Flowing dairy protein powder

Abstract

Powder composition comprising a 50-95 wt% dairy protein and 0.1 -2.5 wt% milk mineral concentrate as flowing agent, the powder composition being essentially free of silicon-based powders.

Description

[0001] FLOWING DAIRY PROTEIN POWDER

[0002] The present invention relates to dairy protein powders.

[0003] There is a current trend towards high protein products, especially for elderly, sportsmen and people with an active lifestyle. Commercial products supporting this trend include various high protein shakes, high protein drinks, yoghurts and quarks, and high protein food bars.

[0004] High protein compositions also find use in special high protein diets, for instance for people suffering from malnutrition due to certain afflictions associated with age, diseases, or surgery.

[0005] The protein in most high protein compositions is a dairy protein or a combination of dairy proteins, such as whey protein, casein, and / or caseinate. Dairy proteins have a good nutritional profile in terms of essential amino acids and digestibility and a taste and mouth feel that is generally considered neutral and pleasant.

[0006] The production of such high protein products requires the use of ingredients with a high protein concentration, such as dairy protein concentrates or isolates. These dairy protein concentrates and isolates are conventionally supplied in powder form.

[0007] Unfortunately, dairy protein powders have a tendency to be cohesive, which negatively impacts handling, processing and / or storage. This phenomenon may lead to the formation of lumps and agglomerates, thereby reducing the functionality and handling of the powders and affecting the quality of the products they are applied in.

[0008] In order to improve and / or maintain sufficient flowability, flowing agents are generally added to the powders.

[0009] Silicon-based powders, in particular silicium dioxide (silica), are very good and widely used flowing agents. Both in the chemical industry as in food industry, amongst others the dairy industry. Synthetic amorphous silica is registered as food additive E551 in the EU and has been used as flowing agent for a long time without showing any concern because, until recent times, nanoparticles were considered entirely inert. However, there are increased health and safety concerns associated with the use of synthetic nanoparticles in consumer products. The concern is that these tiny particles could reach different areas of the body and even get into the cells themselves. Another flowing agent often used in food, in particular dairy compounds, is tricalcium phosphate (TCP). This compound is registered as food additive E341 (iii) in the Ell. Most TCP sources contain small (nano)particles, meaning that TCP faces similar concerns as silicon-based powders.

[0010] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a dairy protein powder with appropriate flow properties without using a synthetic, nanosized flowing agent.

[0011] It has now been found that this object can be met by using milk mineral concentrate as flowing agent.

[0012] The term “milk mineral concentrate” is also referred to in the art as “milk calcium”. It is derived from milk, preferably bovine milk. One way of obtaining milk mineral concentrate is by subjecting milk (either skim milk or whole milk) to ultrafiltration, followed by the precipitation of minerals from the milk ultrafiltration permeate. Alternatively, whey - cheese whey, acid whey, or ideal whey; the latter being the microfiltration permeate of milk - may be submitted to ultrafiltration, after which lactose is removed (e.g. precipitated / crystallized) from the ultrafiltration permeate, and minerals are concentrated from the de-lactosed ultrafiltration permeate - for instance by centrifugation, membrane separation, or electrodialysis - and (spray)dried.

[0013] The dried milk mineral concentrate is then micronized, e.g. using a ball mill, an air jet mill, or an air classifier mill, and optionally air classified to obtain a product with a desired particle size (e.g. 90 vol% of the particles below 10 microns).

[0014] Documents disclosing the production of milk mineral concentrates are US 5,185,166 and EP 1 147 712.

[0015] Examples of commercially available milk mineral concentrates include GermanCal from Sachsenmilch and Vitalarmor® Ca M10 from Armor Proteins.

[0016] The most abundant mineral present in milk mineral concentrate is calcium, followed by phosphorus. Milk mineral concentrate further contains small amounts of other minerals, such as sodium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and copper.

