According to AFI, the recently launched Nutrilac Hi-Pro Improvers range will enable manufacturers to boost the protein content of products such as standard and drinking yogurt, dairy beverages, and ice cream to as high as 10% without negatively impacting taste or texture.
Increasing the protein content of yogurt – drinking yogurt in particular – has previously proved a challenge for dairy processors, Arla Foods Ingredients application manager, Torben Jensen, told DairyReporter.com.
“The issue is that if you add protein to yogurt you get a product with a high viscosity,” said Jensen. “With drinking yogurt, in particular, it can be too viscous.”
“But with these proteins, you can increase the protein content of your yogurt without increasing the viscosity.”
“You often need new equipment to deal with this level of viscosity. Using our Hi-Pro Improvers, you don’t need to do that. Hi-Pro enables yogurt manufacturers to boost the protein content of their standard yogurt, using their standard yogurt line.”
High-protein yogurt trend
Through its Hi-Pro Improvers development, Denmark-based AFI hopes to expand the high-protein yogurt market beyond popular Greek and Greek-style yogurt.
“The Hi-Pro Improvers range was developed because we wanted to jump on the trend for high-protein yogurt,” said Jensen. “It’s booming - we can see that from the case of Greek yogurt.”
“Our Hi-Pro Improvers range allows standard yogurt producers to get into this category. For example, if it is a 300ml drinking yogurt made with the Hi-Pro Improvers, it can contain up to 30 grams of protein, which is most protein you can actually absorb in a meal."
"This ingredient will allow them to produce a spoonable yogurt or a drinking yogurt with high protein content, similar to that of Greek yogurt, but with the same taste and texture of standard yogurt," Jensen added. “A product that is ideal for consumers that want an high-protein, easier-to-eat yogurt.”