The team at PURIS, North America’s largest pea protein producer, is leaning into transparency, traceability, and application-specific testing as customers and regulators scrutinize heavy metals in food, beverage, and nutrition products like protein drinks and medical nutrition goods. At the same time, the PURIS crew is releasing new SKUs at a time of record consumer demand for added protein.
“Our job isn’t to set the level [of what is safe],” said PURIS Holdings CEO, Nicole Atchison, in an interview with Expana. “Our job is to deliver products people feel have transparency and trust.”
While taking into consideration government-set standards, like European Union regulations and California’s Prop 65, the PURIS leader’s approach to heavy metal safety in pea protein products is shaped by a need to meet stringent requirements across a wide range of food and beverage applications, including highly regulated categories such as products for children and in medical nutrition, as well as everyday consumer products.
“Some of our end customers are using a pea protein beverage as their sole source of nutrition in a medical application,” explained Atchison. “So, that’s a unique challenge, and we have to make sure it is safe and meets an enhanced standard.”
Still, the goal is not to promise zero heavy metals, said Atchison, who referred to naturally occurring metals in soil like lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, and other elements.
“Most [heavy metal contamination] is from natural causes,” shared Atchison.
Eons of climate change left heavy metal remnants in areas that were once covered by water, she noted, while soil in highly wooded areas often registers less contamination.
“We use a water-based process and stainless-steel tanks, so any heavy metals in products made with pea protein comes from the field peas,” said Atchison. “While there might be exceptions to that in the broader food supply chain, I cannot speak to that. But PURIS works with hundreds of growers… we’re testing their peas for heavy metals from the ground; we turn those peas into protein fiber and starch which can be used to make a finished product like a protein shake.”
So, testing, monitoring, and farm traceability are the PURIS team’s focus while they tailor specifications to customer needs and end-use categories.
“If you aim for complete avoidance, you are removing entire categories of foods, including crops like spinach… Products that are grown in the ground that have naturally occurring traces of heavy metals,” said Atchison. “Instead, we focus on transparency and traceability, showing where ingredients are coming from, back to the farm level. If levels are higher in one area, we can blend inputs to meet regulations and customer expectations.”
California’s Proposition 65 requires businesses to inform Californians about potential exposures when they exceed established thresholds. As a result, companies need visibility into the ingredients that make up their products and the contaminants those ingredients contain. For example, ready-to-mix shakes have been found to contain trace amounts of heavy metals from multiple ingredients. In addition to pea protein, ingredients like cocoa powder and chocolate flavors can be contributors to lead and calcium levels in finished formulations, according to a PURIS blog.
New Product to Compete with Whey
The PURIS team believes that transparency and traceability around issues such as heavy metals are essential to build trust. That same commitment extends to the launch of the latest PURIS product called H2-IZO (not to be confused with the Jay-Z song).
The team’s pea protein ingredient is designed for high-protein applications, and with its flavor profile, texture and cost competitiveness, H2-IZO is positioned as a high-performing alternative to whey protein, according to company leaders.
“Demand has been skyrocketing and feedback has been outstanding,” said Atchison. “The flavor profile is top notch, and in external sensory tests against whey competitors, results were split, which means this product can compete with whey in applications where plant proteins have not traditionally been considered.”
For example, processed pea protein prices have been steady-to-higher at $1.54/Lb, according to Expana’s Benchmarket Price (EBP). These factors are increasingly important to market participants who may have fatigue from the all-time high prices for whey protein. Instead, pea and soy protein have become cheaper ingredients by comparison for food and beverage manufacturers looking to meet consumer demand for products with added protein.
Not All Protein Created Equal
While consumer demand has been off the charts for more protein, Atchison was asked about different types.
“So, not all proteins are created equal,” she said. “Protein is made up of amino acids and every protein has a different profile. For example, collagen is a protein, but not a complete protein. It is missing certain amino acids but is shown to have benefits for skin health… But it’s not everything your body needs. Proteins that have all essential amino acids, like that from legumes or pea protein, can serve as a more complete source of nutrition and could meet your body’s essential amino acid needs if you were stranded on a desert island. While pea protein is relatively lower in one amino acid, called methionine, than some animal-based proteins, most people are optimizing for goals like muscle building, satiety, or overall wellness. There are different consumer goals and that’s where the nuance is interesting.”
For example, a consumer looking for extra protein might be working to bring strength back after a knee injury, or to increase lean muscle mass.
“So, we’re working to bring in findings from the academic realm, credibly translate that science to the food industry, and for consumers,” finished Atchison.
Bolstering the North American Market
Part of that trust comes from the robust North American plant protein market. Previously, market participants imported pea protein from China, according to Expana’s Market Reporter, Andraia Torsiello who noted that Chinese pea protein is a byproduct of the country’s starch production.
“Chinese suppliers use the starch and sell the isolate,” said Torsiello who noted that product quality was hit or miss. “It’s the opposite in the US.”
Then came the US tariffs on Chinese pea protein, duties which PURIS and company pushed to be imposed.
For example, “the European market continues to grapple with newly enacted antidumping duties on Chinese pea protein. Rates range from 40.5% to 67.1% and will remain in effect for five years,” wrote Torsiello. “However, industry participants state that the decision is not as impactful in Europe as it is in North America, where duties can be as high as 600%.”
So, the US tariffs have pushed China out of the market. Plus, consumer demand for added protein has bolstered the North American market.
Meanwhile, the PURIS team is innovating inside the market that barely existed just 10 years ago. In that time, demand has shifted from meat alternatives to products that allow food and beverage companies to add protein to everyday choices—not to mention dietary supplements and functional nutrition products like protein powders for smoothies, shakes, and juices. Looking ahead, it seems that transparency and traceability are key goals across the industry.
“We’ve taken a measured approach towards transparency and traceability to create a product line that consumers can feel good about,” said Atchison. “We asked ourselves: Can our brand partners tell a story that is supported by data, monitoring, and testing? That’s why we’ve built our approach around heavy metal safety and product transparency, giving customers the tools, data and education they need to support their own claims with confidence.”
Image source: PURIS Holdings
Written by Ryan Gallagher
