PLANT BASED DAIRY ALTERNATIVES 2022
Effect of Alpha-Cyclodextrin
on the Foaming
Properties of Milk and
Milk Alternatives
Preparing the frothy crown of
cappuccino and latte macchiato and
creating individual pictures in
the foam has become an art in itself
and is part of the toolkit of any
renowned barista. (photo: WACKER)
September/October 2022 ¦ international-dairy.com · 17
From coffee to matcha tea: it’s
all about the topping. Specialty
coffee and tea drinks
with a smooth, velvety foam are in
high demand and consumer expectations
toward texture and taste of
dairy-alternative barista toppings
are posing challenges to the food
service industry. Perfect foam needs
to combine several characteristics:
substantial volume, high stability
over time and a creamy mouthfeel.
A special ingredient from WACKER
helps to meet these requirements –
both in dairy and plant-based systems.
Baristas have developed a form of
art: “latte art.” This trend is all about
the foam and provides worthwhile
opportunities for the food service
industry while at the same time creating
new challenges. In addition,
more and more consumers nowadays
prefer plant-based alternatives
to traditional cow’s milk for
ethical or sustainability reasons, or
because they are intolerant to dairy
ingredients. While research aimed
at understanding and optimizing the
foaming mechanisms in dairy has
a long history, the increasing demand
for vegan products requires
the same studies for plant-based
foams. Foam structure, texture and
durability are key aspects to be considered.
With alpha-cyclodextrin (ACD),
WACKER offers an ingredient that
positively impacts exactly these
properties. Alpha-cyclodextrin is a
ring-shaped oligosaccharide, which
is produced by WACKER in a patented
fermentative process based
on starch, a renewable raw material.
WACKER markets alpha-cyclodextrin
under the brand name CAVAMAX
W6.
The food experts at WACKER examined
the effect of alpha-cyclodextrin
on various foam properties
/international-dairy.com
