Data from long-term monitoring conducted by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) shows that in the last four decades, total protein intake among Chinese residents has remained relatively stable. A downward trend in carbohydrate consumption and steadily increasing fat intake have also been observed.
Despite this statistic, 45% of Chinese adults do not get enough protein in their diets, with rural populations and the elderly being particularly affected.
These insights were shared by Chris Chen, General Manager of Nutrition & Health Technology Centre at Angel Yeast, at our recent Growth Asia Summit in Singapore.
“Although the intake ratio of high-quality protein, such as legumes, dairy and poultry, has increased, it has not yet reached an ideal level. More than half of the respondents hold misconceptions regarding the absorption of animal- and plant-based proteins,” she said.
“Over the past 40 years, Chinese have been dealing with two key issues—insufficient protein intake and low-quality protein. In terms of protein supply, we are facing great challenges. We have a population of about 1.4bn, so that means we are dealing with a serious shortage of high-quality protein.”
Chen added that in 2025, China imported about 112m tons of soybean, 6.09m tons of meat, and 16.73m tons of dairy products.
At the same time, traditional food protein supply methods, such as planting and breeding, are dealing with challenges like land and water resource shortages, over-reliance on imported seeds, abuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, high carbon emissions, and low conversion efficiency.
“Against this backdrop, developing proteins is not just a reasonable choice, it is absolutely imperative.”
Innovating protein
AngeoPro, a patented yeast protein developed by Angel Yeast, is currently the only microorganism that is produced industrially at a scale of over 200m tons, according to Chen.
Featuring a protein concentration of over 80% and a PDCAAS (Protein Digestibility-Corrected Amino Acid Score) of 1.0, the highest possible score, it is also the first approved microbial protein food ingredient in China.
Additionally, AngeoPro’s in vivo DIAAS (Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score) value is slightly lower than whey protein and higher than almost all common plant proteins.
Also rich in branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), as well as arginine and lysine, it offers wide-ranging benefits on muscle health, gastrointestinal function, and blood glucose-lipid metabolism.
These functional benefits are supported by extensive scientific research, including 28 related papers, 22 SCI papers and 50 patents, with ongoing studies covering multiple case dimensions and comparative trials.
“Not all yeast strains can produce such high-quality protein. Conventional yeast processing typically yields about 70% protein and it often comes with strong off-flavors. Through continuous domestication, we have successfully obtained a high-protein yeast strain along with a pleasant and mild yeast flavor,” Chen shared.
Compared to traditional protein production, Angel Yeast’s fermentation-based method is said to have greater efficiency, uses less land, and generates “far lower” carbon emissions.
Today, the company is operating three yeast protein production lines across three cities with annual production capacity of over 50,000 tons.
“It sounds like a lot, but that’s not enough. We have to build more production lines to satisfy the market needs.”
Applications to meet market needs
To date, Angel Yeast has developed different content series (70-90%) of yeast protein, as well as various application formats such as water-soluble, gel, and dispersion-type.
“AngeoPro boasts rich nutrition and excellent processability. It covers five core application areas, namely sports nutrition and meal replacement foods, senior health and nutritional supplements, bakery and snacks, dairy alternatives, and plant-based foods.”
For example, it is widely used in protein powders with zero lactose for sports nutrition products, while food applications include high-protein bread, noodles, macaroni, and pasta.
In the snacks category, AngeoPro provides a new solution for healthy indulgence, meeting the demand for high-protein and low-fat, zero lactose, and clean label products. It can be used in protein bars, protein soups, nougats, crackers, and nutritional cereals.
Its stable cooking properties and ability to improve protein texture also allow it to perform well in plant-based and convenient foods, such as ready-to-drink beverages, ice cream, and protein shake.
“Angel Yeast’s long-term goal is to lead the global protein revolution, and make sustainable, healthier and more inclusive protein a daily choice for everyone,” Chen concluded.
