New whey protein isolate for clear drinks debuting at SupplySide West

Photo © iStockphoto.com/Sergey_Peterman

A new whey protein isolate is especially designed for clear drinks, including protein water. This is the first whey protein isolate ingredient to come from dairy protein specialist FrieslandCampina Ingredients (Amersfoort, The Netherlands). The company says the Nutri Whey Isolate ingredient offers “unprecedented clarity” in clear drinks, as well as a clean taste and a nutritionally balanced protein profile. It is geared to the performance and lifestyle nutrition markets.

Diderik Moerdijk, marketing segment manager at FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ Performance Nutrition division, spoke in a press release about why the company is well poised to enter the protein isolate space-and why this ingredient is an advancement. “We know dairy proteins inside out [and] have the expertise to produce whey protein isolates; however, our R&D is driven by a desire to push boundaries, and we wouldn’t have been happy with bringing a ‘me too’ product to market. With the ability to perform in clear beverages at high concentrations, and its minimal processing credentials, Nutri Whey Isolate offers clear advantages versus current available products.”

Moerdijk says Nutri Whey Protein enables formulators to stretch their formulations to accommodate mainstream tastes for high-protein drinks. It also eases formulation in new ways, the company says, noting that formulators often encounter difficulty creating clear protein drinks “at anything other than very low pH levels.” By contrast, Nutri Whey Protein achieves high clarity even at higher pH levels, the company says.

The ingredient is also minimally processed, without undergoing heat treatments and multiple pasteurization steps. It is produced under a minimal heat load, which protects the isolate’s nutritional integrity and sensory qualities. The ingredient stems from “high-quality Gouda cheese whey,” resulting in a neutral-tasting isolate low in salt and with no undesired coloring agents or artificial ingredients like sweeteners or additives, the firm says. This is made possible by the company’s control over the raw materials used to produce the ingredient. By contrast, the firm says, some cheese cultures can result in a whey with high salt levels, acidic notes, and undesired color agent residues.

And the ingredient is ultra-clean, the company says, thanks to “the latest microfiltration techniques”-so clean that it could be used in medical and senior nutrition products. Other possible applications are cold brew coffee, ice cream, dairy desserts, and ketogenic products.

Learn more at SupplySide West Booth # 3435