6 reasons to use chicken or turkey protein

What is functional poultry protein, and why should you use it in your food product formulation? Here we outline the main advantages to using functional chicken and turkey protein, from improved flavor and texture to significant cost savings.

What is functional protein?

Functional poultry protein for both chicken or turkey (called QBind Chicken FPP C and QBind Turkey FFP T) is a natural, e-number-free powder made from the skins and fat of the chicken. It’s predominately protein (80 percent, in fact, with a 40/40 split between collagen and meat protein), with 10 percent fat.

The word “functional” means that the protein offers more than just nutritional value to a food product. Functional chicken or turkey protein emulsifies, binds water and fat, stabilizes the meat matrix, improves texture, increases cooking and slicing yields, and reduces purge and syneresis.

Why use functional protein?

Adding it to a food product—especially when it’s replacing an additive like soy—will not only boost the quality of the final food product, but also can lower producer expenses. Functional chicken or turkey protein is most beneficial for products such as sausages (cooked or fresh), cold cuts and deli meats, canned meats, chicken nuggets, and more. Here, we outline 6 reasons to make the switch to chicken protein.

1. Improve texture

Adding FPP C or FPP T gives your food product a meaty bite. Some products, for instance, are quite soft and are easily broken with your tongue. Add FPP C and FPP T, however, to a product and you need your teeth. That improved texture also leads to better slice-ability at the deli, and that translates to more meat slices, and less pieces that break off and end up in the garbage.

2. Increase juiciness

If you’re looking for superior binding in your whole meat matrix, FPP C/T is a must-have ingredient. Because of FPP C/T’s binding ability, your food product will hold onto more of the water that’s added in the beginning of the process and keep it in the product so it’s still juicy once cooked. Also, 40 percent of FPP C/T is comprised of collagen, and when collagen is heated, it melts and releases fatty juiciness.

3. Improves taste

Better texture and a juicier food product are two factors that boost an eater’s experience. But also there’s the method in which FPP C/T is produced that yields a tastier ingredient and, thus, a tastier food product. When the chicken skins and fat are cooked down into chicken protein, both brown and that creates flavor. That rich flavor is also thanks to the high levels of glutamic acid in functional chicken protein.

4. Enhances visual appeal

Moisture loss is common in some types of food products—aka water in the packaging. When a product has a lot of so-called syneresis, it’s typically un-sellable after a few weeks because visually it’s no longer appealing. Spoilage is also accelerated. Lastly—and not surprisingly—there’s a large negative impact if you, as the food producer, have to take any product back from the retailer.

5. Cuts cost

Adding functional poultry protein can actually help to lower your formulation cost. For example, if you remove 5 percent of the meat in a food product, and replace it with 1 percent FPP C and 4 percent water (which you can do with FPP C) you automatically lower your formulation cost.

6. Replaces allergens

When milk, soya, egg, etc. are used, not only are those allergens, but also, you have to include allergen labeling on the package. Plus—and sometimes this is the most challenging aspect—the production site is impacted because allergenic ingredients must be kept separate from the other ingredients. When allergenic ingredients are eliminated and substituted with FPP C or FPP T, production planning is simpler.

Reasons to use functional poultry protein in your chicken product

These are the leading reasons to include functional poultry protein in a food product that you’re formulating. Adding FPP C or FPP T improves the taste and texture of your food product, which ultimately appeals to the consumer. And from a production standpoint, it allows you to minimize or eliminate allergens and trim expenses.

Learn more about Functional Poultry Protein (QBind Chicken FPP C) or QBind Turkey FPP T) ) here and download our leaflet.