Arla Foods Ingredients has launched a whey protein hydrolysate ingredient designed to overcome taste challenges in products for patients with maldigestion or malabsorption.
Whey protein hydrolysates are commonly used in medical nutrition products for people with conditions that impair their ability to digest or absorb protein. However, they commonly have a bitter taste not found in intact whey protein, which can affect nutritional compliance, increasing the risk of malnourishment.
To tackle this problem, Arla has developed WPH Lacprodan DI-3091, a hydrolysed whey protein for medical nutritional supplements which the company claims offers a significantly better taste profile than similar products, as well as a high content of essential amino acids, dipeptides and tripeptides.
As many as a quarter of patients admitted to hospital are malnourished, with the cost to European countries estimated to be as high as €170 billion a year. In recent years, nutritional compliance has become even more important due to reduced healthcare budgets and lower bed availability.
Produced using an enzymatic process, the isolate has a 21-27% degree of hydrolysis. However, unlike comparable ingredients, Arla says, it offers minimal off-taste.
Kasper Faarkrog Høyer, Sales Development Manager at Arla Foods Ingredients, said: “WPH Lacprodan DI-3091 offers all the advantages of whey protein hydrolysate, including rapid absorption of nutrients. What distinguishes it is that it combines these benefits with a far better taste than similar ingredients. This means a more pleasurable experience for patients, which is particularly important considering the profound consequences of poor nutritional compliance during recovery.”
The product is a 100% whey-based solution. It is FSMP (food for special medical purposes)-compliant and can be used in both RTDs and tube feed solutions.