New Lecithin-Free BevEdge Agglomeration Technology Introduced for Powdered, Liquid Beverages

Photo © iStockphoto.com/BigRedNose

Glanbia Nutritionals (Kilkenny, UK) has developed a new, patent-pending agglomeration technology for powdered and liquid beverages that is based on an all-protein solution. BevEdge, which is entirely free of lecithin, functions in much the same way as lecithin, the company says. It can be applied to whey-, milk-, casein-, and plant-based ingredients, including hydrolysates.

The BevEdge agglomeration technology enables brands to incorporate plant-based proteins with better dispersibility and flavor expression than conventional plant-based proteins in powdered drink mixes, according to Glanbia. Also, its dairy-based proteins allow powdered drink mix brands to remove lecithin from product labels, thus appealing to a wider range of consumers, especially those concerned by soy allergens, while also enabling high protein, lower fat, and improved clarity thanks to the lack of lecithin, the company says.

BevEdge’s strength is said to be its functionality and its compatibility with a wide range of protein sources. It maintains the integrity of whatever source ingredient manufacturers are using, and can also be used to agglomerate either the protein component by itself or the entire blend for use in powdered drink mixes. For bottled-beverage brands, BevEdge also provides quicker dispersibility, better hydration for batch preparation in processing, and cuts down on dust particles in the air during handling, says Glanbia.