Creating powdered milk formulations with prebiotics

POWDERED milk is used by a great number of people across Asia and throughout the world as a convenient, healthy drink for all the family. It is a product which is recognized to have nutritional benefits, as many brands exist offering added calcium, vitamins and minerals. Prebiotic ingredients are also used in powdered milk as more manufacturers become aware of their benefits, both technical and nutritional. Inulin and oligofructose from the chicory root have a number of technical advantages when used in products such as milk powder. Orafti inulin is a soluble powder that, because of its capacity to contribute to body, texture and mouthfeel, is particularly suitable for the replacement of fat in low-fat or fat-free formulations. It can stabilize water in a creamy structure that has the same mouthfeel as fat. It can be incorporated into products with other ingredients and without any major changes in production processes. Orafti oligofructose is moderately sweet, around a third as sweet as sucrose but with sweetness profile comparable to that of sugar. It is used to replace sugar and glucose syrups in many kinds of applications. BENEO-Orafti In addition to their technical advantages, these ingredients are becoming increasingly important for their health benefits, especially those associated with digestive health. Extensive scientific research has shown that eating moderate amounts of inulin or oligofructose selectively stimulates the growth of beneficial bacteria, mainly

Bifidobacteria

, in the colon, while suppressing the growth of harmful microorganisms such as

Clostridia

. It is clear that these prebiotic ingredients offer a healthy option to all age groups, and milk-based products can be formulated for people at every life stage. The most well known use of milk powder is for children. Oligofructose, already used by many manufacturers to enrich their products both nutritionally and organoleptically, is widely used in infant formula in Asia and Latin America, and the European Commission confirmed its use as a safe ingredient for use in infant and children's foods. Important for teens, too Prebiotic ingredients are also important for older children and teenagers, a life stage at which absorption of essential minerals, such as calcium for future bone health, is particularly important. Nowadays, many of us are not getting enough calcium from our diet. Calcium deficiency resulting either from inadequate intake or poor intestinal absorption is an important cause of reduced bone mass and osteoporosis. Even with adequate dietary intake, calcium is relatively poorly absorbed - an average of only 30%. Getting sufficient calcium into bones during the important adolescent years has shown to be an excellent way to reduce the risk of osteoporosis in later life. BENEO-Orafti has developed Orafti Synergy1, an enriched inulin powder containing molecules with specific and carefully selected chain lengths, which has been demonstrated to significantly increase absorption of dietary calcium among teenagers. Results of a study led by Professor Steven Abrams and Dr. Ian Griffin at the Children's Nutrition Research Center in Houston, Texas, USA, published in a supplement to the British Journal of Nutrition, showed that the Orafti Synergy1 can increase dietary calcium significantly and is effective at a dosage of just 8 grams per day. The research indicates that the enriched inulin powder offers a good opportunity for the development of new flavored milk based drinks and powders, targeted at teenagers. Such products could be a way to ensure teenagers are getting enough calcium in their diet, and that their bodies are also absorbing this calcium efficiently to prevent poor bone health as they get older. Success in the market There are already severalHeel Shoes Boat Shoes