A revolutionary technology to separate milk into its different protein components has been pioneered by the leader of the dairy ingredients category, Arla Foods Ingredients (AFI), opening the door to infinite innovation possibilities.
The patented method, called milk fractionation, is developed by AFI, a global leader within specialised high quality milk and whey ingredients and subsidiary of the European dairy cooperative Arla Foods. AFI set themselves the challenge of delivering the scientific breakthrough to enable scientists, nutritionists and health professionals to create next generation dairy products. Now, this is made possible through the selection of specific pure milk proteins, for example, casein and serum whey proteins.
Enabling the development of specialised nutrient-specific foods opens up new opportunities for taking infant formula and sports products to the next level and catering to other vulnerable groups such as the elderly and people with medical nutrition needs, as well.
The separation of milk’s different proteins from whey, previously relied on cheese-making as whey is a bi-product of this process. Now, by by-passing the cheese-making process, Arla’s new patented milk fractionation technology not only allows for a bigger potential raw material pool it also creates protein streams in a unique and fully controlled process with significantly reduced processing steps and a much more gentle processing of the milk.
“The method has been several years in development and I’m delighted to see what was once a vision become a commercial reality with the power to completely revolutionize targeted nutrition for vulnerable groups. As science-based innovators we are driven to invent and reinvent our processes to ensure we have the best possible products available and continue to lead the way in whey,” said Henrik Andersen, CEO, Arla Foods Ingredients, commenting on the breakthrough.
The milk fractionation process is being pioneered for infant formula at AFI’s dairy in Videbaek, Denmark to fulfil a growing demand for organic infant formula, a market estimated to increase by 14.1% in the next two years.
Continued Andersen: “Traditional cheese making demands significant quantities of organic milk to produce the volumes of whey we require to meet demand and now we’re not reliant on this we can significantly increase production and, at the same time, offer parents and guardians greater clarity of the provenance of the organic infant milk formula because just a few Arla farms supply the milk to our factory in Videbaek.”
Arla Foods Ingredients is currently using the new technology manufacturing the organic Baby&Me brand for Arla Foods and AFI expects to launch its first organic private label infant formula solutions based on the technology during 2022. For more visit arlafoodsingredients.com
