In this newprotein exclusive interview with Ozan Kahraman, Ph.D., CFS, R&D Food Process Engineer at Applied Food Science, we get an overview of Applied Food Science's range of high-quality botanical extracts, we learn about their approach to sustainability, take a deep dive into the excellent functionality of their hemp protein plus we find out how their new Innovation Center is supporting the development of plant-based research.

Ozan: Applied Food Sciences (AFS) is a frontrunner in this space with more than 20 years of expertise in developing, producing, and marketing high-quality botanical extracts. By offering high-quality and dependable ingredients to the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics sectors, we aim to bring nature's healthy options closer to everyone's daily lives. Our broad range of ingredients includes naturally derived caffeine, ginger, turmeric, and plant-based proteins such as hemp protein, many of which have organic certifications. AFS ingredients are distinguished by their adaptability, simplicity, and consistently excellent quality.

Manufacturing takes place in GMP-certified facilities across the globe for full supply chain integration. Traceability is guaranteed securely at all stages of processing. AFS has created a multi-step process to ensure the highest quality ingredients, such as botanical identification, as well as USP and AOAC procedures for identifying and verifying active compounds, isotope testing to verify that there is no synthetic adulteration, as well as testing for contaminants and microbiological pathogens.

Ozan: Applied Food Sciences (AFS) is an industry-leading manufacturer of organic and functional ingredients. Every stakeholder, from small-scale farmers to the world's greatest corporations, is important to AFS. When it comes to ethical and sustainable procurement of botanical components, AFS has been at the frontline since 2001. AFS understands the importance of ethical farming and sustainability. Therefore, it has made substantial steps to address them by establishing the AFS Responsible Sourcing Initiative. Quality is transparent from seed to label, and consumers should be able to trace the whole process. At the farm level, AFS focuses on a strong set of quality standards in economic accountability, social responsibility, continuous sustainability education, proper safety training, and environmental leadership.

Ozan: The present need for plant-based proteins is on the rise, as the global population is predicted to exceed 9 billion by 2050. Meanwhile, the restricted availability of conventional animal-based proteins makes meeting the need of an ever-growing population difficult. Many plant-based proteins, such as legumes, grains, oilseeds, nuts, and so on, have piqued the public's attention owing to their low cost, better health properties, ethical and/or religious implications, and sustainability initiatives. Plant proteins must have a good nutritional profile (amino acid composition and digestibility), outstanding functionality, and acceptable tastes in order to be consumed and/or incorporated into food systems. AFS offers three plant-based proteins with great nutritional and functional properties, including hemp seed (PurHP-75™), tomato seed, and coffee bean proteins. Among these, PurHP-75 is now commercially available, and our innovation team has been working on the development of tomato seed and coffee bean proteins which will take their place in the market in near future.

PurHP-75 organic hemp seed protein is a powdered product that is almost white in color and has a pleasingly light and creamy taste. A high-purity hemp heart, also known as PurHP-75 hemp seed protein, is produced by solely using the heart of the grain, which involves removing the grain's outer shell and then color-sorting any leftover particles. PurHP-75 hemp seed protein has a sensory profile that can be described as clean and neutral. Due to its minimal effect on sensory perception, PurHP-75 can be used in a wide variety of product applications.

In addition to its great taste, this plant protein has complimentary functional qualities, including foaming, emulsifying, water/oil holding, and gelling capabilities, which facilitate its incorporation into various food products, such as dairy and meat alternatives. For instance, a protein's water and oil-holding capacity measure how much water or oil it can hold per unit of mass. The PurHP-75 hemp protein has water and oil holding capacities of 2.5-2.8 and 2.1-2.4 g/g, respectively, making it a good fit for dairy and meat alternatives. These properties are important for many applications such as the syneresis of plant-based yogurts and the cookability and juiciness of plant-based meats.

Moreover, plant proteins are commonly utilized to enhance meat's texture. Using plant proteins in hybrid meat products may decrease meat consumption and increase meat-free options. Under optimal conditions and concentrations between 12 and 15%, PurHP-75 shows gelation activity. To prove its gelation activity, we mixed PurHP-75 with pea protein at 50 and 75% to produce high-moisture meat analogues. As a result, samples with PurHP-75 showed an excellent meat-like fibrous texture with the appropriate juiciness and hardness, despite the absence of off-flavors.

In addition to water/oil holding and gelation abilities of protein, their emulsifying and foaming capacities are also crucial. Proteins' emulsifying and foaming characteristics are often defined by their capacity to create and stabilize emulsions and to stabilize foams by adsorbing at the air-water interface and forming a protective layer around the air bubbles. Multiple variables influence protein emulsifying and foaming capabilities, including particle size and shape. Due to its fine particle size and uniform particle size distribution, PurHP-75 bulks well and provides emulsifying and foaming capacities of over 50%. Therefore, it works effectively in baked goods (such as breads, muffins, bagels, and gluten-free products) at a ratio of 20 to 70% (usage rates might differ based on the formulations) and other culinary applications requiring a creamy or fluffy texture, such as cakes, ice cream, and whipped cream.

Overall, compared to other plant-based proteins, we can say that its good functional and sensory properties, easy digestibility, non-allergenic and non-GMO features make PurHP-75 a great choice for healthy and sensitive diets. Furthermore, each ounce of the ingredient includes beneficial fats, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and at least 25% of the RDA for iron, magnesium, and zinc. Therefore, the use of AFS PurHP-75 hemp seed protein results in a perfect nutritional balance for many different applications.

Q: What support can you offer to food manufacturers wishing to work on an innovation project with you?
Ozan: AFS provides product development and strategic business services focusing on clean label and plant-based ingredients. Creating pleasant, clean-label products that contribute to a cleaner environment and healthier people while preserving our commitment to lifelong learning allows us to achieve the commercial objectives of our customers. With the establishment of an Innovation Center in Iowa City, Applied Food Sciences shows its dedication to food, nutrition, and life sciences innovation. At the University of Iowa BioVentures Center (BVC), AFS's recently created Research and Development Center is a multi-million-dollar investment that houses molecular biology, advanced analytical chemistry, and food labs. The new Innovation Center's major purpose is to support the development of plant-based research, which will add even more value to AFS' present and future ingredient offerings. AFS is dedicated to increasing the bar on supply chain sustainability, ingredient innovation, and professional formulation and production assistance for our business partners. The AFS research and product development team collaborates with partners from across the world and we are always searching for the newest and most value-added ingredients for our customers. We are able to create innovative and cost-effective solutions for tomorrow's new product launches because we have a solid awareness of customer demands and expectations.

Ozan Kahraman is an R&D Food Process Engineer at Applied Food Science (AFS) Inc. In his present role, he oversees the food laboratory at the AFS Innovation Center in Coralville, Iowa, where he develops formulations using plant-based ingredients, establishes mechanisms to improve their functional properties, and works on process development and refinement projects. Ozan has MSc and Ph.D. degrees in Food Science and Human Nutrition from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with a concentration in Food and Bioprocess Engineering. His master's and doctoral studies concentrated on the use of ultrasound technology in food processing.

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