As gelatin and starch prices have risen, a cost-effective ingredient blend is needed that doesn’t impact the flavor or texture of yogurt

Gelatin and starch prices have risen in the past year and are expected to keep rising. This creates a challenge for dairy manufacturers in managing their raw material costs while continuing to create great tasting products. Cargill developed Vitex^® AYS stabilizers to help our customers remain competitive in the face of raw material price pressures.

Gelatin is a translucent, colorless, flavorless solid substance that is commonly used as a gelling agent in food. It is useful in yogurt applications as it is made up of long protein molecules that attach to one another and form a mesh that traps water. Most other gelling agents are complex sugars that behave in a similar way.

Gelatin is unique in that it has a melting point below the temperature of the human body, resulting in excellent mouthfeel and intensive flavor release. This property makes it particularly suitable for the creation of texture and body in yogurt and other dairy products.

Reduced availability is the primary gelatin and starch raw material price driver. There is currently high demand for gelatin raw materials from competing industries. As a result of the lack of raw materials, gelatin plants are running at 70-80% capacity. Gelatin suppliers have been forced to put some customers under allocation due to reduced output.

Regular consumption of yogurt has been steadily on the rise since 1996. With yogurt’s increased usage there is comparable growth in shoppers who say they eat yogurt for its disease-preventing qualities. Interestingly, whether it is probiotics, prebiotics or active cultures for immunity and digestion, shoppers show almost equal rates of extreme interest for all.¹

Vitex^® blends are designed for various applications to provide improved texture and body, syneresis control, longer shelf-life, optimum mouthfeel and sheen, clean flavor delivery, thermostability, freeze/thaw stability and emulsion stability. These blends may also be used as a replacement ingredient for dairy solids, dairy proteins, eggs and fat along with gelatin. Vitex^® blends include natural options as well.

Gelatin free Vitex^® AYS stabilizers is the same great stabilizing system designed for creamy vat set lowfat and nonfat yogurts without the costly addition of gelatin. Vitex^® AYS produces a smooth and creamy yogurt with excellent sheen while helping our customers manage their raw material costs.

By working with producers to examine their specific needs and product formulas, Vitex^® AYS system, which features modified food starch and hydrocolloids, can potentially be a source of cost savings by replacing gelatin in their systems. Without affecting the flavor or texture of yogurt, consumers can get the same creamy product that they expect.

¹2011 HealthFocus^® Trend Report