Health is one of the strong drivers in the food market, now more than ever. The winners are products that combine health with indulgence. One example is the growing market for milk mixed beverages. In addition to trendy flavours, they address a wide range of consumer wishes, from low-fat and low-sugar to lactose-free to high-protein. With the new Stabiprime MFD range from Hydrosol, it’s easy to make all kinds of milk beverages, for adults and children alike.
The reduction of sugar and fat in foods is a subject of intense discussion around the world. There are restrictions in countries the world over, from sugar taxes to the red-yellow-green nutrition “stoplights” on foods in Germany. The main driver for this is the ominous increase in obesity on all five continents, which is linked to higher sugar consumption in particular.
But from a technological point of view, sugar and fat have many positive properties, as Katharina Schäfer, Product Manager Hydrosol, explains: “Sugar and fat give products flavour, body, texture and a pleasant mouth feel. Sugar also binds water and is readily soluble, while fat influences melting and is important for the body’s intake of fat-soluble vitamins. Replacing sugar with artificial or alternative sweeteners is generally not a viable option from a technical and flavour standpoint. The Stabiprime MFD product range can be used to make reduced-sugar milk mixed beverages for children, as well as many other attractive products. Trendy flavours like cappuccino, coconut and walnut that also appeal to adults supplement the classic cocoa beverages and milk drinks with vanilla, strawberry and banana flavour that kids like so much.”
Stabiprime MFD consists of carefully selected hydrocolloids. These stabilising systems are soluble in water as well as in sweet whey. They are easy to use, and enable economical production of milk mixed beverages. In addition to its proven Stabiprime MFDC system with carrageenan, Hydrosol also offers a gellan version, Stabiprime MFDG, which enables milk beverage filling even at high temperatures, up to 40°C. The main benefit of Stabiprime MFDC is that it lets manufacturers make stable products without high-pressure homogenisation. “We can produce our Stabiprime MFD products in Europe as well as the US, and have recently further improved the range. Our goal is to address further application areas and offer customers additional potential,” reports Katharina Schäfer. Another plus point: Thanks to its improved formulation, this stabilising system prevents sedimentation even in the most difficult cases, including with cocoa, where it keeps the particles in suspension. This makes it simple for manufacturers to make high-quality milk beverages for children and adults, while simultaneously meeting the requirements for modern sugar- and fat-reduced products. These can be enriched with vitamins and minerals, or offered as high-protein drinks.
