Emulsification of protein-based sports drinks

SPORTS drinks, which are designed to provide effective rehydration, boost sports performance and aid muscle recovery, have established themselves as a lucrative sector, broadening out in appeal from their core consumer group of professional athletes to encompass recreational exercisers and lifestyle users. The global sports drinks market has seen double-digit growth in recent years, according to market analyst Zenith International. The concept of "body and mind" stimulating energy drinks originates from Japan and Thailand, and Asia Pacific remains today the leading region in terms of global volume. The industry-sponsored Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) on sports nutrition and performance concluded in 2006 that the addition of protein to carbohydrate-containing sports beverages provides superior benefits to beverages based on carbohydrates alone. According to the SAB, adding protein to carbohydrate enhances the efficiency of carbohydrate utilization, improves muscle tissue repair and reduces muscle fiber damage. Powdered protein ?a texturizing challenge Proteins are now widely used in sports drinks. However, the wide variety of powdered protein products and their different performances in liquids poses a real challenge for anyone involved in sports drink manufacture. Whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate are the most common sources of proteins used in sports nutrition worldwide. These powders typically contain protein levels of between 60% and 90%, a concentration that strongly influences their reconstitution characteristics. The higher the protein level, the more hydrophilic the powder becomes and the more challenging the behavior of the powder during reconstitution. A gelatinous layer forms at the interface of the powder and water and this barrier prevents the water from penetrating the powder particles. Consequently, the powder does not disperse but remains on the surface of the liquid and lumps form during stirring. Manufacturers of protein powder products typically use different technologies to facilitate reconstitution with instantized whey protein powders. Two technologies in particular are used: ?Agglomeration, which results in an increased particle size and a more porous powder structure that improves the penetration of the liquid; and ?Use of a surface-active agent, which compensates for the inconvenient powder surface behavior. A combined approach Lecithins are nature's principal emulsifying agents; in the dairy industry lecithin has for decades been the traditional emulsifier used for instantizing whole milk powder. There are many different types of lecithin but the active components they all have in common are phospholipids. These consist of hydrophobic long chain fatty acids counterbalanced with polar, hydrophilic phosphates. A concentration of phospholipids at the oil / water interface lowers the surface tension and makes it possible for emulsions to form. Once this occurs, the phospholipids at the surface of the oil or water droplets form barriers to prevent the droplets from coalescing. The rising demand for perfectly instantized protein powders in sports drinks has prompted Cargill Texturizing Solutions to develop a high performance lecithin specifically for this purpose. "Metarin" EWD NGM is an enzymatically hydrolyzed, liquid soybean lecithin of guaranteed non-GM origin that has been designed for use with highly concentrated protein products. It is the ideal emulsifier for improving the wettability and dispersibility of powdered protein products in liquid, since it provides a combination of both agglomeration and surface-active properties, resulting in a fast and effective instantization of the protein powder. Different functionalities and applications Thanks to its excellent hydrophilicity, Metarin EWD NGM enables the protein powder to disperse very quickly. ThisHighsnobiety Sneakers