Kemin Industries, Des Moines, Iowa, launched BetaVia Pure WD and BetaVia Complete WD, two new water-dispersible versions of its immune support ingredient, that improve suspension in applications such as drink mixes and sachets, it says. The water-dispersible forms join Kemin Human Nutrition and Health’s BetaVia line of algae-sourced beta-glucan that has been clinically validated to support the immune system while protecting against oxidative stress, it adds. BetaVia can be complemented with other immune support ingredients for a competitive advantage and differentiation in the market, the company says. In some formulations, slight flavors or aromas are easily masked, it adds. In addition to being an ideal solution for drink mixes and sachets, BetaVia works in a variety of applications, including beverages, syrups and liquids, the company notes.

Merit Functional Foods, Winnipeg, Manitoba, launched its first USDA Certified Organic protein ingredient: Organic Peazazz C 850. The new organic ingredient offers brands an option that is fully traceable back to the farm, grown on Canadian soil with organic peas, and produced at Merit’s Winnipeg-based facility. It provides plant-based food and beverage formulators with key functional and nutritional benefits, including solubility, viscosity, texture improvement, low sodium, and a minimum of 85% protein, the company says. Additionally Organic Peazazz C 850 undergoes a proprietary membrane filtration process that unlocks superior taste, texture and nutrition, it notes. Merit’s Organic Peazazz C 850 is USDA Certified Organic by Ecocert, providing brands with a trusted source of organic pea protein. Organic Peazazz C 850 is available now for use in ready-to-drink beverages, protein bars, ready-to-mix protein powder, dairy alternatives and more.

Bunge, St. Louis, plans to invest approximately $550 million to build a fully integrated soy protein concentrate (SPC) and textured soy protein concentrate (TSPC) facility. The new facility is expected to meet rising customer demand for key ingredients in the production of plant-based foods, processed meat, pet food and feed products, the company says. Construction of the facility, that will be adjacent to and integrated with Bunge’s soybean processing plant in Morristown, Ind., is expected to start in the first quarter of 2023 and to be commissioned in mid-2025, creating around 70 full time jobs. It is expected to ultimately process close to an additional 4.5 million bushels of soybeans. The new facility also is expected to add significant scale, efficiencies, and non-GMO capability to the company’s existing U.S.-based conventional SPC and TSPC operation in Bellevue, Ohio. The company plans to contract with farmers to establish a traceable soybean sourcing program starting with the 2025 harvest.