Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
Encyclopedia
Acid-hydrolyzed vegetable protein, or HVP, is produced by boiling cereals or legumes, such as soy, corn
, or wheat
, in hydrochloric acid
and then neutralizing the solution with sodium hydroxide. The acid hydrolyzes
, or breaks down, the protein
in vegetables into their component amino acids. The resulting dark coloured liquid contains, among other vegetable based amino acids, glutamic acid
. It is used as a flavor enhancer in many foods. Hydrolysis is a digestive process that occurs naturally in the human and animal stomach and as part of the kitchen cooking process.
Other sources of glutamate, sometimes used in conjunction with HVP, include autolyzed yeast extract
and hydrolyzed yeast extract.
Other vegetable sources are tomato and mushroom.
A similar product, from dairy
origin, is hydrolyzed whey protein.
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, or wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, in hydrochloric acid
Hydrochloric acid
Hydrochloric acid is a solution of hydrogen chloride in water, that is a highly corrosive, strong mineral acid with many industrial uses. It is found naturally in gastric acid....
and then neutralizing the solution with sodium hydroxide. The acid hydrolyzes
Hydrolysis
Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction during which molecules of water are split into hydrogen cations and hydroxide anions in the process of a chemical mechanism. It is the type of reaction that is used to break down certain polymers, especially those made by condensation polymerization...
, or breaks down, the protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
in vegetables into their component amino acids. The resulting dark coloured liquid contains, among other vegetable based amino acids, glutamic acid
Glutamic acid
Glutamic acid is one of the 20 proteinogenic amino acids, and its codons are GAA and GAG. It is a non-essential amino acid. The carboxylate anions and salts of glutamic acid are known as glutamates...
. It is used as a flavor enhancer in many foods. Hydrolysis is a digestive process that occurs naturally in the human and animal stomach and as part of the kitchen cooking process.
Other sources of glutamate, sometimes used in conjunction with HVP, include autolyzed yeast extract
Yeast extract
Yeast extract is the common name for various forms of processed yeast products made by extracting the cell contents ; they are used as food additives or flavourings, or as nutrients for bacterial culture media. They are often used to create savory flavors and umami taste sensations. Monosodium...
and hydrolyzed yeast extract.
Other vegetable sources are tomato and mushroom.
A similar product, from dairy
Dairy product
Dairy products are generally defined as foods produced from cow's or domestic buffalo's milk. They are usually high-energy-yielding food products. A production plant for such processing is called a dairy or a dairy factory. Raw milk for processing comes mainly from cows, and, to a lesser extent,...
origin, is hydrolyzed whey protein.