Brazilian authorities have approved Arla Foods Ingredients’ Lacprodan MFGM-10 for use in food and beverages.
Lacprodan MFGM-10 is part of Arla Foods Ingredients’ range of milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) products, which contain whey protein as well as complex milk lipids and other nutrients.
Occurring naturally in breast milk, MFGM is best known as an infant formula ingredient, but it also offers benefits for adults and older children.
Now Brazil’s MAPA (Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply) has approved Lacprodan MFGM-10 for use in food and beverage products in which whey protein concentrate is permitted.
The decision means manufacturers can include it in ingredients lists as “Concentrado proteico de soro de leite enriquecido em membrana de glóbulos de gordura do leite” (“Whey protein concentrate enriched with milk fat globule membrane”).
It potentially opens the door for other MFGM ingredients, such as Nutrilac MFGM, to be registered under the same designation.
Although MFGM cannot yet be used in categories such as supplements, infant formula, or follow-on formula (which are overseen by Brazil’s health regulatory agency, ANVISA), Arla Foods Ingredients is hopeful that this will follow in the future.
Camila Oshima, Regulatory Specialist at Arla Foods Ingredients, said: “This is a major milestone in our long-term ambition to bring the benefits of our MFGM ingredients to the increasingly important Brazilian market."
"As well as being a major benefit to manufacturers of conventional food and beverage products containing whey protein, it further demonstrates that MFGM is safe and is an important first step towards approval in infant formula and other health products.”
The decision in Brazil follows on from two other major regulatory developments this year.
In April, it was confirmed that MFGM is not classified as a novel food in the EU, allowing it to be declared on products for both infants and adults.
Additionally, in July, MFGM was approved for use in infant formula products in Australia.