[0017] Besides minerals, milk mineral concentrate generally contains some residual protein, fat, lactose, and moisture. Milk mineral concentrate is conventionally applied for enriching food products with calcium. Such calcium enrichment serves to improve bone health and / or bone strength. CN 109770367 discloses the addition of 0.5-5 wt% milk mineral concentrate to protein powders, preferably soy protein, in order to improve the dissolution speed of said powder. In addition, this powder contained 0.05-1 wt% silicon dioxide or calcium silicate as flowing agent. It further contained a sugar alcohol and / or a polysaccharide.

[0018] It has now been found that milk mineral concentrate can also be used as flowing agent in dairy protein powders, thereby providing dairy protein powders with suitable flowing properties and a non-synthetic, milk-based, and clean label flowing agent.

[0019] The present invention therefore relates to a powder composition comprising a 50-95 wt%, preferably 60-95 wt%, more preferably 75-95 wt% dairy protein and 0.1 -2.5 wt%, preferably 0.1 -2.0 wt%, more preferably 0.1 -1.0 wt%, even more preferably 0.1 -0.5 wt%, and most preferably 0.2-0.3 wt% milk mineral concentrate.

[0020] The powder composition according to the present invention is essentially free of silicon-based powders, meaning that the powder composition comprises less than 0.01 wt%, more preferably less than 0.005 wt%, and most preferably 0 wt% of silicon-based powders. Examples of such silicon-based powders are silicium dioxide and silicate powders.

[0021] Preferably, the powder composition according to the present invention is also essentially free of tricalcium phosphate (TCP), meaning that the powder composition comprises less than 0.01 wt%, more preferably less than 0.005 wt%, and most preferably 0 wt% of TCP.

[0022] Preferably, milk mineral concentrate is the sole flowing agent in the powder composition of the invention.

[0023] The powder composition is preferably easy flowing or free flowing, which is defined as having a flow factor (ff) value of at least 4, preferably between 4 and 10 (easy flowing) or at least 10 (free flowing), at a major principle consolidation stress of 10 kPa and higher, preferably at 5 kPa and higher, more preferably at 3 kPa and higher, even more preferably at 2 kPa and higher, and most preferably at 1.5 kPa and higher. This flow factor (ff) value is determined with the flow function test using a Brookfield Powder Flow Tester and represents the major principle consolidated stress (kPa) relative to the unconfined failure stress (kPa).

[0024] The dairy protein is preferably selected from casein, whey protein, and combinations thereof, the dairy protein preferably being whey protein.

[0025] The invention also relates to a process for the preparation of the powder composition. The process comprises the step combining two powders: milk mineral concentrate powder and powdered dairy protein concentrate or isolate. Suitable ways of combining these powders include the dosing of milk mineral concentrate powder to the powdered dairy protein concentrate or isolate. This can be performed, for instance, in a blender, in a fluid bed, during spray-drying of the dairy protein concentrate or isolate, or in transport lines.

[0026] Without being bound to theory, it is believed that the milk mineral concentrate particles adhere to the surface of the dairy protein concentrate / isolate particles.

[0027] The process involves the combination 50-95 wt%, preferably 60-95 wt%, more preferably 75-95 wt% of a dairy protein concentrate or isolate powder with 0.1 -2.5 wt%, preferably 0.1 -2.0 wt%, more preferably 0.1 -1.0 wt%, even more preferably 0.1 -0.5 wt%, and most preferably 0.2-0.3 wt% milk mineral concentrate powder.

[0028] Suitable dairy protein concentrates or isolates include milk protein concentrate (MPC), milk protein concentrate (MPI), micellar casein isolate (MCI), caseinate, whey protein concentrate (WPC), and whey protein isolate (WPI). In a preferred embodiment, the dairy protein concentrate is selected from whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate. In a most preferred embodiment, the dairy protein concentrate is a whey protein isolate.

