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Arla Foods Ingredients has launched two new recipe concepts showcasing how its solutions can meet demand for cheese products with boosted nutritional value. The new recipe concepts from Arla show how manufacturers can swap out milk fat in favour of healthy milk proteins, as well as increasing calcium content. According to the company, its new cream cheese concept offers creamy texture and taste while containing less than 50% fat than standard recipes. It is rich in whey proteins thanks to the inclusion of Arla’s Nutrilac QU-7650 and CH-4560 ingredients, delivering all the essential amino acids. Meanwhile, a low-fat solution for individually wrapped cheese slices uses the fat-mimicking proteins in Nutrilac FO-7065 to reduce the need for skimmed milk cheese. Also containing Arla’s milk mineral concentrate Capolac, the dairy ingredients specialist said that a single 20g slice contains as much calcium as a large glass of milk. Mintel research found that 51% of cheese consumers in the US are attracted to products with on-pack health claims, while 38% of those in Spain and Italy said they would buy a product that offers a nutritional benefit. Additionally, Innova data revealed that 42% of consumers globally considered protein to be the most important nutrient. Claus Bukbjerg Andersen, senior category manager for cheese at Arla Foods Ingredients, said: “Cheese consumers are highly focused on nutritional value, in particular protein content. At the same time, they still want indulgent taste and texture”. “While this has posed challenges for manufacturers, it has also opened up new opportunities. As our new concepts demonstrate, the right ingredients can give a cheese product a major nutrition boost, creating opportunities for health claims without sacrificing on taste or texture.”