Arla Foods Ingredients showcased several new whey protein concepts at Health Ingredients Europe 2018, including a sparkling protein water or ‘whey protein soda’. The company’s health & performance nutrition manager Jordan Patrick Donohue discussed the concept with FoodBev’s Martin White.
Two protein water concepts were on display, a carbonated, hydrolysed whey protein water and a sparkling protein water with an added vitamin pre-mix. Both concepts contained 10g of protein, zero grams of sugar and fat and were “extremely low or essentially lactose-free.”
Donohue claims that the concepts have been developed to show that whey protein can be combined with functional ingredients in this format, as sales of functional carbonated beverages continue to rise as mainstream consumers shift away from traditional high-sugar soft drinks.
Arla Foods Ingredients also showcased the Lacprodan TexturePro texturing ingredient for soft protein bars, which can improve the textural properties of soft protein bars, extending shelf life and the chewiness of bars.
Donohue also discussed Arla Foods Ingredient’s future direction, claiming that the company will continue to move towards providing functional solutions, increasing its offerings for protein bars, and ready-to-drink beverages.
When discussing the sparkling soda concept, Donohue said: “I think this concept is definitely geared towards mainstream, lifestyle nutrition consumers, and I think that industry trends are showing that they want a superior beverage from a taste standpoint, and they’re willing to accept a slightly lower protein content.
“This is why this particular concept only has 10g (of protein). It’s a very different consumer to the traditional sport nutrition consumer searching for athletic gains.
“These people are aware of protein, they’re very health conscious, they want to make good purchase decisions and are searching for convenience goods.”
Presented and edited by: Martin White
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