Heat-stable whey enables high protein content while maintaining texture

A new heat-stable whey protein concentrate enables manufacturers to formulate with higher protein content while still maintaining desirable product texture. Typically, whey protein concentrates become unstable at high temperatures, resulting in gritty and clumpy products. Glanbia Nutritionals (Chicago, IL), which supplies the new OptiSol 1005 ingredient, says that in these conditions, OptiSol 1005 offers reduced viscosity as much as 10 times less than a standard whey protein concentrate.

OptiSol 1005 allows manufacturers using high-heat processing to increase the protein content of their products by as much as 12%, Glanbia says. According to the firm, OptiSol 1005 is able to withstand retort, ultra-high-temperature (UHT), or high-temperature short-time (HTST) processing conditions, maintaining the nutritional and functional integrity of the protein. The level of heat stability depends on the percentage of protein and pH level of an application, while viscosity levels depend on percentage of protein, pH levels and heat processing condition applied to product.

“OptiSol 1005 will provide new opportunities for our food and beverage manufacturing customers to further explore the products that they fortify with protein” says Vicky Fligel, senior product manager functional systems for Glanbia, in a press release. “Its unique qualities are ideal for soups and sauces, shelf stable high pH beverages, shelf stable yogurts, refrigerated beverages, ice creams, fruit purees and protein gels (and various other applications).”