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Yogurt, Drinkable Yogurt and Smoothies Fortified With Specialty Minerals Precipitated Calcium Carbonates (PCCs)

“Good for you and tastes good, too.” That sums up the appeal of the ever-changing menu of yoghurt and smoothie products on today’s store shelves. Though dairy products that deliver health benefits already dominate the global functional foods market, drinkable yogurts, yogurt, and milk-based smoothies and probiotics have continued to gain strength, even in the U.S. and other areas where yogurts were not part of the traditional diet.

Cultured dairy products have been reinvented since the functional food trend took off. Formulators are getting innovative—not just in convenient yogurt product and packaging forms, but also with flavors and fortifiers that give consumers more choices, thereby assuring a yogurt or smoothie to satisfy any member of the family. 

Yogurt's inherent contributions to intestinal health are well documented, but manufacturers are also bolstering nutritional value by fortifying the yogurt or smoothie product with added calcium. This is especially beneficial (if not essential) to consumers who choose to use the product as a meal replacement.


Calcium Carbonate For Fortifying Yogurt Products
Many of today’s yogurt products use calcium carbonate as their source of calcium. This is because manufacturers recognize its economy of use, high bioavailability, and high elemental calcium level—40 percent, which means a lower weight is needed to give the desired level of fortification.

Calcium carbonate can yield excellent results in yogurt and yogurt-based products that are stir-fermented in bulk. The calcium carbonate is added after fermentation is complete. Calcium carbonate is not recommended for yogurts that are fermented in the package, as a sustained pH of 3 to 4 is necessary for the process, and the presence of the calcium carbonate will raise the pH enough to stop the fermentation. As the pH increases, carbon dioxide gas is also released, which can cause swelling of the cup or doming of the top. Further, calcium carbonate is not recommended for yogurts that contain fruits, because the calcium can react with the fruit or other acidic ingredients, again generating carbon dioxide gas.


Specialty Minerals Precipitated Calcium Carbonates (PCCs) For Yogurts
Small-sized precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) allows the formulator to increase the yoghurt's calcium content without interfering with the product’s most important characteristics, including taste and mouth feel. Thinner, drinkable yogurts should use a smaller particle-sized PCC such as ViCALity Albafil® or CalEssence® 70 PCC (each of which is 0.7 micron in size) to maximize suspension of the fortifier. Maximum suspension will result from using the nano PCCs, Calofort® U EP USP or Multifex-MM® USP PCC, which are 0.07 micron in size.

The more custard-like formulations can use a medium particle-sized PCC such as ViCALity® Extra Light or Calopake® Extra Light PCC. These products are about 2 microns in size, and have an open, scalenohedral structure, which helps thicken the fluid.

The ViCALity® and CalEssence® PCC products, manufactured in the U.S., meet USP and Food Chemical Codex (FCC) requirements for calcium carbonate, and allow formulas to meet California Proposition 65. The Calofort®, Calopake® and Multifex-MM® PCC products are manufactured in the U.K., and meet BP, EP and EU Miscellaneous Food Regulations E170i. All are certified Kosher.

 

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