KEY INTERVIEW: Whey in the Spotlight as Superior Source of Protein

24 Oct 2016 --- Earlier this year, Arla Foods Ingredients strengthened its position of leadership in the global dairy protein hydrolysates sector with the opening of new, dedicated factory located in Nr. Vium, Denmark. The €40 million facility can produce approximately 4,000 tons of high quality whey and casein hydrolysates a year, creating ingredient solutions for applications in the infant, clinical and sports nutrition categories.

“Since it opened we have five doubled our capacity of hydrolysates so we are by far the biggest in Europe in terms of whey protein hydrolysates,” Peter Schouw Andersen, Head of Science and Sales Development at Arla Food Ingredients tells FoodIngredientsFirst in a detailed interview. 

Andersen, who has been in Arla Food Ingredients for five years, says there’s a very positive demand for whey protein, which creates valuable opportunities for today’s market. “There is a huge demand for whey protein specifically for medical and sports segments and our new factory can support this,” he notes. “We have had a lot of interest in the hydrolysate part, within the last couple of years and the interest has increased within these two areas.”

What is the significance with whey proteins? “It’s very simple,” states Andersen, “Whey proteins have an amino acid profile that is ideal for humans. Nowadays, people really do care what they are consuming and they want products to have a function that is beneficial to the body.”

In terms of innovation, Arla Foods Ingredients are working on a number of specific nutritional areas and one which Andersen is familiar with is the uses if whey protein for Type 2 Diabetes. “We have identified whey protein as a key ingredient to support Type 2 Diabetes, the world is expanding in terms of the number of people who have Type 2 Diabetes so we as a company are currently looking at how we can help in this area,” says Andersen. 

“Whey protein has been associated with some key benefits to diabetes which is one of the interesting areas of innovation for us. It can be used as an additional food source where you can add it before a meal or to a meal and by doing so you can see a strong effect on the blood sugar levels; this has been quite a breakthrough for us,” he explains. “With an addition of whey protein you will get a much lower glycemic index, lower blood sugar peaks and you will also get a higher satiety because you’re adding protein into the mix, so these kinds of findings are very interesting for us.”

The incidence of Type 2 Diabetes is enormous and it will double towards the year 2050, according to Andersen. Arla Foods Ingredients see this as a huge problem and whey protein hydrolysate can certainly help resolve some issues. “Whey protein hydrolysate seems to be suitable for the Type 2 Diabetes sector because it is fast absorbed into the body,” Andersen confirms. “However, I believe we are just at the beginning, and there is a lot of untapped potential in this area. I think in general that there will be a lot of information released on this specific topic of whey protein hydrolysate and not only Type 2 Diabetes but other disease groups too,” he says. 

With other diseases such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), unique ingredients derived from whey can also be used to help alleviate symptoms. “It can help with the dietary part of a potential treatment, and potentially prolong the period where the patients experience less symptoms,” he adds. 

There are numerous projects happening at Arla Food Ingredients presently but Andersen explains that whey protein hydrolysate is one of their main area of focus. “We are constantly on the rise with new areas of innovation for whey protein,” he notes. 

The future looks bright in terms of why protein for Arla Food Ingredients. “The demand for whey protein hydrolysates is increasing and the acceptance of whey as a superior source of protein is continuing,” Andersen says, “We still see whey as the best nutritional protein in the market for a long time to come.”

According to Andersen, sports nutrition and medical foods are two of the biggest markets where is has most potential. “If you look at sports nutrition, the concept of high protein is mainstream and consumers want protein drinks which contain high amounts of protein” he concludes, “Consumers today have a more health orientated perspective and they want products that will benefit this.”
 
Arla Foods Ingredients will focus on 'Whey Better Proteins' at HIE 2016 
Besides focusing on hydrolysates and its unique possibilities Arla Foods Ingredients will showcase WheyHi, a new RTD beverage ingredient solution developed to make it easy for companies to create nutritious long shelf life drinks targeting the mainstream sport and breakfast categories at this year’s HIE. WheyHi is suited to UHT applications using both direct and indirect heating, with no fouling of the protein. It is ideal for formulating in both water and dairy-based drinks, and delivers up to 40% protein in applications such as coffee, tea, fruit smoothies and chocolate beverages.

Arla Foods Ingredients will also introduce a delicious and refreshing iced coffee concept made with Lacprodan DI-7017 whey protein. A high source of protein (>20%), it is a healthy beverage that will benefit not just the muscles but also the brain thanks to its natural caffeine content. Low in sugar and lactose, the iced coffee also contains Capolac minerals from milk and is a source of calcium (>60mg/100ml).

by Elizabeth Kenward