Case02

NIKKEN used vacuum drum drying (VDD) technology to powderize oat milk, nicknamed the "third milk" in Japan, as its development followed cow's milk and the earlier plant-based soy milk. The oat milk concentration can be adjusted to suit by modifying the amount of powder added and can also be used to make a thick latte.[Product: oat milk powder(powder)]

Oat milk featuring adjustable concentrations Oat milk featuring adjustable concentrations

Challenge
Developing a tastier and more versatile crowd-pleasing oat milk!

Oat milk is particularly popular in Western countries an alternative to cow's milk and soy milk. This food ingredient has gained interest with increased awareness of allergen-free, vegan, and plant-based options. However, it lacks the richness and thickness of cow's milk. This results in, for example, an increasingly thinner latte as more oat milk is added, despite a desire for the opposite effect. The NIKKEN R&D team embraced the challenge of creating a tastier, more versatile oat milk.

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    *Images are for illustrative purposes

R&D
Newly implemented VDD locks in natural sweetness and pure creaminess in powder form

The research team selected a concentrated, enzymatically saccharified oat milk powder as the raw material. Nikken's expertise pointed to inclusion of VDD technology in the production process. VDD-based powderization enabled low-temperature drying and an excipient-free flavor retention of oat milk in powder form.

Results
Success! An oat milk powder that produces thick oat milk lattes!

The finely tuned process yielded NIKKEN's oat milk powder. Developed under vacuum-based conditions, the powder has excellent solubility in addition to its great flavor. It also provides a richness and thickness lacking in the liquid form. Use of oat milk powder enabled creation of a thick oat milk latte. Adding a small quantity of oat milk powder to liquid products adds the perfect amount of richness. The powder can also be kneaded into cookie and bread dough for enhanced texture.

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    *Images are for illustrative purposes

Nikken offers contract processing services leveraging our extraction, concentration, drying, and blending technologies plus our production equipment, covering products ranging from extract and powdered flavor blends to OEM-based functional ingredients. We welcome orders, inquiries, and proposals.

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