Determining the Best Protein For Your Private Label Product

by | Sep 4, 2018 | Ice Cream Consulting

Proteins are a hot commodity and continue to be a growing category, in just about every category of food, dessert and beverage. Why the hype and interest, because protein is marketed as a good for you to include in your daily dairy and plant based diet.

The balance of protein and carbohydrates is important for everyone and different for every person depending on lifestyle, blood type, age etc., so let’s look at the kinds of protein that can be included in your product line and for what purpose.

Definition of Protein:

Proteins are large biomolecules, or macromolecules, consisting of one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, responding to stimuli, and transporting molecules from one location to another.

Proteins differ from one another primarily in their sequence of amino acids, which is dictated by the nucleotide sequence of their genes, and which usually results in protein folding into a specific three-dimensional structure that determines its activity.

Dairy & Non-Dairy Protein:

Proteins from milk are present in ice cream and part of milk solids non fat or MSNF and supplied by cream, condensed milk, milk and skim powder or NFDM, but when creating a high protein or fortified product, the proteins can come from other sources.

For non dairy and vegan  products, the protein can be included in the base as well as added to increase the amount of grams per serving.

Forms Of Protein:

  • Protein concentrates are produced by extracting protein from whole food using heat and acid or enzymes. They typically contain about 60–80% protein, with the remaining 20 – 30% of calories from fat and carbs.
  • Protein isolates require an additional filtration step that removes additional fat and carbs, further concentrating the protein. Protein isolate liquid and powders contain about 90–95% protein.
  • Protein hydrolysates are produced by further heating with acid or enzymes, which breaks the bonds between amino acids. Protein hydrolysate has special application in sports medicine because its consumption allows amino acids to be absorbed by the body more rapidly than intact proteins, thus maximizing nutrient delivery to muscle tissues.

Protein Sources – Some Higher in Concentration Than Others:

  • Whey – from milk
  • Casein – from milk
  • Egg – typically from whites
  • Pea Powder
  • Hemp Powder
  • Brown Rice
  • Alfalfa
  • Chia Seed
  • Flax Seed
  • Artichoke Powder
  • Quinoa Seed
  • Soy
  • Almond
  • Pumpkin
  • Sunflower
  • Cashew
  • Sesame

Determining a Protein for Your Product can Depend on the Benefit Factors You Are Trying to Market:

  • For more muscle mass in body building, whey concentrate or isolate are used
  • For the consumer who is looking to loose weight, casein are included
  • For vegan and vegetarians, single or a blend of plant based such as pea, flax and hemp

Cost Of Goods as a Ingredient:

Investigating the right protein for your product may include a few factors:

  • Protein concentration and use level
  • Cost per lb or gal
  • The form it comes in
  • How it will perform in your product
  • The effect it may have on product characteristics such as look, color and texture
  • Will protein levels degrade from the manufacturing process of cooking   

Protein is present in most products and essential in life, so adding protein for added and targeted benefits is for marketing benefits and does not suggest that a product with added protein is better than one that does not have added protein.

Contact Darryl, he can work with you on the best protein to use for your fortified product, if that’s the way you plan on marketing it.    

 

 

 

Darryl David
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