doubt, the culture of using of the AP in Ukraine exists – almost all the largest enterprises use it in their production. But the scope of application of AP has practically no limits, and that's why our company together with Scanflavour AS regularly conducts seminars in Denmark, where our customers can see the excellent quality and purity of AP of the PRogel TM and learn modern ways of using AP, which will allow them to optimize technological processes at the enterprise as much as possible, reduce the prime cost and improve the quality of finished products.

4. Meat processing enterprises actively use animal proteins in order to reduce the cost of manufactured products and increase the mass fraction of protein in the product. And their presence can not be determined in the laboratory. Whereas many processing enterprises earlier widely used pigskin that is cheaper than hydrated soybeans and contains a certain proportion of fat, today, due to the likelihood of bacterial contamination with the use of pigskin as well as with the higher processability of animal proteins, the preference is increasingly given to the latter. This solution is economically justified, because the prepared emulsion based on animal protein is much cheaper than a similar emulsion mass made with the use of pigskin. If we use pigskin to prepare the emulsion, then the ratio of moisture and skins is 1:1-2. Hydration of animal proteins, depending on the water temperature used, is 1:10-20.

As for the differences between soy and animal proteins, I want to point out that it is by no means worthwhile to contrast them. Both these products are widely used in meat production and have a number of distinctive features, in particular, in hydration and in the use of synthetic dyes. When using dyes, granules based on soy proteins acquire unnatural shine and are released at the product cut, and when using animal protein this does not happen.