USPTO issued patent US12588686B2 to Ajinomoto Co., Inc. on March 31, 2026, granting intellectual property protection for methods of producing modified pea protein. The patented process includes adding acid to a water dispersion of pea ground product to collect precipitate, followed by an enzyme reaction using protein deamidase—steps that may be performed in either order. The patent covers various CPC classifications related to food protein processing.

This is a patent grant notice, not a regulatory requirement. Food manufacturers or ingredient suppliers using similar pea protein modification processes should conduct freedom-to-operate analysis to ensure they do not infringe these claims. No compliance deadlines, reporting requirements, or penalties are associated with this document.