[0029] Milk protein concentrate and milk protein isolate result from ultrafiltration of skim milk, thereby removing part of the water, lactose and minerals, and obtaining a concentrated protein composition with a casein / whey ratio similar to that of the originating milk source. The protein content of a milk protein concentrate (based on dry solids) is generally in the range 60-85 wt%. The protein content of a milk protein isolate (based on dry solids) is generally in the range 85-95 wt%. Micellar casein isolate is obtained by microfiltration of skim milk, thereby removing the majority of the whey proteins, together with water, lactose, and minerals. The main protein - at least about 90 wt%, preferably about 95 wt% of the protein content - in micellar casein isolate is casein. The total protein content in micellar casein isolate is generally in the range 80-90 wt% (based on dry solids).

[0030] Caseinate is a non-micellar form of casein and is generally obtained by acid precipitation from milk, followed by neutralization with a base, such as a hydroxide (NaOH, KOH, Mg(OH)2, Ca(OH)2, NH4OH) and / or a basic salt (CaCO3, Na2CO3, K2CO3). Caseinate is generally available as mono- or divalent metal salts, such as sodium caseinate, potassium caseinate, calcium caseinate, and magnesium caseinate. Whey protein concentrates (WPC) and whey protein isolates (WPI) are the result of separating skim milk into a casein-rich and a whey protein-rich fraction - either by renneting to form cheese and so-called cheese whey, by acidification to form caseinate and so-called acid whey, or by microfiltration to form a micellar casein fraction and a so-called ideal whey or serum fraction - followed by membrane filtration to remove a large part of the water, lactose, and ash from the whey protein-rich fraction.

[0031] WPCs conventionally have a protein content (based on dry solids) of 60 wt% up to about 85 wt%, whereas WPIs are manufactured by removing more of the non-protein components, thereby concentrating the whey protein content to about 90-95 wt%.

[0032] The milk mineral concentrate powder to be used for preparing the composition according to the present invention preferably comprises 5-40 wt%, more preferably 8- 35 wt%, and most preferably 15-30 wt% calcium.

[0033] The particle size distribution of the milk mineral concentrate powder to be used for preparing the composition according to the present invention preferably is such that 50 volume% of the particles (Dv50) has as size below 35 microns, preferably below 25 microns, more preferably below 20 microns, and most preferably below 15 microns. More preferably, the milk mineral concentrate powder does not contain a significant number of particles smaller than 0.1 micron. Most preferably, all particles are larger than 0.1 micron.

[0034] This particle size distribution is determined by laser diffraction using a Malvern Mastersizer as described in the experimental section below. The powder composition according to the invention can be applied as ingredient for various products, such as formula milk (infant formula, follow-on formula, young child formula), protein shakes and drinks, high protein yoghurts and quarks, protein food bars, and medical nutrition (e.g. tube and sip feeds).

[0035] DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0036] Figure 1 displays the effect of milk mineral concentrate on the flowability of micellar casein isolate (MCI).

[0037] Figure 2 displays the effect of milk mineral concentrate on the flowability of whey protein concentrate (WPC).

[0038] Figure 3 displays the effect of milk mineral concentrate on the flowability of milk protein concentrate (MPC).

[0039] Figure 4 displays the effect of milk mineral concentrates with difference particle sizes on the flowability of whey protein concentrate (WPC).

[0040] EXAMPLES

[0041] Example 1

[0042] The protein powder MCI80 - micellar casein isolate (FrieslandCampina) containing about 80 wt% micellar casein on dry weight - and 0.6 wt% (relative to MCI80 powder) the milk mineral concentrate Lactoval® HiCal Micronized (Dv50=3.5 pm) were weighed in a bag. Compressed air was added to the bag and the bag was shaken manually for 30 seconds.

[0043] The flowability of the resulting composition and of MCI80 as such were analyzed with a Brookfield Powder Flow Tester, using a 6” sample trough, a 6” 304 SS Vane lid, Standard Flow Function measurement, Powder Flow Pro V1.3 Build 23.” The results are displayed in Figure 1 .

[0044] Example 2

[0045] Example 1 was repeated with WPC80 - acid whey protein concentrate (FrieslandCampina) with about 80 wt% protein on dry weight - as the protein powder and 0.5 wt% the milk mineral concentrate.

[0046] The results are displayed in Figure 2.

