Plant protein blend

A plant protein blend is a formulated ingredient rather than a commodity isolate. Pea protein isolate from Pisum sativum carries the bulk of the protein, rice protein concentrate from Oryza sativa corrects its weak point, and optional mung bean (Vigna radiata), pumpkin seed (Cucurbita pepo) or sunflower (Helianthus annuus) protein tune flavour and texture. The pairing is deliberate. Lysine is the limiting amino acid in rice protein and methionine is the limiting amino acid in pea, so a pea-forward blend delivers all nine essential amino acids where either input alone would fall short. Published work places rice and pea combinations in the 50:50 to 60:40 range at a PDCAAS of 0.80–0.90, against roughly 0.37 for rice protein on its own. Standard supply is 80% minimum protein as-is on N x 6.25, with moisture at or below 8%, ash around 5–6% from the salts left behind by isoelectric precipitation, and residual fat up to 8%. Ground to 95% through 100 mesh, the blend disperses without the gritty mouthfeel of a coarse rice concentrate, and instantised grades using sunflower lecithin wet out in a shaker. Formulators should budget for the earthy pea note and the light beige colour. Cocoa, coffee and vanilla systems absorb both comfortably; clear or lightly flavoured ready-to-drink formats generally will not, and a flavour-masked grade is the usual answer there. Two contaminant checks deserve a named limit in the purchase specification rather than a generic heavy-metals clause. Rice takes up inorganic arsenic far more readily than other cereals, so the rice fraction should be tested for inorganic arsenic specifically, with 0.15 mg/kg a common contract limit mirroring the EU limit for rice destined for infant food. Sunflower and pumpkin seed fractions, where used, warrant a stated cadmium limit. On allergens the blend is vegan and vegetarian, contains no dairy, egg, fish, crustacean, bovine or porcine input, and is gluten-free by formulation. Soy is absent unless a soy isolate is specifically requested, and any line also handling sesame or tree nut needs a cross-contact statement, since sesame is now a major allergen in the United States. Each lot ships with CoA, amino acid profile, allergen and GMO statements, MSDS and specification.