The power of microparticulation: solving formulation challenges to increase patient adherence to medical nutrition

Maintaining muscle mass is crucial for patient recovery but with studies showing that some patients can lose as much as 2% of their muscle per day

Heyland D, Earthman C, Compher C. Acute Muscle Wasting Among Critically Ill Patients. JAMA. 2014;311(6):621–622. doi:10.1001/jama.2013.285420



, medical nutritional programs are a crucial tool for improving patient outcomes. Protein intake can positively influence muscle mass in patients and improve recovery

Katsanos et al., Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 291: E381–E387, 2006



. But protein requirements for patients can be high –as much as 1.2-1.5g protein/kg body weight per day, compared to just 0.8g needed for healthy adults

Bauer et al, J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2013;14(8):542-59
Wolfe et al., Clin Nutr 2018;37:130-138



. As such, compact liquid oral nutritional supplements, like complete sip drinks that provide a high portion of energy and protein, can help patients meet their nutritional needs to support muscle maintenance and recovery.

The whey challenge

Historically, these applications have relied solely on casein protein. This protein is ideal for these formulations as it not only delivers high-quality protein, but it also tolerates high heat treatment processes, such as retorting or ultra-high temperature (UHT) treatment – a critical requirement for ensuring the safety and shelf-life of liquid medical nutrition supplements.

There is, however, another protein that’s not often considered for these types of applications: whey. More quickly digested and a higher leucine content than other complete dairy proteins, whey protein provides a spectacular opportunity for providing additional benefits to help speed recovery. Whey protein consumption results in faster and higher levels of blood plasma leucine and other essential amino acids

Phillips et al., 2016



, which is essential for muscle protein synthesis (MPS).

However, while whey protein provides excellent nutrition, it poses a significant formulation challenge for liquid medical nutrition applications as it is not easily heat-treated. When heated to high temperatures (typically around 75 °C or above)

Croguennec T., Tavares G.M., Bouhallab S. Heteroprotein complex coacervation: A generic process. Advances in Colloid and Interface Science. 2017;239:115–126.



, most whey proteins are irreversibly denatured

Dybowska, 2011



. This denaturation causes processing challenges with gelation in the final product negatively affecting sensory appeal.

Unlocking formulation possibilities with microparticulated whey

To improve patient adherence, reduce recovery time and improve quality of life, there’s a need to investigate ingredient technologies to increase the heat stability of whey protein

Dybowska, 2011



. And a process called microparticulation is opening up a new era of possibilities.

Microparticulated proteins – made using a process called microparticulation – are protein particles that have a smaller particle size compared to traditional protein isolates and concentrates

Review on fat replacement using protein-based microparticulated powders or microgels: A textural perspective – PMC (nih.gov)



. Heat treatment is used to denature the whey protein, then, by applying shear during the denaturation process, small whey aggregates are formed. The result is a heat stable whey protein that can withstand UHT treatment to make it possible to produce nutrient dense liquid oral nutritional supplements with a high whey protein content and a low viscosity. These improved sensory properties mean a more enjoyable experience for patients, encouraging patient adherence and therefore supporting improved outcomes. Critically, by increasing the protein’s heat stability, microparticulated whey protein can safely be used in applications such as tube feeding, complete medical nutrition drinks and sip feeds.

Introducing Nutri Whey™ ProHeat

Driven by our mission to help people get the most out of life, always, FrieslandCampina Ingredients created Nutri Whey™ ProHeat. Developed using a patent-pending microparticulation process, Nutri Whey™ ProHeat helps brands unlock innovation opportunities in medical nutrition that meet both patient and healthcare professionals’ needs. Here’s how:

Formulation benefits

Thanks to our unique technical microparticulation process, Nutri Whey™ ProHeat has outstanding heat stability. In fact, its heat stability is comparable to that of casein and other complete dairy proteins that until now have been more frequently used in liquid medical nutrition applications. What’s more, the final microparticulated whey protein ingredient has a proven shelf-life, neutral pH and meets EFSA regulatory requirements for Foods for Special Medical Purposes.

Enhanced sensory properties

In addition to excellent health stability, Nutri Whey™ ProHeat also offers a much lower viscosity (<200mPa.s.)  compared to natural whey. It also has a lower viscosity than other complete dairy proteins.  This, coupled with the fact that Nutri Whey™ ProHeat is made from high-quality Dutch cheese whey and therefore has a mild flavour, means that end products leveraging this cutting-edge ingredient have enhanced sensory properties, giving them good drinkability. This is a key factor in making products with superior sensory properties to positively influence patient adherence.

Nutrient-dense offering

Typically, the complexity of the nutritional matrix corresponds with the level of protein in the formulation – so the higher protein, the more complicated the product formulation.  So, for formulators creating nutritionally complete solutions, there’s a lot to consider – including maintaining good drinkability, interactions with other ingredients, and the impact of adding high levels of protein to their innovations.

Nutri Whey™ ProHeat addresses this challenge head-on, helping manufacturers push the boundaries in compact, complete medical nutrition drink formulation. Thanks to FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ unrivalled application expertise, we have developed a concept with a 15% protein content, a high proportion of which is from whey protein, in a 2 kcal/ml solution.  What’s more, Nutri Whey™ ProHeat can be used with other ingredients in complete oral supplement solutions with high-energy claims.

Want to know more? Get in touch with our team of R&D and technical experts to discuss your next medical nutrition innovation with whey protein. Can’t wait? Discover more about our Nutri Whey™ ProHeat application concept here: Nutri Whey™ ProHeat Complete Nutrition Drink – FrieslandCampina Ingredients