Epi Ingredients enters the protein ingredient market, touts sustainability credentials

31 Aug 2018 --- Epi Ingredients is launching its first ever protein concentrate, Epiprot 60 UL, in response to growing consumer demand for protein offerings that meet their expectations in terms of sustainability, transparency and animal welfare.

“As a major food producer, we have a responsibility to contribute to people’s quality of life through our products. This is why we are fully committed to assist our customers by supplying sustainable, high-quality ingredients designed to tackle their current challenges as well as to meet consumers ever evolving requirements,” explains Mathieu Lucot, Marketing Manager at Epi Ingredients.

This native ingredient fits into the company’s new protein range, Epiprot, which also includes caseinates and acid caseins and will soon feature additional offerings of milk protein concentrates and isolates. Epiprot 60 UL is a milk protein concentrate that contains 60 percent total native protein. 

The company touts the ingredient as being produced directly from fresh milk using a unique ultra-low heat process which allows for minimal denaturation and optimal functional & nutritional properties. It also preserves the 80/20 casein/native whey protein ratio unadulterated.

Dairy proteins are considered high-quality proteins as they provide adequate amounts of all the essential amino acids as well as excellent digestibility and bioavailability, allowing the body to adequately perform its functions. 

“And Epi Ingredients takes it a step further with full control over the entire value chain from field to fork as well as the implementation of its very comprehensive CSR initiative, Passion du Lait; ultimately allowing us to offer the highest quality, most natural and safest ingredients possible,” adds Mathieu Lucot. “This commitment to quality and sustainability goes a long way in today’s landscape, especially as consumer demand for familiar ingredients and recognizable protein sources is rising.”

In this context, the company says the native protein Epiprot 60 UL is the ideal solution for product developers seeking a highly functional quality protein source with outstanding nutritional properties. Not only does the ingredient offer superior gelling, emulsifying and water retention capabilities, but it also features the unique ability to provide enhanced creaminess and a rich mouthfeel in low-fat, high-protein applications. Epiprot 60 UL also presents a superior nutritional profile high in native calcium and low-lactose.

The new ingredient is touted as being easy to use and can be incorporated into a wide range of applications such as cheese, yogurt, quark, beverages and nutritional products.

“At Epi Ingredients, we take our mission to drive innovation very seriously and the best way for us to feature what our ingredients can do is to develop finish product concepts with them,” explains Mathieu Lucot. 

Epi Ingredients, a subsidiary of the French company Laïta, specializes in developing and marketing dry dairy ingredients for the food and nutrition industry. Laïta is said to be one of the top ten dairy cooperatives in Europe, with 2,750 milk producers processing 1.5 billion liters of milk annually and boasting US$1.4 billion in revenue.