New ready-to-stir BLG product from Arla Food Ingredients

Arla Foods Ingredients has launched a new ready-to-stir beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) solution to improve convenience and acceptability for patients needing protein-enriched medical nutrition.

Up to 50% of hospital patients suffer from malnutrition, which is associated with longer hospital stays, poor quality of life, increased mortality and higher healthcare costs. Yet motivating patients with reduced appetites to consume sufficient protein through oral nutrition supplements is a challenge. Global surveys have shown that half fail to comply with their medical nutrition plans, with product taste and texture highlighted as opportunities for improvement.

The medical nutrition market is dominated by highly standardised, milky ready-to-drink (RTD) and powder applications. These are typically formulated with neutral pH ingredients, which patients can find heavy and unrefreshing, while juice-style options are limited to RTDs. Patients and healthcare professionals alike are seeking a wider choice of flexible, convenient and appetising formats that can be easily mixed with everyday foods and drinks.

Arla Foods Ingredients’ new Lacprodan BLG-100 acidic whey protein for ready-to-stir powder applications provides 10g of high-quality protein per 100ml serving. Due to its superior solubility, it offers functionality for technically challenging, ready-to-stir powder applications that can be mixed with a spoon as well as shaken. Delivering a great, refreshing taste with no bitterness, low astringency and low viscosity without gelling, it dissolves in just 30 seconds in warm or cold applications without clumping, according to the company.

Lacprodan BLG-100 acidic can be used in both nutritionally complete and incomplete applications, including refreshing juice-style and milky options. The flexible powder format enables easier dosage of the recommended daily medical nutrition prescription, with the final volume adjustable by varying the amount of water added.

It is high in all nine essential amino acids and rich in leucine, which stimulates muscle protein synthesis, as indicated by scientific studies. This makes it useful for patients with reduced appetites, and supports those at increased risk of losing muscle mass.

To showcase Lacprodan BLG-100 acidic, Arla Foods Ingredients has created two ready-to-stir powder application concepts. For nutritionally incomplete products, its ready-to-stir juice-style medical drink represents a unique market opportunity, with no comparable solutions currently available. Meanwhile, a complete milky RTD beverage offers patients an alternative to existing milky options. Both concepts can also be mixed into a range of foods and beverages, including milk, porridge and soup, to boost protein intake at any time of day.