Arla Foods Ingredients has predicted high-protein iced tea will be the next big trend in beverages.
Iced tea offers antioxidant properties, and many products now carry superfood claims, Arla says. One way to further boost its nutritional value is to add whey protein isolate (WPI), which offers benefits for building and maintaining muscle mass.
Creating a protein-rich beverage while maintaining tea’s taste can be difficult. Arla offers three different WPI solutions to meet this challenge.
Lacprodan ISO.Water is designed to make UHT-stable beverages with a “clean and water-like” taste. Lacprodan ISO.Clear is designed to make clear beverages with a “natural and refreshing” taste profile. Lacprodan ISO.WaterShake can be used to make a clear and water-like ready to-shake iced tea that delivers 20 g of protein.
Ulrik Bank Pedersen General Manager, America, at Arla Foods Ingredients, said: “Demand for innovative functional beverages is huge and high-protein iced tea is the perfect way to tap into it. One reason tea and protein are perfect partners is that both offer well recognized health benefits. Tea, which has been the drink of choice for millions of people around the world for centuries, has a powerful association with wellness. Similarly, protein’s benefits in areas such as weight loss and muscle growth are increasingly sought after by consumers.”
Clean-label claims are particularly important in the iced tea segment, where there is strong preference for products that are natural and sugar-free.
Ulrik Bank Pedersen added: “By offering high-protein iced teas, manufacturers can put a new spin on an established consumer favorite without compromising on taste. And unlike some beverage ingredients, protein doesn’t set alarm bells ringing – in fact it’s likely to increase appeal. Whether it’s in an RTD or a shake, our solutions are the perfect way to create tasty, convenient high-protein iced teas that quench the thirst of healthconscious consumers.”
