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by Carey Gillam and Ernest Scheyder

CHICAGO (Reuters) - DuPont's (DD.N) Craig Binetti is eager to start using Danish food additives maker Danisco's DCO.CO expertise to expand development of healthier foods, but shareholders and regulators are still in the way.

"We have very complementary portfolios of businesses. This is all about food and nutrition science," Craig Binetti, head of the company's nutrition and biosciences unit, told the Reuters Global Food and Agriculture Summit.

Danisco's assets will help DuPont expand into more markets akin to its current relationship with Bolthouse Farms for protein-laced fruit smoothies and Abbott Laboratories' (ABT.N) Ensure brand, Binetti said.

DuPont has a focus on soy proteins and applications for weight management and cardiovascular health-oriented products, while Danisco's focus on enablers - which bind oil and water in food products - sweeteners and cultures for digestive health, he said.

Soy proteins will remain a key focus, said Binetti, whose unit will run Danisco's assets when the deal goes through. Using soy protein in snack bars and beverages is a burgeoning area, and one in which DuPont wants to become a bigger player.

Binetti said the food protein space is seen as a $100 billion market made up of largely meat and dairy, with soy only about 2 percent of the market, with good growth opportunity. He said soy could grow to about 5 percent of that market in the next five years.

"That is our addressable market," he said. "There is plenty of room to grow. All protein sources are going to grow as the world population grows."

An increasing population globally, and demand for convenient yet nutritious foods and beverages, are trends that are only accelerating, he said.

"Beverages are very important. Eat on the go ... a life of convenience," he said.

Delaware-based DuPont agreed in January to a $5.9 billion deal for Danisco A/S.

The move marks a major expansion by the U.S. chemicals giant into the profitable food additive sector. After the deal closes, nearly half of DuPont's revenue will come from food-related sources, including seeds.

Some Danisco shareholders have crowed about the 665 crown-per-share price ($115) DuPont is offering, saying it is too low. In essence, DuPont needs 90 percent of Danisco shareholders to say "yes," or else it can't de-list Danisco from the Denmark stock exchange and fully integrate it.

Danisco is also expected to post strong third-quarter results on Thursday, which could pressure DuPont to raise its bid.

DuPont has already extended its tender offer once. Regulatory rulings will affect whether or not it is extended again, Binetti said.

"We feel the tender offer is progressing well," Binetti said at the Chicago summit. "I think we've got to take it a step ... at a time here."

DuPont is currently awaiting regulatory approval from Europe and China, Binetti said.

(Reporting by Ernest Scheyder and Carey Gillam, editing by Matthew Lewis)