Dive Brief: Ingredion acquired KaTech, a texture and stabilization company headquartered in Germany, according to a press release. Ingredion said the purchase allows it to expand its geographical footprint in these categories and create more "label-friendly ingredients and innovative solutions that align with the latest consumer trends." Ingredients manufacturer Kemin Industries also said this week it purchased Proteus Industries, a Massachusetts-based company focused on clean-label protein ingredients for meat, poultry and protein-based applications. The acquisitions continue a lengthy period of consolidation in the ingredients space where companies are making deals in order to better respond to changing consumer trends such as avoiding artificial ingredients, curtailing sugar use or increasing consumption of plant-based foods.