Protein Enriched Refreshing Beverages

In the last decade an increasing interest in novel alcohol free refreshing beverages was to observe, e.g. energy and sport drinks. From the consumers point of view a focus was laid on the occurrence of healthy, valuable and natural ingredients. The growing proportion of health-conscious, vegan living or lactose-intolerant people provoked an industrial response and promoted establishing of products enriched with ingredients and protein of plant origin. In doing so, the demand on drinks exhibiting simultaneously refreshing character isn’t funded today by far. One significant drawback in the context is the insolubility of proteins in a low pH environment.

The use of germinated and proteinase rich sweet lupines and enzyme rich fruit and vegetable juices in combination with a dual stage fermentation shall foster proteolysis to improve the solubility in the acidic range paralleled by a significant removal of anti-nutritive ingredients as phytic acid and flatulence causing oligosaccharides. This is to be aimed not only by lupine and fruit enzymes but also by the metabolism of lactic acid bacteria in the second stage of fermentation.

The final goal is the development of a novel and economic process allowing the production of a plant borne protein rich refreshing beverage prototype, to be provided industrial partners for offering a new product category. The use of domestic and not genetically engineered lupine seed meets the aspect of sustainability.