Dairy ingredient company Glanbia Nutritionals has announced the completion of the first phase of expansion for its whey processing capabilities for the creation of new protein ingredients.
'In this initial phase, extensive R&D efforts have led to the development and commercialization of high-quality whey hydrolysates', said Glanbia in a statement last week, adding that the second phase of the $4 million expansion will be complete in early 2004.
Demand for nutritional products continues to grow and formulators continue to search for innovative ingredients that address functionality and flavor issues. Glanbia says it has responded to this need by developing processing conditions that allow it to control the functionality, bioactivity and flavor of the protein, making it possible to tailor it to particular applications.
The company says this gives it the ability to bring innovative new protein ingredients to market. An example of this is Glanbia's recently developed whey hydrolysates which Glanbia claims have made it possible to greatly reduce bitterness, overcoming a common problem with this type of product.
"We're continuously expanding our capabilities to bring new solutions to our customers, helping them improve upon their finished products," commented Jerry O'Dea, president of Glanbia Nutritionals.
Among these new solutions are products for the bar and beverage weight loss markets. BarFlex, a partially hydrolyzed whey protein isolate that extends the shelf life of nutritional bars, is the result of a new, patent-pending technology. According to Glanbia, this unique ingredient allows for high whey protein content in low-carb bars, maintaining a soft texture over a longer period of time as compared to regular WPI.
Glanbia says it has also developed a hydrolyzed whey protein isolate with excellent heat stability and flavor in low acid beverage systems.
Glanbia Nutritionals is a division of Ireland's dairy ingredients group Glanbia. Its production facilities in the US and Europe also produce functional and nutritional ingredients such as TruCal milk minerals, Bioferrin lactoferrin, Provon whey protein isolate and Salibra bioactive whey fraction.