Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP),
sometimes called Hydrolyzed Plant Protein (HPP), is a flavor enhancer used in
anything from broths to meat products. It is created through a chemical
process called acid hydrolysis (and sometimes enzymatic digestion). This
process takes either corn, wheat, soybeans, cotton seed or peanuts and breaks
them down into amino acids. This flavor enhancer simulates the taste of
meats.
There are two kinds of HVP and HPP - light
and dark. The light is often used in poultry, pork and vegetable products.
The dark is found in products such as sauces, gravies, stews, processed meats
and hot dogs. Some hydrolyzed vegetable (or plant) protein has MSG added
to it for an extra non-nutritional boost. If you are allergic or
intolerant to corn, wheat, soy, cotton seed, peanuts or monosodium glutamate
(MSG), do not consume products containing HVP or HPP.
