Ingredient supplier touts solutions for RTD high-protein beverages
Innophos, a global leader of specialty ingredient solutions, has released two plant-based solutions for high-protein beverages.
The Cranbury, N.J.-based producer for branded and private brand producers of high-protein beverages released Textur-Melt LM89 and DKP (Dipotassium Phosphate) ingredient solutions to help developers improve the texture and appearance of the beverages while maintaining flavor. The company said consumer demand for high-protein beverages is growing and product developers are contending with new formulation and supply chain issues because of it, saying manufacturers are seeking solutions that enable them to incorporate high-usage levels of proteins from various plant-based sources into ready-to-drink beverages without losing the performance of the beverage.
For example, Innophos offers Textur-Melt LM89 and DKP (Dipotassium Phosphate), which helps stabilize and improve the performance, functionality and quality of drinks that contain protein from sources including whey, collagen, and plant-based sources.
Innophos added that product developers are seeking alternative protein sources now more than ever, due to protein shortages caused by the pandemic and cited an Innova statistic that there is a more than 68% annual growth in food and beverage launches that include a plant-based claim.
The company’s Textur-Melt LM89 ingredient solution offers processors buffering capabilities and also prevents age gelation for plant-based protein beverages, said Amr Shaheed, manager of Technical Services, Innophos.
“Other solutions on the market may just offer buffering. A buffer is a solution that can resist pH change upon the addition of an acidic or basic component. It can neutralize small amounts of added acid or base, thus maintaining the pH of the solution as relatively stable,” Shaheed said. “This is important for processes and/or reactions which require specific and stable pH ranges. The protein then becomes more soluble, more stable and goes through the heat exchanger of the pasteurization process without issues. Phosphates are known to be strong buffers, so product developers need to use only a small dosage to be effective compared to non-phosphate ingredients. This results in lower cost-in-use and extends the shelf life of the product as it improves stability.”
The company said its Textur-Melt LM89 is a solution for longer shelf life, texture improvement and flavor protection, and DKP (Dipotassium Phosphate) is a solution for challenging vegan protein beverages.