A fusion of technology, science, taste, versatility and nutritional benefits spark the imagination in the best functional dairy product category in this year’s awards and address various consumer demands in the dairy market from sports supplements and protein to weight control, free-from options, seniors’ and children’s nutrition and prebiotics and digestive health.
Amul Stamina sports drink is a whey-based milk drink with electrolytes, vitamins and minerals in an easily digested form, dehydrating body and replenishing the essential elements lost in sweat while providing energy to rejuvenate spent muscles. Sports Life with Mobilee from Central Lechera Austriana contains the award-winning natural ingredient developed by Bioberica, which improves joint mobility and muscle strength, making the product the first functional dairy milk drink formulated for an athlete’s joint health.
Arla Foods Ingredients’ Nutrilac solution for sports yogurt offers innovative technology to increase protein content while avoiding the dry and metallic taste that tends to accompany high-protein products. Arla Foods Protein range is low in fat and rich in natural milk protein and comes as a portion-sized, spoonable yogurt and a milk drink, which makes them easy to consume during the day, when protein is more easily absorbed.
Products offering targeted solutions and benefits included MooShake from Milk Mantra for kids, which contains curcumin, the active compound in turmeric providing anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties; and Nutrilac Ageless Solution from Arla Foods Ingredients which enables supplementation of seniors’ diets with calcium and protein without compromising taste and texture.
Yili’s Mei Yi Tian functional beverage contains 30bn probiotics per serving, while Meiji Probio Yogurt PA-3 creates a new category for purine-reducing probiotic yogurts; Bio-tiful Dairy’s Kefir Super Smoothies is naturally packed with beneficial bacteria, essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids and has led the way in the sub-category of probiotics, enhancing the immune system, digestive health and facilitating recovery.
Trends in weight control and permitted indulgence are reflected in Fair Cape Dairy’s double cream yogurt, which is inspired by the Tim Noakes diet, advising a protein and high-fat diet avoiding carbs; and in Jambo Production’s Derinice low-fat ice cream, which offers a high-protein dessert, fortified with vitamins A and D3, milk protein, organic prebiotic fibre and fewer calories. Another free-from product standing out from the crowd is Gia’s Cheesorizo, which combines the science of producing non-melting cheese with the seasoning and packaging of fresh-meat sausages (such as chorizo) to attain a versatile, high-protein (whey), vegetarian, all-cheese sausage.
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