CIDER
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VERONICA VEZZANI
R&D Enzymatic Formulation Specialist
PLANT-BASED BEVERAGES:
DISCOVER THE NEW AEB ENZYMES
Good, healthy and sustainable. Plant-based beverages are the protagonists of an extraordinary growth among consumers.
We have created a complete line-up of enzymes without preservatives and gmo-free: also ideal for organic beverages, the AEB enzymes allow you to achieve greater production efficiency without any compromise on quality.
Among the plant-based foods, standing out without a shadow of a doubt are plant-based beverages, that is, all those beverages that are so-called alternatives to milk. These drinks, once a niche product, are now widespread among consumers, as they make an important contribution in terms of sustainable nutrition. Plant and cereal-based beverages, in fact, have good nutritional value, good taste and many health benefits, as well as a reduced ecological footprint compared to conventional cow’s milk.
PRODUCTION AND SUSTAINABILITY
The production and consumption of plant-based beverages has a very close link with sustainability: the production processes, in fact, are on average much more sustainable than those that characterise milk of animal origin.
- 60%
Greenhouse gas emissions
Cow’s milk has a CO2 footprint triple that of plant-based milks.
- 140%
Water requirements
Compared to cow’s milk, the water requirement is equal to 12 times what is necessary for the production of a plant-based beverage.
+ Respect
of the territory
The production of plant-based beverages has less impact on deforestation and the exploitation of nature.
This means that the choice to consume plant-based alternatives is and will always be a good practice from the point of view of our environmental impact. This is combined with good nutritional value, good taste and many health benefits.
THE ROLE OF ENZYMES IN THE PRODUCTION OF PLANT-BASED BEVERAGES
The process of producing the various alternatives to milk is usually quite simple, and also quite similar for all types of products.
The basic ingredient, whether it is rice, oats, soy or another vegetal, is ground and mixed with water. The milling of the cereal makes it possible to obtain a very fine flour that is solubilised with extreme ease. Then we move on to the cooking of the mixture obtained: cooking determines an improvement in flavour, a lowering of the bacterial load and improved digestibility. Finally, the mixture is filtered to remove the fibre and everything that is not soluble, which otherwise would tend to settle on the bottom of the package.
Whatever the starting cereal, it is essential to use enzymes for the production of plant-based beverages. Without enzymes, the process would generally be much slower and absolutely less efficient.
Each enzyme has specific properties that benefit the entire production process.
+ DIGESTIBILITY
The use of α-amylase during cooking makes it possible to catalyse the hydrolysis of starch to obtain simpler and more digestible sugars, while reducing the viscosity of the compound.
+ NATURAL SWEETNESS
Amyloglucosidases make it possible to obtain maltose and to extract the natural sweetness from cereals by regulating the taste of the beverage.
+ STABILITY
Cellulase, hemicellulase and protease in the pre-filtration phase improve the process and stabilise the structure of the beverage, preventing the formation of suspensions once it is bottled.
Enzymes make it possible to work with faster times and greater efficiency allowing you to lower the costs of the process. This is because the manufacturer achieves greater results in less time. For example, thanks to the enzyme, it is possible to avoid operating with chemicals, and high temperatures are maintained but for a shorter time. Therefore, lower energy consumption and CO2 production.
From the co-design with our customers our 4 new enzymes are born:
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ENDOZYM Alphamyl PF NaCl
Highly concentrated product based on thermostable α-amylase in liquid form, whose use in the early stages of the process allows a rapid reduction in the viscosity of the mass of water and cereals, and at the same time, helps to create the natural sweetness of the beverages.
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ENDOZYM Proteasi NP
Preparation based on neutral protease that allows the partial degradation of polypeptide structures within plant-based beverages made from raw materials very rich in proteins, which could therefore cause the formation of aggregates and unwanted suspensions.
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ENDOZYM Cellofruit IF
The synergistic action of the cellulases and pectinases present in this product lead to the partial hydrolysis of fibre and complex carbohydrates, helping to stabilise the structure of the beverage at the colloidal level.
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ENDOZYM XLC
Xylanase and cellulase act on different, but very interconnected, structures. Hemicelluloses, in fact, are polysaccharides closely associated with cellulose that, if treated in a specific way, help not only to improve the stability of the drink, but also its digestibility, making it possible to make available and already partially hydrolyzed structures that would otherwise remain chained to the cellulose.
