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Improving Canadian pea and fava ingredients, food and co-products

Technology
Technology Leadership Priority

Ingredients, Products

PROJECT TIMELINE
March 2024 to March 2026
PROJECT STATUS
Fund II: In progress
TOTAL INVESTMENT
$24,519,660

Consortium Contribution
$13,773,756

Cluster Contribution
$10,745,903

Partners

Roquette

Prairie Fava

BioNeutra

Plant Up

Goal

To diversify product offerings and expand markets for coproducts by exploring new fava- and pea-based ingredients and creating applications for pea and fava protein, starch and fibre

Project Summary

The consortium will build on their past success with both pea and fava to explore new fava-based ingredients and food products, while creating applications for pea starch and fibre.

Prairie Fava will work with growers to increase fava bean acres, while working to optimize dehulling technology development for current and new fava varieties. These activities will ensure that Prairie Fava is able to consistently supply increasing volumes of high-quality dehulled fava splits to Roquette.

From the Prairie Fava splits, Roquette will further process the dehulled fava to achieve high-performing fava protein isolates and co-products, diversifying from pea protein isolates and offering new ingredients to the global market. Once Roquette has completed its work on testing and scaling up its fava protein isolate, application and market development will begin.

Plant Up will test the fava protein and co-products in their products and will provide Roquette with critical feedback on ingredient functionality and performance in finished food products. Plant Up will also work towards the development of a pea- and fava-based alternative chicken whole-cut product. This would be the first North American whole-cut plant-based chicken offering.

The second aspect of the project will see BioNeutra focus on evaluating domestic sources of starch, the co-product of processing pea flour to make pea protein. Currently reliant on international sources for its starch supply, BioNeutra intends to explore the feasibility of procuring wet starch directly from Roquette. This strategic shift aims to reduce transportation costs and the need for additional starch-drying processes, thereby enhancing operational efficiencies for both entities.

Throughout the project, Roquette will continue to work with partners across the ecosystem, including research institutions, to develop new technologies related to the development of food-grade pea hull fibre, operational optimization for pea protein processing and the commercialization of new pea protein technology.

The result will be a more diversified product offering, with new and expanded markets for protein, starch and fibre. Additionally, the improved processes will ensure profitable and competitive Canadian companies.

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