NZMP develops innovative fast-digesting milk protein concentrate

08 Dec 2017 --- As part of its ongoing work in the areas of proteins and medical nutrition, Fonterra’s global dairy ingredients B2B brand NZMP has launched a new milk protein concentrate (MPC) coined SureProtein Fast MPC 4868. Compared to standard milk protein offerings, the ingredient is touted as being able to provide muscles with a higher level of amino acids within the first two hours of consumption and is absorbed as quickly as whey protein.

The innovative ingredient can be used for a wide range of applications targeting customers looking for a protein boost, with product concepts featuring the MCP including post-workout snacks and medical beverages suitable for aging adults as well as those recovering from trauma or disease.

Gillian Munnik, Marketing Director at NZMP, tells NutritionInsight during a press visit to the company's facilities in New Zealand that the protein space is “without a doubt” set to continue to be one of the key drivers of innovation within the company.

“If you just look at the global trends, health and wellness are mainstreaming across a wide range of different markets. Looking at sports nutrition, healthy aging, right through to medical nutrition, NZMP has a wonderful portfolio of proteins, including whey protein concentrates, milk protein concentrates and caseins. We have a great breadth of protein ingredients and given the global trends we are seeing, we will be placing a lot of emphasis, focus and innovation on these in the coming years,” Munnik says during an interview at the Fonterra Centre in Auckland on Monday. 

Announced during FiE 2017 in Frankfurt, the MPC comes at a time when NZMP is also looking into advanced ingredients and protein innovations to pursue growth and opportunities for its new Amsterdam-based Medical Nutrition division, which was set up in September of this year. 

“Our NZMP Medical Nutrition division has been set up to develop sophisticated, science-based solutions to help treat sick and vulnerable people who are suffering from issues such malnutrition, cancer and other diseases, as well as to help people age in good health,” says Munnik. 

Currently estimated at NZ$17.5 billion (US$12 billion), the global Medical and Aging Nutrition market is expected to grow to around NZ$23.8 billion by 2020. With these numbers in mind, the division is expected to deliver significant growth for NZMP over a ten-year period, Munnik says, adding that the establishment of the division reflects NZMP’s strategy of moving more milk into advanced ingredients that generate greater and more sustainable returns. 

During a presentation on Wednesday at the Fonterra Research and Development Center in Palmerston North, New Zealand, Fonterra researchers showcased a number of product concepts combining the newly launched MPC, including a medical beverage which delivers 34g of protein in a 240ml RTD format.

This product concept combines NZMP’s SureProtein Vital Whey Protein Concentrate 550 and Fast Milk Protein Concentrate 4868, which are “ideal for delivering a high protein dose without compromising on taste and viscosity.” Additionally, this combination of proteins delivers a higher rate of amino acid absorption and digestion compared to regular MPC or casein beverages, with the WPC 550 ingredient allowing for UHT formulation of whey protein.

Speaking on the next steps within research into medical nutrition, Ping Gao, Medical Solutions Manager at NZMP, says that her team will be looking to improve the flavor and texture aspects of their ingredients. “Basically making a protein ingredient with even better flavor sensory attributes,” Gao says, noting that flavor and mouthfeel remain key for many patients when it comes to nutrition.

“From the nutrition side, we’re just trying to work out what’s the best product to help consumers and patients, and what’s the best way of delivering the nutrition to them,” Fonterra Senior Research Scientist Aaron Fanning says.

Further commenting on future work in the medical nutrition space, Munnik says that continued R&D will target opportunities for improving protein delivery to benefit areas such as mobility, cognition and digestive health, as well as next-generation products tailored for specific consumer segments.

“We will increase our R&D investment in science and innovation to accelerate the speed-to-market of science-backed solutions, through Fonterra’s ongoing R&D and clinical research work and by establishing new partnerships with external innovation partners,” Munnik concludes.

By Lucy Gunn in Auckland