DSM boosts portfolio with new enzyme for lactose-free dairy products

25 Nov 2020 --- Royal DSM is bolstering its lactase portfolio with a new “one-stop-shop” enzyme for regular and organic lactose-free dairy products. Similar to DSM’s other high-performing lactases, it also supports producers in delivering sought-after sugar-reduced options.

The launch of Maxilact Super lactase enzyme enables dairy manufacturers to create high-quality, clean-tasting lactose-free and sugar-reduced dairy, notes the Dutch multinational. 

The ingredient also helps to cut hydrolysis time by 33 percent and achieve optimal production efficiency. 

Moreover, Maxilact Super is suitable for all dairy product positionings, from regular to organic.

With this new enzyme innovation, lactose-free dairy producers can deliver the authenticity, health appeal and sensory experience consumers expect in all applications without adding complexity to the production process.

Health appeal: Lactose-free gains traction 
The lactose-free dairy category’s popularity continues its upward trajectory, propelled by the rising number of consumers choosing lactose-free varieties for their perceived health appeal. 

Maxilact Super is suitable for all dairy product positionings, from regular to organic.According to DSM, seventy-one percent of consumers are also expecting to reduce their sugar intake in the next three to five years. Meanwhile, diverse authenticity claims are increasingly attractive to today’s health and label-conscious consumers. 

For lactose-free dairy producers, developing products that align with all of these preferences creates exciting opportunities to differentiate their portfolio while elevating the need for efficient production and increased capacity to stay competitive. 

Maxilact Super was developed with these needs in mind, stresses DMS, offering a go-to solution for all dairy processes regardless of the product’s positioning – from traditional dairy to organic and the association for food without genetic engineering, VLOG.

Creating authentic appealing dairy 
This “one-stop-shop” enzyme innovation is suitable for all lactose-free dairy applications, whether milk, milk drinks or yogurt, enabling manufacturers to “live” their labels and create authentic, appealing dairy.

This solution “unlocks the natural sweetness of dairy” by breaking down lactose into its sweeter forms, effectively lowering the sugar levels in products by up to 20 percent, notes DSM.

Also, the improved Maxilact Super technology helps to achieve higher enzyme activity. This means that producers can cut hydrolysis time by a third and achieve a double-digit increase in production efficiency while also boosting capacity without CAPEX investment. 

The improved Maxilact Super technology helps to achieve higher enzyme activity.Furthermore, as part of DSM’s unique range of patented Maxilact lactase solutions – including Maxilact Smart and Maxilact LGi – Maxilact Super is free from invertase, an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of sucrose into fructose and glucose. 

It is also free from arylsulfatase, which can produce off-flavors and reduce stability during dairy products' shelf life. 

This guarantees a clean taste and consistently high quality over a product’s life cycle. 

Delivering high-quality sugar-reduced and lactose-free dairy
“With 71 percent of consumers checking the labels of the products they purchase, combined with the ever-growing preference for lactose-free dairy and the sugar reduction trend that is here to stay, it is clear that prioritizing health and authenticity is more important than ever for individuals today,” says Ben Rutten, Global Business Manager for Milk at DSM. 

“DSM understands the challenges these diverse needs create for lactose-free dairy manufacturers, and with the innovative Maxilact Super solution – made possible thanks to more than 50 years of experience in lactase development and manufacturing – producers across the globe can efficiently deliver high-quality sugar-reduced and lactose-free dairy with next generation consumer appeal.”

By Gaynor Selby