Codex standard for confectionery permeates welcomed
Arla Foods Ingredients has welcomed the Codex Alimentarius international standard for dairy permeate powder, saying it will “spark the permeate market into life.”
The new science-based standard establishes global criteria for the identity, composition, safety and quality of powdered milk and whey permeates for the first time. It is expected to accelerate demand for permeate and open up new sales channels, particularly in Asia.
Charlotte Sørensen, senior project manager at Arla Foods Ingredients, says, “This new Codex standard for dairy permeate is very good news. We believe it will spark the permeate market into life, generating new sales opportunities for a valuable and affordable ingredient that has often been overlooked. Permeate is still a relatively new product in the food industry and the Codex standard will help to raise its profile and build trust in this natural, safe and highly functional ingredient.”
Permeate is a by-product of whey manufacturing. It is a low-cost, carbohydrate ingredient often used as a bulk sweetener in snacks, chocolate, confectionery, ice cream, desserts, beverages and bakery products. Used as an alternative to whey powder, demineralised whey powder and lactose, whey permeate is said to optimise product quality in a range of applications.
However, until now, there was no Codex agreement for dairy permeate, a factor that deterred many countries from allowing it in food and beverage products. China, for example, offers huge potential for the ingredient, but the lack of a standard means the authorities have not permitted its use. In other parts of the world, permeate is already approved – but many companies have been reluctant to use it due to a lack of a global consensus on how it should be labelled.
At the Codex annual meeting in summer 2015, dairy companies agreed to develop a new standard for permeate within two years in order to address this and other technical issues, such as harmonisation of product quality and consistency. The standard was approved and comes into effect this month.
Sørensen adds, “This development will be welcomed by the whey industry as a whole because it will add more value to what is a major by-product of the whey protein manufacturing process.”
