Arla bypasses organic whey shortages with fractionation tech for infant formula

22 Feb 2022 --- After years in development, Arla Foods Ingredients is rolling out its Origin fractionation technology to manufacturers of organic infant formula. 

The “milk-to-can” approach that extracts proteins directly from fresh milk is positioned as a solution to ongoing organic whey and lactose shortages.

“The organic infant formula market is seeing huge growth globally, but manufacturers have had to rely on the supply of the by-product of organic cheesemaking (whey), which has restricted their ability to produce enough organic infant formula to meet the growing consumer demand,” CEO Henrik Andersen tells NutritionInsight.

He adds that the supply of organic whey and lactose has historically been dependent on the size of the organic cheese market. 

“Traditional cheesemaking demands significant quantities of organic raw milk to produce the volumes of whey needed to meet demand. Now that we’re not reliant on this, we can significantly increase production. Because all the milk we use comes from just a few Arla farms, we’re able to offer greater clarity around provenance.”

Maximizing milk utilization
Origin by Arla Foods Ingredients is based on a simple, fully integrated process at one dedicated production site with no additives in the milk streams, reducing production complexity and time from milk to can. 

“With Arla being the owner of the largest organic milk pool, we have access to a huge supply of this,” adds Andersen. 

Using filtration, Origin separates milk into its different components: milk protein concentrate, whey protein, lactose, milk fat and casein. The first three of these ingredients are blended with oils, minerals and vitamins to create organic infant formula.

“The process ensures a maximum utilization of the milk’s components in a sustainable manner and hence reduces waste to a minimum,” Andersen emphasizes. 

The then-unnamed technology was first unveiled last November. 

Arla hones organic strategy
According to Andersen, the company’s first priority for the technology was to find a way to tap into growth in the organic infant formula market, which is expected to grow by almost 15% in the coming years.

Arla notes that although protein has been popular with consumers for decades, new organic opportunities are providing a way for companies to appeal to increasing demands for naturality.

“Organic is a big focus area for us, so for the near future, this technology will be used to create and process organic ingredients. Furthermore, organic infant formula will be one of our key focus markets for the future,” Andersen states.

The company teases it will continue its focus on the organic sector in 2022, and it will reveal details about several projects throughout the year.Arla says its farms have the largest organic milk pool in the world.

Organic formula on the rise
In terms of certifications, Arla’s organic infant formula already has EU and Chinese organic approvals.

“With our patented technology that obtains ingredients from fresh, organic milk at consistently higher quality, infant formula brand owners can finally capture the exciting potential of premium organic infant formula,” adds Steen Lyck, commercial director, child nutrition manufacturing at Arla Foods Ingredients.

The company will now produce organic, premium customized infant formulas at its Arinco plant in Videbaek, Denmark. Private label options will be available both as finished formulas and base powders.

Arla first entered the organic market with MicelPure in August 2020. 

By Katherine Durrell