Specialized food products with immunomodulatory properties: basic component formulation

Introduction. It is generally recognized that an adequate supply of protein with high nutritional and biological value is the most important nutritional factor necessary for maintaining the human immune system. The goal of the research is to develop a composition of a dry mix of whey protein concentrate (WPC), demineralized whey with a demineralization degree of 40% (DS40), and vitamin-enriched water for the creation of specialized multi-purpose food products. The objects and methods of the research. The state of dispersed systems was assessed visually, taste and odor - organoleptically. Foam stability was determined in seconds as the time for the foam volume to decrease by 50 %. The volume of entrapped air and the foam stability coefficient were calculated. Active acidity was measured, and density and relative viscosity were determined. The results and discussion. With the selected ratio of ingredients after their dissolution in water, the active acidity of the dispersions did not differ significantly between the formulation variants and did not depend on the dissolution temperature. The density of the samples increased with an increase in the proportion of WPC and a decrease in the amount of DS40. The proteins forming the colloidal phase had the greatest effect on the viscosity of the samples. It was found that foam stability and its stability coefficient increased with increasing WPC content in the studied mixture. Based on the combined organoleptic and physicochemical parameters, as well as taking into account the higher protein content, a base formula containing 20 g of WPC, 10 g of DS40, and 70 g of water was deemed optimal. The addition of vitamins to the formula only affected the taste; a slight sourness appeared, which lingered in the aftertaste, slightly lowering the overall perception score. Conclusion: The macronutrient composition of a vitamin-enriched dry mix of WPC and DS40 was substantiated for the creation of specialized multi-purpose food products, which can be used, among other things, to enhance the body immune response.