Starches can reduce cheese producer reliance on proteins – Ulrick & Short

The UK-based ingredients manufacturer believes that its new range of starches can help cheese producers achieve significant cuts in their formulation costs by reducing their dependence on expensive proteins such as casein.

The firm, which is a leading designer, developer, manufacturer and supplier of starches, proteins, fibres and flavours for the UK food industry, added that the new range can be easily incorporated into existing formulations.

Expensive proteins​

Ulrick & Short director Adrian Short told DairyReporter.com that by adopting these starches, cheese manufacturers could avoid paying the high, often-fluctuating price of milk proteins.

“Protein is expensive – if you can source lower protein dairy products (milk) or not have to introduce as much higher priced protein (casein) then this has to be an advantage. Milk protein has the tendency to move in price quite often,” ​said Short.

“Our range of starches can help to reduce the reliance on protein to give all the stability to the cheese. Also using our starches in conjunction with a fibre for example can help mimic what protein alone might achieve.”​

Development possibilities​

According to Short, the starches also have the advantage of being “clean label” ​and due to their low pH levels, the starches have a high processing tolerance and are capable of withstanding thorough pasteurisation processes.

He added that the starches are completely clear in colour and present no organoleptic issues.

“Ulrick & Short starches can give the cheese producer the flexibility to develop new textures, melt characteristics and the ability to bind excess water to maintain a consistent product,” ​said Short.

“These starches give the producer more options and development possibilities,” ​he concluded.