Arla Foods Ingredients has launched Whey360 – a campaign to raise industry awareness of the benefits of milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) beyond the infant formula category.
The initiative comes as Arla Foods Ingredients welcomes the confirmation that MFGM is not classified as a novel food. The decision, made by the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, applies across the whole of the EU and allows MFGM to be declared clearly on products for both infants and adults.
Arla Foods Ingredients’ milk fat globule membrane ingredients contain whey protein; complex milk lipids (phospholipids and Omega-3 fatty acids); and other nutrients. Occurring naturally in breast milk, MFGM’s benefits for early life nutrition are well documented. Arla Foods Ingredients was the first company to offer MFGM for the global formula market, and it is now working to raise awareness that it offers multiple benefits in other categories.
As well as being a complete source of essential amino acids and complex milk lipids, Arla Foods Ingredients’ MFGM ingredients are rich in Vitamin B12, helping address one of the biggest micronutrient deficiencies worldwide, and choline, which contributes to metabolic health.
At a time when 53% of adults globally are interested in functional foods, the Whey360 campaign positions MFGM as a “multinutrient” that offers benefits at every life stage. It features three new concepts demonstrating its potential in functional nutrition products for adults and children:
- A squeezable cheese
- A kids’ UHT drink
- A high-protein drinking yoghurt
Additionally, three easy-to-implement recipes demonstrate how MFGM can help create nutrient-rich “mini-meals” for toddlers:
- A drinkable fruit yoghurt with a straw
- A squeezable smoothie
- An instant porridge mix
The campaign also highlights the potential that MFGM offers for on-pack claims, which can include high in protein, contains Omega-3, high B12 content, and contains milk phospholipids.
Henrik Jacob Hjortshøj, Head of Sales Development, Functional Nutrition, at Arla Foods Ingredients, said: “We’ve worked with MFGM in early life nutrition for nearly two decades. It offers a powerful synergy between high-quality whey protein, complex milk lipids, vitamins and other micronutrients. It’s one of the most clinically documented ingredients in our infant nutrition portfolio, and increasingly research is demonstrating benefits in other categories too. The goal of this campaign is to communicate the huge potential that MFGM offers to create innovative functional nutrition products targeting adults, toddlers and older children. It’s truly a multinutrient for every stage of life.”
Commenting on the decision on MFGM’s non-novel food status, he added: “This is great news and a major boost to our mission to deliver powerful nutrition in partnership with our customers. We’re delighted that we’re now able to provide them with clear documentation demonstrating that MFGM can be used in both food and infant nutrition applications, and hope that many more will start declaring it on product labels. While this very welcome decision applies to the EU, it may also open doors in other markets and help raise consumer awareness of the benefits of MFGM globally.”