Arla Foods Ingredients targets medical nutrition with new MCI solutions
Arla Foods Ingredients is highlighting the potential of micellar casein isolate (MCI) to address the growing demand for high-quality ingredients for medical nutrition.
Rich in native protein, MCI is extracted from milk using gentle processing. Arla Foods Ingredients’ Lacprodan MicelPure portfolio already includes a range of MCI solutions that are relevant for medical nutrition. It is now being expanded with the launch of new Lacprodan MicelPure Medical, which is designed to meet the specific requirements of the category.
Malnutrition is a key driver of innovation in the global medical nutrition market, which is forecast to grow by 5% year-on-year to 2027 (CAGR 2024-2027).1 Between 2019 and 2024, 30% of global oral nutrition supplements (ONS) and 52% of tube-feed product launches made a malnutrition claim (source: Innova Market Sizing & Insights).
Worldwide, an estimated 20-70% of cancer patients 3,4, and 30-70% of older patients are undernourished, with an associated decline in quality of life and increased rate of mortality (source: World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe, 2023. Disease-related malnutrition: a time for action). However, research has shown that half of patients recommended a medical nutrition plan struggle to complete it, with key reasons including unpleasant texture and taste.6,7
Lacprodan MicelPure ingredients offer a milky, neutral taste that enables easy pairing with a wide range of flavours, and the low viscosity that patients prefer – even at high protein concentrations. Other benefits include unrivalled heat stability and process flexibility. This allows manufacturers to create high-protein products using direct or indirect UHT treatment, enabling ambient formats and a wide range of packaging options.
The portfolio includes Lacprodan MicelPure, a standard MCI which is ideal for milky oral nutrition supplements, including tube feeds, and Lacprodan MicelPure Ins, an instantised format designed for ready-to-mix products. Both are available in organic versions.
The latest addition to the range is Lacprodan MicelPure Medical, which has an adjusted mineral profile to meet specific requirements and recommendations for medical nutrition. Thanks to an improved extraction process, it also offers a higher microbiological grade than the other MCI ingredients in the range. All the ingredients in the portfolio are low in lactose and fat.
Mads Dyrvig, head of sales development, specialised nutrition at Arla Foods Ingredients, said: “Our Lacprodan MicelPure solutions are a great match for medical nutrition products that target protein malnutrition. Meeting patient needs for high protein content and quality, great taste and texture, and a wider variety of formats can enhance compliance with medical nutrition, helping to improve recovery and quality of life. Lacprodan MicelPure offers great functionality and processing versatility, opening up exciting opportunities for product innovation in a fast-growing market.”
Arla Foods Ingredients will showcase the Lacprodan MicelPure portfolio at Vitafoods Europe 2025 (stand 4D17). It will highlight new high-protein prototypes specially formulated for the EU market – a milky oral nutrition supplement and a vanilla pudding, both offering 13g of protein per 100ml, excellent mouthfeel and a mild, pleasant taste.
3 Beirer, A. Malnutrition and cancer, diagnosis and treatment. memo 14, 168–173 (2021). doi.org/10.1007/s12254-020-00672-3
4 Arends J. Malnutrition in cancer patients: Causes, consequences and treatment options. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2024 May;50(5):107074, Epub 2023 Sep 14. doi: 10.1016/j.ejso.2023.107074
6 FMCG Gurus’ Medical Nutrition Insights database, N: 12,000 from Brazil, China, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Spain, UK, US, Vietnam, 2023
7 Lindberg International, Qualitative study on medical nutrition, 2024
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