Why whey? Research suggests that it might help build and maintain lean muscle mass, as well as help people lose more unhealthy abdominal fat than other proteins or carbohydrates. “Whey protein may be uniquely positioned to deliver better results because of its amino acids,” says Brian Sambor, vice president, operations and technology, Tula Foods, Inc., Evanston, IL. “Whey protein is the richest source of branched-chain amino acids like leucine. Compared to traditional diets, reduced-calorie diets rich in leucine have led to greater fat loss and muscle retention, particularly when combined with exercise. When consumed after exercise, whey protein helps tone muscle, stimulates muscle recovery, and allows people to get more from their workouts.”
In yogurt, the proteins are compatible with the typical yogurt-processing heat treatments, as well as with the typical yogurt pH and flavor profile. Whey’s practical benefits go beyond stability to actual textural improvement. “It can be added to achieve specific mouthfeel characteristics,” says Michelle Ludtke, senior food technologist, Grande Custom Ingredients Group, Lomira, WI. And whey “has some water-binding properties for stability purposes. It has a clean flavor, and it’s a natural ingredient that is dairy-based and low in fat. Also, whey proteins contain some natural emulsifying properties.”
Sambor notes that “with our levels of whey protein use and processing, our nonfat yogurt is richer and creamier than many other nonfat yogurts on the market.” Further, a 6-oz. serving delivers 15 grams of protein, 10 grams of which are whey; by contrast, only about 0 to 2 grams of the protein in a standard yogurt comes from whey.
Packing this much protein in a yogurt isn’t easy. Such a heavily whey-fortified formulation “poses significant manufacturing challenges,” Sambor says. “At these levels, the heat denaturation that occurs under typical yogurt production conditions would form unwanted aggregates and an unacceptable product that is often characterized by a grainy texture and flavor defects, such as powdery and burnt notes.”
When flavoring yogurts fortified for wellness, manufacturers may encounter off notes, “sometimes bitter, but otherwise variable,” says Kim Gray, senior application scientist, global application technologies, Givaudan Flavors. “Developers of applications, as well as flavorists, must understand the interactions that can occur with functional ingredients.” Take the substitution of soy proteins for dairy. “These proteins will interact differently with flavor compounds,” she says, “and this needs to be understood or optimized to develop high-impact and high-quality flavors.” Similarly, the instability of long-chain fatty acids like omega-3s, as well as CLA, can lead to off notes. “Antioxidants can help,” she says, “but will not solve the issue.”
Not all functional ingredients pose sensory hurdles. “Actually, some of those products can bring positive attributes to a yogurt,” says Declan Roche, commercial director at Kerry Food Ingredients, Beloit, WI. “Sterols, for example, are very much like waxy, high-melting-point fats. So they can actually bring enhanced richness and mouthfeel to a reduced-fat yogurt if they’re incorporated correctly.”
That’s just what consumers want. “We believe that the good-for-you yogurts will continue to drive yogurt-category growth,” says Daphne Mazarakis, founder and president, Tula Foods. But what “good for you” means will continue to evolve. “In the past,” she continues, “it was about taking out fat and replacing it with simple sugars or artificial sweeteners. We believe that, increasingly, good-for-you yogurts will be more about positive nutrient density. You can find nutrient-dense yogurts in simple, back-to-basics products, as well as in yogurts that have added functional nutrients, such as whey proteins, probiotics or omega-3s. Consumers already associate yogurt with health, so the idea that we can bring them a yogurt with another promising health benefit is credible.”
Kimberly J. Decker, a California-based technical writer, has a B.S. in consumer food science with a minor in English from the University of California, Davis. She lives in the San Francisco Bay area, where she enjoys eating and writing about food. You can reach her at
kim@decker.net
.