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, opening the door to infinite innovation possibilities.
The patented method, called milk fractionation, was developed by Arla Foods Ingredients (AFI), a global leader in specialised high-quality milk and whey ingredients and a subsidiary of the European dairy cooperative Arla Foods. AFI set themselves the challenge of delivering a scientific breakthrough to enable scientists, nutritionists, and health professionals to create next-generation dairy products. For 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.
Unique technology creates a bigger potential raw material pool
The separation of milk’s different proteins from whey was previously relied on for cheese-making, as whey is a bi-product of this process. 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 gentler processing of the milk.
Commenting on the breakthrough, Henrik Andersen, CEO of Arla Foods Ingredients, says: “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 revolutionise 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. “
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*.
At the same time, 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 about the provenance of the organic infant milk formula because just a few Arla farms supply the milk to our factory in Videbaek,” explains Henrik Andersen. Arla Foods Ingredients is currently using the new technology to manufacture 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 in 2022.