Consumers’ insatiable appetite for protein shows no signs of abating. With the right ingredient, it is possible to boost the protein content of meat and poultry products to give consumers more of what they want. And, when it comes to increasing the protein content of packaged meals and prepared meat and poultry — everything from breakfast sausage patties and meatloaf to the gravies and sauces that top them — research shows that defatted chicken protein is preferred.

A national market study of US consumers regarding trends in high-protein foods and beverages was conducted in December 2017 by Cypress Research, Kansas City, Missouri, and was sponsored by

International Dehydrated Foods Inc., (IDF) Springfield, Missouri.

The online study surveyed 1,000 young, middle and older-age adults who self-identified as “fitness enthusiasts,” “healthy/active” or “not particularly active” in order to gauge differing levels of interest in high-protein products related to various demographic and lifestyle characteristics. The study showed that consumers consider high protein (52 percent) the most important of 17 product label health claims followed by lower fat (43 percent), lower calorie (40 percent) and high fiber (40 percent).

“Statistically, a high-protein product health claim is significantly more important to fitness enthusiasts (64 percent) and healthy/actives (57 percent) than those that are not particularly active (41 percent),” says Marjorie Hellmer, president of the research firm. “High protein is also more important than other product health claims to middle (56 percent) and older-age adults (53 percent) than younger counterparts (46 percent).”

IDF

The survey explored traditional sources of protein, as well as newer, emerging options, including a growing range of plant proteins and chicken-based protein.

“The study showed that chicken-based protein appealed to 81 percent of consumers as a high-protein source compared to 75 percent appeal for dairy-based proteins and 64 percent for plant-based proteins,” Hellmer says. “Nearly 70 percent of consumers are interested or very interested in buying foods fortified with chicken-based protein, with almost 60 percent willing to pay a premium for such products.”

Regarding specific products, approximately half of consumers would definitely buy soups and ready-to-eat meals fortified with chicken protein. About 40 percent would definitely purchase chicken-fortified meat-filled pastas and gravies/food sauces. 

What’s the appeal? Chicken protein isolate powder is a concentrated source of complete protein made from real chicken. This fast-absorbing, highly digestible dehydrated, defatted protein also contains no carbohydrates and is non-allergenic.