CHICAGO — The average consumer holds a positive opinion on protein, and the baking industry should take advantage of this, said Jerrod Adkins, owner of UnbelievaBuns, which offers high-protein and low-carbohydrate buns.
“Protein consumption is on the rise, and it will continue to rise,” he said in a March 1 session at the American Society of Baking’s BakingTech in Chicago. “I think it’s our biggest opportunity as an industry.”
Protein over the decades has avoided the amount of criticism dumped on other nutrients like fat and sugar, said Donna Berry, editor and consultant at Dairy & Food Communications, Inc. and a contributing editor for Sosland Publishing Co.
“I feel like it’s the only macronutrient that has not been demonized in my lifetime,” she said.
The average consumer uses 4 oz of meat on a sandwich or burger, leading to 30 to 32 grams of protein in total, Mr. Adkins said. He recommended cutting the amount of meat in half, to 2 oz, and using a high-protein bun, one that would allow a sandwich or burger to still have 30 to 32 grams of protein. Consumers eating less meat would bring sustainability benefits, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions caused by the cattle industry.
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