November 4/Food Business Week -- According to recent research published in the journal Food and Bioprocess Technology, "The production of a beverage from whey butter cheese (WBC) and acerola juice (AJ) presents good commercialization potential, uniting the benefits provided by the former with those of latter, including the ingestion of essential amino acids and increasing the vitamin C content, resulting in a product of differentiated nutritive value. Three beverage formulations were developed: B-1 (50% WBC-50% AJ v/v), B-2 (70% WBC-30% AJ, v/v), and B-3 (30% WBC-70% AJ, v/v)."

"Lower protein and carbohydrate values were found for the formulations with less whey (p < 0.05). All the beverages presented an energy value below those declared for dairy beverages commercialized on the Brazilian market," wrote A.G. Cruz and colleagues, Campinas State University.

The researchers concluded, "The beverages B-1 and B-2 were considered food products that were sources of vitamin C. B-2 presented significant variations for all the sensory attributes evaluated (p < 0.05), although the results were similar to those obtained for B-1, suggesting the commercialization potential of these formulations."

Cruz and colleagues published their study in Food and Bioprocess Technology ["Milk Drink Using Whey Butter Cheese (Queijo manteiga) and Acerola Juice as a Potential Source of Vitamin C"]. Food and Bioprocess Technology, 2009;2(4):368-373).

For additional information, contact A.G. Cruz, Campinas State University, Dept. of Food Technology, Faculty Food Engineering, Rua Monteiro Lobato 80, Cidade University Zeferino Vaz 1, BR-13083862 Campinas, SP, Brazil.

From the November 9, 2009, Prepared Foods E-dition