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According to data available through Euromonitor the sports nutrition segment is valued at USD 11.9 billon, with the largest chunk of that market in North America; roughly 70% of the market. The top three fastest growing product segments, as determined by compound annual growth rate (CAGR) are Sports Protein Products (9.0%), Probiotic Supplements (8.6%) and Supplemental Nutrition Drinks (7.8%). Currently the base customer is expanding in this segment moving from elite athletes to millennials (21-34 y/o) and baby boomers (50 – 64 y/o). The latter two segments are learning and adopting behaviors from the elite athletes as the benefits of exercise [...]

It’s important to recognize that not all “whey protein” is created equally. Each manufacturing stream from which whey is derived have uniquely different attributes. What does this mean? Let’s first start with the basics of whey and where it comes from and continue with the higher protein whey ingredients: whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate.   Where Does the Whey Come From? Whey is the remaining liquid from milk once it’s been curdled via enzymes or acids. Curdling milk can be done in a number of ways, but the biggest source of whey is the byproduct of hard cheese making [...]

When selecting the perfect protein for your product there’s a lot to consider: how will the product be processed, what’s the product’s pH and who is the intended audience are just the tip of the developmental iceberg. Take for example the weight loss and sport nutrition market segments: why is one protein valued over another and is there clinical evidence to support and validate its usage? This is where food science crosses over with medical science, and as food scientists we needs to be able to evaluate the clinical evidence on how various proteins affect the human body. In this blog [...]

From a regulatory perspective the term “clean label” has absolutely zero definition, but it is a very strong term to the consumer. In fact, as a consumer-driven term, it has swept the food industry and created a movement. Foods defined as clean label are perceived healthier, better-for-you and more wholesome than other products. The term also means that a product has the least amount of ingredients as possible and the ingredients used are regularly known to consumer as wholesome, less processed and more close to nature. This also means that ingredient names should be recognizable and pronounceable by most consumers. In [...]

Baking with protein was challenging – until now. We’ve innovated a unique blend of dairy proteins that is designed to replace a portion of the flour while fortifying baked and snack goods with protein. At 80% protein by weight, BakePLUS helps developers achieve nutritional goals in their baked goods like cookies, pastries and cakes. We identified five main challenges that product developers are facing while innovating BakePLUS: Meeting Nutritional Needs of Customers Changes in Product Lift and Rise Changes in Product Texture Change in Flavor Changes in Batter Consistency   Nutritional Needs of Customers Protein continues to be a huge food [...]

When making decisions on developing food products, especially those fortified with protein, there are many factors to consider. Factors like: what will the finished product be? What is the desired protein content? What is the desired shelf life? What is the target pH? Does this product require heating, and if so to what temperature? Does this product need to be vegetarian? Vegan? What allergens are allowed to be present? There’s never a shortage of questions that need to be answered. With the current trend towards plant-based nutrition, including plant-based proteins, how do they stack up when compared to gold standard dairy [...]

There is something nostalgic about gathering around the table for mealtimes; it means family, time spent together and forging connections between those gathering to dine. Recent trends, however, point towards a decline in mealtime formalities with an increase in snacking. How will this affect the dairy protein market?   Breakfast and Lunch Makeover When it comes to most mealtimes there is less emphasis on them anchored to specific times; for example lunch is always at 12pm is history. Meals like breakfast and lunch are now eaten “as time provides,” and are being replaced with snack and convenience foods. In fact, according [...]

Each year the food industry huddles and tries to digest what’s going on and predict what the next big trend will be based on previous years. As a leading protein company, it’s important that we stay abreast of these trends, most especially when developing prototypes for our customers and presenting products at trade shows like IFT and Supply Side West.   Everywhere Protein As more clinical research emerges touting the myriad benefits of a higher protein diet (high metabolism, better weight loss, increased fullness), we will continue to see the rise of protein-fortified foods throughout not only the USA, but the [...]

There are many benefits to working with spray-dried dairy proteins such as milk protein concentrate (MPC) or milk protein Isolate (MPI) in ready-to-drink (RTD) formulations; two such benefits are their terrific emulsification properties and their excellent solubility in water. Other benefits include their complete nutrition profile, simplicity to flavor, their clean taste and mouthfeel. However, in order to achieve and maximize these properties when working with MPC & MPI, there are specific steps that need to be taken. These two steps tend to be the root of many developmental and manufacturing errors when developing and producing RTD products: Powder Dispersion Adequate [...]

The Protein Professors have been excited to showcase AMCO Proteins' capabilities at this year’s annual 2018 IFT Expo (stop by booth #S0302). After many hours in the recently constructed Research & Development lab, we’ve finally narrowed it down: Milk Protein Isolate (MPI) Blend - a high protein dairy blend that has been specifically designed to enhanced the functionality of a nutrition bar by offering exceptional mouth clearance and softness. Whey Protein Hydrolysate (Tempro 80) - a specially designed hydrolyzed whey protein concentrate exhibiting strong high heat stability and resistance to gelling.   To highlight our efforts let’s take a closer look at the food product [...]