Carbery tweaks whey proteins for mainstream uses
HIE in Frankfurt last week as it recognises they are increasingly
desirable for mainstream healthy products, not just the sports
nutrition and infant formula markets.
The company's long-term strategy, Aine Hallihan, head of research and development, told NutraIngredients.com, has been to develop ingredients with an understanding of the application, so that it can advise on processing and any obstacles.
"There has been a lot of change in the last two to three years," she said of the whey protein market. In particular, there has been a gradual shift towards mainstream applications to deliver nutritious products in a convenient format.
In the beverage sector, consumers have been turning away from soft drinks and seeking out healthier options instead. This is apparent in the product mix of beverage giants including CocaCola and PepsiCo, who have set much store by products seen as healthier alternatives to fizzy drinks, such as energy drinks.
Carbery is aiming to make milk-based drinks a vehicle for whey protein fortification, am application that has proved tricky in the past due to the necessity for a low pH. Its new, as-yet unnamed whey protein is pre-acidified (to custom levels if required), so that formulators do not have to tinker with the acidity of the main product in order to make it suitable.
Hallihan said that it is suitable for use at various fortification levels, such as one to five per cent in mainstream products and five to eight per cent in meal replacement, weight loss and sports nutrition products.
In addition, the company was airing an improved version of Isolac Clear for water-based beverages, which Halihan said is ideal for use in clear flavoured waters. With an improved taste, the new version is pre-acidified and is said to have no impact on a finished product's sensory characteristics and consistency so that consumers will notice no difference from regular beverages.
