DuPont launches stabilizer for plant-based beverages
The gelling ingredient is GRINDSTED GELLAN MAS 100 – otherwise known as gellan gum – and DuPont said it is a label-friendly stabilizer for non-dairy beverages made with pulses, grains, nuts and plant-derived protein.
No other additives are required – supporting the consumer preference for clean-label, plant-based drinks free of artificial ingredients.
Previously produced by DuPont for ingredient systems, it is now available as a single ingredient for the first time.
Increased demand for dairy-free drinks
“The main driver is the demand for dairy-free drinks for lactose-intolerant consumers,” said Jean-Baptiste Dufeu, DuPont global product manager.
He added according to the latest market intelligence, close to 25% of European consumers are reducing or avoiding dairy products in their diet for health reasons.
“Our ingredient enables manufacturers to respond to this trend by stabilizing particles in plant-based beverages and creating a refreshingly smooth texture. Consumers experience a refreshing drink with an authentic flavor profile.”
In 2016, sales of plant-based drinks in Western Europe alone reached $1.5bn. Soy beverages accounted for around $1bn of those sales – a dominant position that is now being challenged by the rise of drinks based on rice, almond and oats.
Range of dairy products
DuPont said GRINDSTED GELLAN MAS 100 provides reliable stabilizing functionality with a low cost in use, regardless of raw material fluctuations.
DuPont’s Danisco range includes other products for the dairy industry, including YO-MIX PRO 34, for yogurt and probiotic dairy cultures, and last month the company launched HOWARU Shape, a probiotic formula it said reduces waist circumference in overweight adults.
Developing new ideas and concepts
The company attended the recent Vitafoods event in Switzerland, promoting its products for a variety of dairy applications.
At the event, Signe Causse from DuPont told DairyReporter the company was showcasing a dairy concept, a probiotic and a yogurt culture combination that can be added into yogurt for digestive health.
Causse said the company had recently undertaken consumer research on the perception of whether long-life yogurt would be accepted in Middle East and African countries where fresh dairy products are the norm.
As the responses were positive, Causse said, “That gives some opportunities to dairy producers not only in these developing markets, but also in Europe for export. This concept can reach to more rural areas where there would not normally be access to dairy products.”
