Controlling stability for non-dairy alternative drinks The market for non-dairy alternative drinks is evolving quickly, bringing with it plenty of challenges and learning curves for manufacturers trying to match the performance of dairy with authentic, stable products. By Hanne K. Ludvigsen, Global Product & Application Manager, Dairy & Ice cream, Palsgaard A/S, & Giselle Baez, Business Unit Manager, Dairy & Ice Cream Group, Palsgaard Ind. de Mexico Market drivers Alternatives to milk such as soy, almond and rice drinks, have gained in popularity in recent years. These dairy-free options can achieve similar mouth-feel and texture to traditional dairy products but, for example, with fewer calories and lower fat content. But working with such products is far from simple, with formulation and production challenges that are, in some cases, entirely new. In this article, we’ve chosen to focus on how manufacturers can solve key formulation and production challenges around soy, rice and almond drinks – the three most popular non-dairy beverages on the market today. Products of this kind are typically composed of 0.5 to 3% protein, 0.5 - 3% fat, carbohydrates and fibres. The exact balance of such ingredients will depend in the specific nutritional profile the manufacturer aims to achieve. In search of stability Perhaps the most prominent challenge for those trying to produce good quality non-dairy beverages is product stabilisation. Due to the types of fat (with low saturation to deliver on nutritional claims) often used in such drinks, the emulsion is, by nature, very sensitive, with sedimentation, flocculation and fat separation as constant issues. One only has to think about what it’s like to open a can of coconut milk, for example, to realize that 1
Del
Print
Download PDF fil
