Delivering both flavor and nutrition is a challenge in today’s discriminating marketplace, especially when it comes to nutraceuticals and functional beverages. Many products in these categories are designed to be creamy and smooth, simulating an indulgent milkshake, or smoothie-type system. From meal replacements to sports supplements to condition-specific medical beverages, these products address a targeted health concern. However, in many cases, their purpose complicates product development and narrows the range of acceptable ingredients. Nutritional beverages need to provide beneficial components, a healthy composition and a clean label while delivering excellent flavor, texture and stability.
Non-dairy creamers have been available for many years and are a relatively mature ingredient category. What has changed in recent years is the technology available to design creamers that address evolving market needs and formulation challenges. Creamers are no longer just economical coffee whiteners, they have become a virtuous base ingredient for a variety of nourishing foods. Many modern powdered creamer systems are highly versatile, complex, functional delivery systems tailored to address specific problems faced by food and beverage formulators.
Today’s powdered creamers are a unique combination of art and science, combining fat, protein, carbohydrates and other functional ingredients into a co-processed spray-dried emulsion. By choosing the appropriate mix of ingredients along with specialized processing, a wide range of products with varying functional and nutritional properties can be created. Emulsions, in simple terms, are stable mixtures of two immiscible liquids, such as the oil and water mixture in salad dressings or mayonnaise. Emulsions can assist in the proper and effective delivery of difficult-to-absorb ingredients by facilitating the body’s breakdown of fats in the digestive tract. Powdered creamers are often used to deliver the functional components of nutritional beverages as part of a convenient, stable and easy–to- digest emulsion. These creamer systems can also impart superior flavor, body, texture, opacity and appearance to a variety of end-use products, including beverages.
The following list shows some of the components that can be used to design a powdered emulsion to make an effective creamer base:
- Fat Component: high oleic sunflower oil, coconut oil, palm oil, safflower oil, medium chain triglycerides (MCT’s), cocoa butter, organic oils, etc.;
- Protein Component (the primary emulsifier): caseinates or skim milk solids;
- Carbohydrate: corn sweeteners, polydextrose, inulin (FOS), beta-glucan, modified starches, lactose, rice syrup solids, etc.;
- Other Components: emulsifiers, flavors, colors, vitamins, other additives.
While the actual range of potential ingredients available in creamers is large, formulation of nutritional beverages using an emulsified powder base can tackle multiple problems, as illustrated below.