[0047] Example 3

[0048] Example 1 was repeated with MPC80 - milk protein concentrate (FrieslandCampina) containing about 80 wt% protein on dry weight - as the protein powder and 0.7 wt% the milk mineral concentrate.

[0049] The results are displayed in Figure 3.

[0050] Example 4

[0051] Cheese whey permeate was obtained by ultrafiltration of cheese whey. This permeate was crystallized and separated by centrifugation to obtain both lactose and delactosed permeate liquid (DLP). In the next steps, calcium phosphate was precipitated from the DLP, separated by centrifugation, and dried to obtain milk mineral concentrate.

[0052] This milk mineral concentrate was subsequently milled with a ball mill using different milling times and frequencies to obtain milk mineral concentrates with different particle size distributions. The particle size of the milk mineral concentrates was determined by laser diffraction using a Mastersizer 3000 from Malvern Panalytical and an Aero S dry sample disperser using the Mie theory, non-spherical particle type, refractive index 1.610, absorption index 0.100, compressed air, 0.2 bar, obscuration low limit 0.50%, obscuration high limit 9.00%, standard venturi disperser, general purpose tray (with hopper).

[0053] Three milk mineral concentrates were used in this example: Concentrate A, 50 vol% of which was below 7.8 micrometer Concentrate B, 50 vol% of which was below 11 micrometer Concentrate C, 50 vol% of which was below 50 micrometer.

[0054] All detected particles in these concentrates were larger than 0.1 micron.

[0055] Example 2 was subsequently repeated with WPC80 powder and 1.0 wt% of the milk mineral concentrates A, B, and C. The results are displayed in Figure 4.

Claims

CLAIMS1 . Powder composition comprising a 50-95 wt% dairy protein and 0.1 -2.5 wt% milk mineral concentrate, the powder composition being essentially free of silicon- based powders.

2. Powder composition according to claim 1 wherein the powder composition has a flow factor (ff) value of at least 4, preferably at least 10 at a major principle consolidation stress of 10 kPa and higher, preferably at 5 kPa and higher, more preferably at 3 kPa and higher, even more preferably at 2 kPa and higher, and most preferably at 1 .5 kPa and higher.

3. Powder composition according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the dairy protein is selected from casein, caseinate, whey protein, and combinations thereof, the dairy protein preferably being whey protein.

4. Powder composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the composition comprises 60-95 wt%, preferably 75-95 wt% dairy protein.

5. Powder composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the composition comprises 0.1 -2.0 wt%, preferably 0.1 -1.0 wt%, more preferably 0.1 -0.5 wt%, and most preferably 0.2-0.3 wt% milk mineral concentrate.

6. Powder composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the milk mineral concentrate comprises 5-40 wt%, preferably 8-35 wt%, and most preferably 15-30 wt% calcium.

7. Powder composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the milk mineral concentrate is present in the composition as particles with a Dv50 size distribution below 35 microns, preferably below 25 microns, more preferably below 20 microns, and most preferably below 15 microns.

8. Process for the preparation of a powder composition according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a dairy protein concentrate or isolate powdercomprising 60-95 wt% protein is combined with milk mineral concentrate powder.

9. Process according to claim 8 wherein the dairy protein concentrate or isolate is selected from the group consisting of milk protein concentrate, micellar casein isolate, caseinate, whey protein concentrate, and whey protein isolate.

10. Process according to claim 8 or 9 wherein the milk mineral concentrate powder comprises 5-40 wt%, preferably 8-35 wt%, and most preferably 15-30 wt% calcium.

11. Process according to any one of claims 8-10 wherein the milk mineral concentrate powder consists of particles having a Dv50 size distribution below 35 microns, preferably below 25 microns, more preferably below 20 microns, and most preferably below 15 microns.

12. Powder composition obtainable by the process of any one of claims 8-11 .

13. Use of the powder composition according to any one of claims 1 -7 and 12 as in the preparation of formula milk, protein shakes, protein drinks, food bars, protein-enriched yoghurt or quark, and medical nutrition.

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