Ultra-high temperature (UHT) stability of chocolate flavored high protein beverages

The effects of two milk protein formulations and κ-carrageenan concentration (0, 0.01, 0.03, and 0.05%) on UHT (145 °C) fouling behavior and physical properties of chocolate flavored high protein beverages were studied. These two beverage formulations were: (i) reconstituted milk protein concentrate (RMPC-Choco) and (ii) RMPC and reconstituted whey protein concentrate (C:W-Choco). The UHT run times for samples prepared without κ-carrageenan were very short (9.5 ± 0.71 and 26.5 ± 2.12 min for RMPC-Choco-0 and C:W-Choco-0, respectively) due to settlement of cocoa powder particles inside the UHT plant leading to severe fouling. The κ-carrageenan requirement for UHT stable (UHT run times > 120 min) RMPC-Choco and C:W-Choco was 0.03 and 0.01%, respectively. The presence of higher amounts of whey proteins in C:W-Choco lowered its κ-carrageenan requirement to render it UHT stable due to additional gelation of whey proteins. This additional gelation was evident from larger average particle sizes and higher viscosity of UHT treated C:W-Choco samples at κ-carrageenan concentrations similar to RMPC-Choco samples. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This research can be helpful to the food industry when formulating chocolate flavored high protein beverages; their protein profiles can be modified to lower the amount of stabilizers required to make them UHT stable.