Boost indulgence of your protein drinks with Fiberest® Resistant dextrin & Nexweet® Allulose

Why should we pay attention to plant-based protein?

Latest trends in the protein products show a consistent increase in the introduction of products with plant-based proteins (CAGR +11.1%). This trend has been attributed to the growing awareness of the benefits of plant-based proteins, an increase in health and wellness trends, and heightened interest in alternatives to animal-based proteins. Consumers perceive plant-based proteins favorably due to their easy digestibility, provision of essential nutrients, and relatively lower cost compared to other types of proteins.

Source: Innova Database, based on global launches tracked in 2019 to 2023

The subcategories in the beverage category where plant-based protein claims are most applied are Dairy Alternative Drinks and Meal Replacements & Other Drinks. While soy remains the largest market for plant-based protein ingredients, there has been significant growth in the market for pea and rice proteins due to their GMO-free and allergy-friendly properties, as well as the complementary amino acid profiles they offer.

What should be considered in sugar reduction of plant-based protein milk?

Sugar affects the sweetness, texture, flavor balance, and mouthfeel of beverages, particularly enhancing sweetness to create a harmonious flavor profile. In line with the global sugar reduction trend, reducing the sugar content in protein beverages requires consideration of the body, mouthfeel, and balanced flavor. Particularly, high-intensity sweeteners can create strong sweetness even in small amounts, but each has its own unique sweetness pattern and off-flavors. So, it is difficult to completely replace sugar. It is important to mask the undesirable aftertaste from protein ingredients and high-intensity sweeteners and complement the body and mouthfeel resulting from sugar replacement to produce more appealing products.

Samyang's Suggestion:

1. Enhancing body

The body of the plant-based protein drink with allulose (Nexweet® Allulose 95L) and high-intensity sweetener is improved by adding 2~4% of resistant dextrin (Fiberest® Resistant dextrin HF) as shown in the image 1. Resistant dextrin (Fiberest® Resistant dextrin HF) has the highest molecular weight among sugars and dietary fibers, so it can increase the viscosity of the beverages. Also, it provides a soft and heavy texture in your mouth.

2. Masking off-taste

We add a blend of resistant dextrin (Fiberest® Resistant dextrin HF, allulose (Nexweet® Allulose 95L) and high intensity sweeteners to a plant-based protein drink. It is found out that masking bitterness of protein is more effective when applying 3% allulose (Nexweet® Allulose 95L) compared to the control using high-intensity sweeteners (based on the same sweetness level). The principle of masking bitterness involves preventing bitter substances from binding to the T2R receptors responsible for sensing bitterness on the tongue. When allulose (Nexweet® Allulose 95L) is applied, it minimizes the bitter aftertaste of high-intensity sweeteners by acting as a competitive inhibitor.

3. Improve overall-liking

Allulose (Nexweet® Allulose 95L) has the effect of reducing the bitterness and lingering taste of the high intensity sweeteners. Also, resistant dextrin (Fiberest® Resistant dextrin HF) is a good source to complement the lack of body texture and mouthfeel of sugar. As a result, by applying sucralose, ace-k, and allulose (Nexweet® Allulose 95L), it was possible to achieve optimal taste without the addition of sugar, leading to improvement of overall liking.

[Key ingredients]

: Pea Protein, Rice Protein, Allulose (Nexweet® Allulose 95L), Soluble dietary fiber (Fiberest® Resistant dextrin HF), and High-intensive sweetener (Sucralose, Ace-K), Flavor

[Benefits]

✓ 100% reduction in total sugar

✓ High source of fiber & No added sugar

✓ 58% reduction in calories

✓ Masking off-taste and enhancing the body

[Nutrition Facts]