Valio’s newest milk protein concentrate offers high protein without taste, texture drawbacks

Photo © AdobeStock.com/Volodymyr Shevchuk

Finnish dairy cooperative Valio has introduced a new milk protein concentrate ingredient that it says offers high protein without any taste or texture concerns associated with some high-protein powders. The new Valio Eila MPC 65 ingredient is lactose free and suited for protein puddings, shakes, ice cream, and drinks.

Protein-enriched foods can sometimes be marred by flavor and texture that are “a little bit off,” the company’s press release states. “This was the issue Valio sought to fix with the development of Valio Eila MPC 65.”

Sinikka Saikkonen, Valio’s business development manager, added, “We needed a product that has all the benefits of milk’s natural whey and casein proteins and amino acids, and none of the taste and texture problems usually associated with high-protein powders.”

Consumer testing on 100 people in Germany compared Valio’s high-protein UHT ready-to-drink (RTD) prototype against four leading competitors. According to Valio, the Valio Eila MPC 65 product was best liked among consumers surveyed, who gave high ratings to the prototype’s thicker texture, flavor, and sweetness.

The press release adds: “With the addition of Valio Eila MPC 65 to the product portfolio, Valio can serve its customers even better than before, with a steady supply of high-quality powdered milk ingredients. By replacing liquid milk with powdered milk products, a manufacturer can easily streamline their production process without additional steps, such as filtration, concentration or hydrolyzation, that are usually related to higher-protein and lower-lactose contents.”