Meat innovation: How Sonac created a fiberized animal protein via a unique and patented process

Sonac’s newest product is an innovative solution for any meat producer who wants to lower production costs and/or create a healthier, yet equally delicious, meat product.

Called QExtend Pork PF12 and QExtend Beef PF12, these protein fibers are made via a patented process to mimic functionalities of muscle protein fibers, yet they are digested the way a protein is digested. This new product was only introduced in 2019. It is a sustainable ingredient for meat products.

How sonac created a fiberized animal protein

Food grade proteins from animal by-products are commonly used in the meat industry: to create a better bite, produce a firmer texture, achieve better sliceability, and—increase cooking yields. Based on years of research Sonac saw an opportunity to do something new with these proteins.

Made from food-grade animal proteins, Sonac’s one-of-a-kind, patented process turns these proteins into a stable, fixed structure that can then be incorporated into a meat product, replacing a part of the raw meat or fat ingredients in a one-on-one ratio.

The end product, QExtend, is all-natural as it’s 100% beef (Beef PF12) or 100% pork (Pork PF12). It’s sustainable, allergen-free, and non-GMO.

Why sonac created a fiberized animal protein

Sonac’s purpose in developing QExtend was to keep animal proteins into the human food chain as a valuable ingredient. Processing natural food grade proteins into QExtend as a meat replacement ingredient offers huge advantages in terms of sustainability, and also in the development of a healthier meat product (e.g., less fat) and tastier, juicier end product. Because food grade animal proteins are not yet all used for human consumption, Sonac sought to find a solution to make better use of it. Sonac’s experts invested in extensive research on what kind of processing could be done to get a new protein out of these proteins.

“It was an innovative process with a lot of out of the box thinking,” says Maurice van Empel, Sales Manager at Sonac. And ultimately, Sonac was successful in developing a new product that is both sustainable and adds value to the meat industry.

Try this fiberized animal protein in your meat product

Would you like to try this natural meat replacer in your beef or pork product? Fill out a sample request here and a product specialist from Sonac will arrange for a sample to be sent.