DES MOINES, IOWA — Kemin Industries, a global ingredient manufacturer, announced on April 5 that it acquired food technology and ingredient company Proteus Industries Inc.

The Gloucester, Mass.-based company patented clean label protein ingredients in a range of meat and poultry and protein-based applications.

Kemin plans to rebrand the ingredient technology as Proteus, instead of Proteus Industries, which is now available to Kemin customers for commercial food processors in the United States.

"Kemin Food Technologies is excited to welcome Proteus to the Kemin family," said Marc Scantlin, president, Kemin Food Technologies – Americas. "We have retained the entire Proteus team, with Bill Fielding, current Proteus CEO, being named general business manager and Dr. Stephen Kelleher being named Research Fellow. We look forward to Bill, Steve and the entire Proteus team of experts becoming an integral part of our organization. Together, we will work to further develop this exciting technology, providing a sustainable protein source and new solution for our customers, while meeting an important need in the marketplace."

Clean label phosphate alternative is one of the ingredient solutions Kemin added to its portfolio with the acquisition of Proteus. It is designed to increase yield and water-holding capacity. Another is meat block replacement that is used with phosphate for additional yield and water retention while meeting the US Department of Agriculture regulations.

The last announced solution was fat block for fried foods that forms a protein crust around items that inhibits frying oil from being absorbed into breading.

"We are excited for the future, as Kemin and Proteus bring together the dedication, technology, innovation, manufacturing and human resources to offer solutions on a larger scale," said Bill Fielding, former Proteus chief executive officer who now serves as general manager within Kemin. “By providing sustainably sourced, functional, muscle-based protein ingredients in various forms for easier application and greater industry reach, we can help processors more naturally retain moisture and protein typically lost in process. This means we can accomplish so much – protecting margins with cleaner ingredients, while enhancing quality and nutrition, as well as improving the way the world eats.”