Whey protein hydrolysates are commonly used in medical nutrition products for people with conditions that impair their ability to digest or absorb protein. However, they commonly have a bitter taste not found in intact whey protein, which can affect nutritional compliance, increasing the risk of malnourishment.
To tackle this problem, Arla Foods Ingredients has developed WPH Lacprodan DI-3091, an extensively-hydrolyzed whey protein for medical nutritional supplements. As well as high content of essential amino acids, dipeptides and tripeptides, the company said it offers a better taste profile than similar products.
Taste is a key factor in patients’ compliance with nutritional regimes, and malnourishment is a serious problem for health services across the world. It is linked with greater risk of complications, higher mortality and poor quality of life, as well as increased costs resulting from longer hospital stays and higher readmission rates.
As many as a quarter of patients admitted to hospital are malnourished, with the cost to European countries estimated by the Medical Nutrition International Industry in 2018 to be as high as €170bn a year. Arla Foods Ingredients added in recent years, nutritional compliance has become more important in some countries due to reduced healthcare budgets and lower bed availability.
Produced using a unique enzymatic process, WPH Lacprodan DI-3091 has a 21-27% degree of hydrolysis. However, unlike comparable ingredients, it offers minimal off-taste.
Kasper Faarkrog Høyer, sales development manager at Arla Foods Ingredients, said, “WPH Lacprodan DI-3091 offers all the advantages of whey protein hydrolysate, including rapid absorption of nutrients. What distinguishes it is that it combines these benefits with a far better taste than similar ingredients. This means a more pleasurable experience for patients, which is particularly important considering the profound consequences of poor nutritional compliance during recovery.”
WPH Lacprodan DI-3091 is a 100% whey-based solution. It is FSMP (food for special medical purposes)-compliant and can be used in both RTDs and tube feed solutions.
