The protein fortification space as a whole continues to enjoy an uplift, but beyond products for sports or athletes, there are growing opportunities for categories such as snacking and on-the-go formats. This is according to KJ Burrington of the US Dairy Export Council (USDEC), who spoke to FoodIngredientsFirst from the IFT Food Expo show floor in New Orleans (June 2-5). The company sought to showcase how US dairy protein can deliver benefits that both food companies and consumers are seeking via two prototypes – Calamansi Protein Gel Snacks and Protein-Powered Curry Hummus.

As consumers’ interest in health and wellness foods continues to climb, delivering nourishing products that are simultaneously delicious, enjoyable and convenient becomes both a challenge and an opportunity for food and beverage formulators around the world.

Beyond nutrition, consumers are looking for their foods and beverages to check other boxes, such as being made from sustainably produced sources and providing memorable experiences and global flavors. 

“Because dairy protein’s application is going to come in categories other than sports nutrition, we are going to see more proteins in snacks. We do already see more proteins in products such as chocolate spread, but you could add proteins to peanut butter, or pancakes and waffles – products you consume every day,” Burrington predicts.

“As consumers seek a greater understanding of how their food is made, US dairy foods can help manufacturers deliver with simple and known ingredients,” comments Vikki Nicholson-West, Senior Vice President, Global Ingredients Marketing at USDEC. “We’re here to show formulators that with US dairy ingredients, they have the tools to provide consumers with high-quality nutrition without sacrificing taste or their clean label.”

“Developed through the National Dairy Foods Research Centers at the University of Minnesota and the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research, these applications bring to life convenient and flavorful ways consumers from around the world can increase their protein intake throughout the day, no matter their life stage,” Nicholson-West says.

Calamansi Protein Gel Snacks
This snack format contains 13g of U.S. whey protein and 100 calories. The jelly format is touted as offering different demographics a convenient, easy-to-swallow option. 

“As the popularity of Southeast Asian cuisine grows, there’s an opportunity to please adventurous palates with the fusion of Filipino flavors such as Calamansi Lime,” USDEC reports.

Protein-Powered Curry Hummus
This prototype seeks to offer a convenient snack or spread with twice the protein and less sodium than traditional hummus.

“Hummus is a popular type of food in many parts of the world. What makes this unique is that we have added protein,” Burrington explains. “Although the chickpea by itself provides protein, the dairy provides, in this case, 4gr of per two tablespoons, and that is a lot for a hummus product. The nice thing about the dairy protein is that it is high quality. This product combines consumer interest in plants and hummus type products with dairy protein.”

By Lucy Gunn