Body of evidence builds around WPI and WPC

Whey protein should play a more significant role in weight management products in the future, both as an appetite suppressant and a means of improving body composition, according to leading scientists attending WheyVolution.Dr Harvey Anderson, who has gained an international reputation for his work on the glycaemic index at the University of Toronto, said he was very impressed by the ability of intact whey proteins (taken before meals) to reduce blood glucose response after meals.

Whey protein had also proved more satiating than pea protein, soy protein or casein, but was not as effective as casein at reducing overall food intake in short-term feeding studies.

Separately, obese adults taking 55g of whey protein a day in a six-month study at the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Centre in the US, demonstrated statistically significant reductions in body mass, waist circumference and appetite compared to the control. However, more work was needed to determine the mechanism of action, said researchers.

More work was also needed to connect whey with weight management in consumers' minds, said marketing experts.

Kellogg, which launched a range of products under the Special K brand in 2006 including K20 'protein water' made with whey protein isolate (WPI), admitted that some people initially struggled with the concept. Senior food technologist Dr Rick Flaget said: "It was difficult to market because protein is not something we are necessarily deficient in, and some people still see it as mainly for bodybuilding."

The decision to relaunch K20 in 2007 with added fibre was less an admission of failure than a recognition that many other satiety products were now sold on the basis of a combination of fibres and protein, he insisted. "We went on to launch Special K20 powder that you can add to your own drinks, and that's been very successful. I'd like to think this concept has legs well beyond the US market."

Special K20 was priced above other 'functional' waters, which was hard for some retailers to grasp at first, he admitted. "They would say: 'I thought whey was just a cheap by-product'."

Mark Neville at leading whey protein supplier Volac, said: "I think the body composition message might be less faddy than satiety. It's not just about standing on the scales and seeing you've lost a few pounds, but looking in the mirror and seeing that your body has changed. It's about long-term balanced nutrition. What we need is more mass market players to put their weight behind whey protein.

"I'm not sure whether this is going to be from niche or sports nutrition brands branching out or the big energy drinks brands moving into this space."