Nestlé develops technology to reduce fat in dairy ingredients

Dive Brief:

• Nestlé developed a process to reduce the fat in milk powder by up to 60%, without compromising on quality, taste and creamy texture, the food and beverage giant said in a press release.

• The technology is based on the binding of larger milk protein clusters, called aggregates, during the normal manufacturing of milk powders, a spokesperson told Food Dive. It allows Nestlé to obtain protein aggregates that are large enough to reproduce the size of fat droplets and provide a creamy mouthfeel, but small enough not to have a perception of sandiness. 

• Nestlé noted it has developed other science-based solutions to enhance its products’ nutritional value, affordability and sustainability. This includes reducing added sugars, sodium and saturated fat, while providing positive nutrients and minimizing the impact on taste and texture.

Dive Insight:

With consumers looking for healthier products, Nestlé has gone to great lengths to improve the ingredients used in its brands.

Still, it has moved carefully. Simply making an ingredient healthier, while an important step, could be a turnoff if the product doesn’t taste how shoppers remember it. Consumers may decide not to buy the product or turn to a competitor if they don’t like the change. Nestlé’s new proprietary technology so far is only being used in Ninho Adulto, a milk powder popular in Brazil. 

Nestlé is planning to bring the technology to additional dairy products in its portfolio and other locations around the world.

“This innovation revolutionizes the way our consumers can enjoy dairy products while improving their experience,” said Laurent Alsteens, global category head in Nestlé’s Nutrition Strategic Business Unit. “It marks an important milestone in our approach to offer healthier options without compromising on the taste that consumers love.”

Nestlé introduced in 2023 a “breakthrough” sugar reduction technology that could be used in different product categories. The announcement came seven years after the Switzerland-based company uncovered a sugar reduction technology. It later introduced Milkybar Wowsomes lower-sugar chocolate bar in the U.K. and Ireland but discontinued them two years later due to low sales and a struggle to sustain distribution.

Food manufacturers, including Nestlé, have come under pressure to improve the nutritional aspect of their portfolios as consumers look to eat healthier. Nestlé has vowed to increase sales of more nutritious products by 50% by 2030. The company estimated in its 2023 annual report that 38% of its net sales, excluding pet care and specialized nutrition, came from products that are considered “healthy.”