Glanbia adds protein punch to hot drinks with heat stable & soluble hydrolyzed whey protein

Adding protein into products such as tea, coffee and hot chocolate - and even across wider food categories such as instant soup – means that brands can further cater for demand for protein from mainstream consumers, Meilissa Hosen, Product Manager at Glanbia Nutritionals, told this publication at drinktec this month.

“We’ve seen the consumer trends shifting, protein before was widely known for body builders, sports nutrition”, ​she said. “But now protein has shifted into mainstream users… as a healthy ingredient, not really for a muscle building role, but for satiety, weight management, for example.”​

Heat stable​

ProTherma was demonstrated at drinktec through Glanbia’s ‘Muscle Mocha’ concept, an instant cappuccino with 10g protein from two sources. The first is from ProTherma, a heat stable hydrolzed whey protein that can withstand brewing temperatures and is designed for use in hot beverages such as tea, coffee, hot chocolate and soup. The second is Micelle XL, a source of slow release milk protein to ensure a steady flow of protein during the day which supports maintenance and muscle growth.

The key attributes of Muscle Mocha are that the powder can deliver protein in a heat stable form; and dissolve easily into the drink, explains Hosen.

“The protein in muscle mocha is hydrolyzed whey protein, and normally hydrolyzed whey protein is not heat stable. So whenever you try add hydrolyzed whey protein in hot water it will clump, like a glue. But with this, the protein will dissolve directly into the solution, stays stable, without any clumps.”​

Consisting of 85% high density low lactose protein, ProTherma is designed to be a convenient way to achieve protein fortification in hot ready-to-mix powdered applications that include coffees, teas, hot chocolates, malt drinks, soups, oatmeals, coffee pods and coffee creamers, added Hosen. ProTherma is GRAS, Kosher and Halal approved.