Ingredients How to Fortify Beverages With Calcium by Dr. Gerhard Gerstner Along with current developments of the overall functional foods market, the use of minerals and especially calcium salts is expected to exhibit strong growth rates. In contrary to other functional ingredients, calcium is widely known as being beneficial for human health and there is no need to explain its nutritional ad- vantages to the customer. According to Leatherhead International, future trends include growing consumer concern regarding osteoporosis and bone health, leading to increased sales of calcium salts. The con- observation is seen as being one of tinuous market growth drives mineral the main factors causing osteo- Common calium sources salt suppliers to offer not only one porosis 2 .As a consequence, national for beverage fortification product but rather a range of different authorities all over the world have calcium salts and granulations to be recently reconsidered recommend- Table 1 shows a typical range of able to tune them to industrial cus- ations in order to take remedial calcium fortified beverages which tomers’ applications. This article measures against calcium deficiency have been seen in European and US discusses important nutritional, and accordingly, to reduce the risk of supermarkets recently. Practically technological as well as economical osteoporosis. In this respect, the US every type of beverage such as aspects of calcium in beverages with National Institute of Health (NIH) has mineral water, soy milk, energy drink, a focus on our company’s products increased the amounts of optimal nectar or juice does have a fortified Tricalcium Citrate, Calcium Gluconate daily calcium intake and defined product line already. Looking at the and the new product development specific values for each population ingredients list, it is evident that there Calcium Lactate Gluconate. group 3. For example, calcium intake is not “the” calcium source but rather should be 1000 mg/day for adults (25- a range of different possibilities used Optimizing calcium intake 65 years of age) and as much as commercially: 1500 mg/day for seniors (older than ¾ inorganic salts like calcium Calcium is a key mineral in the human 65 years) or lactating women. carbonate and calcium phosphate body, necessary for normal growth Harmonization of R ecommended ¾ organic salts like tricalcium citrate, and development of the skeleton as Daily A llowances (RDA) is under calcium lactate, calcium lactate well as for teeth, nerve, muscle and discussion also on EU level right now gluconate and calcium gluconate. enzyme functions. As the body’ s and in this context, the Scientific calcium absorption capabilities Committee on Food just recently The selection of the appropriate salt reduce with age, it is vital for the recommended a higher RDA of 1000 for a specific application is usually ageing to have a sufficient calcium mg vs. the existing level of 800 mg based on the consideration of a intake. Calcium requirements vary calcium per day 4. number of properties associated with throughout an individual’s life and for the respective product such as different population groups. However, There are several options to avoid solubility , calcium content, taste and it is generally evident that a significant calcium deficiency by increasing the bioavailability . Economic consider- proportion of the population in daily calcium intake: A balanced diet ations are another important factor. Western countries fails to achieve the with calcium-rich foods like milk, dairy recommended calcium intakes. Poor products and certain vegetables Solubility vs. calcium dietary habits are seen to be respon- (broccoli, Chinese cabbage, leg- sible for this situation, especially if umes) would be the best solution. content consumption of fast food is domin- However, this would require a ating the daily menu. profound change in dietary habits of When fortifying beverages, solubility, western society. A further possibility dissolution characteristics and V arious studies showed that a sig- consists in taking calcium supplement stability of ingredients in solution are nificant proportion of the population products. A more elegant option is a major issue. There are calcium salts groups fails to achieve the calcium consuming “regular” food fortified with with good solubility like calcium glu- intakes in western countries 1. This calcium as an added value product. conate, calcium lactate, and calcium 16 Ingredients Table 1. Calcium-fortified clear, cloudy as well as instant beverages found in European and US supermarkets Products Calcium source added Serving size Calcium content Nutritional claim used (mL) (mg/L) on the product label 1. Clear beverages Still mineral water Calcium carbonate / 500 300 Source of calcium chloride / sulphate Near water drink Tricalcium citrate 500 240 With calcium Apple juice I Calcium lactate 125 800 Calcium enriched Apple juice II Calcium lactate gluconate 250 1200 With calcium Tangerine orange drink Tricalcium citrate 330 368 Plus minerals 2. Cloudy beverages Apricot nectar Calcium lactate 162 417 With calcium Tropical nectar Tricalcium citrate 200 500 - Soy milk I Calcium carbonate 250 1200 Added calcium Soy milk II Calcium citrate, 500 1200 With calcium calcium carbonate Fruit Juice Calcium lactate gluconate 240 417 Fortified with calcium Cranberry juice Calcium lactate gluconate 240 417 Fortified with calcium Grapefruit juice Tricalcium citrate 240 1458 Plus calcium Orange/tangerine juice Tricalcium phosphate, 240 1458 As much calcium as milk calcium lactate Orange juice I FruitCal® 240 1458 As much calcium as milk Orange juice II Tricalcium citrate 414 276 With added calcium Orange juice III Calcium lactate gluconate, 200 1600 Calcium+ tricalcium citrate 3. Instant beverages Instant tea drink Calcium lactate gluconate 100 1200 With calcium Beverage powder Calcium gluconate 113 ca. 3550 Fast absorbing calcium lactate gluconate but their drawback high concentrations of calcium (e.g. phate) that give insoluble salts with is a comparably low calcium content 1.5 g Ca/L) can be reached. calcium are present in the product. (Table 2). Calcium salts with a high Accordingly, tricalcium citrate still is Thus, although it is possible to add calcium content like calcium carbon- seen to be the main choice for fortified for example more calcium lactate ate and calcium phosphate, on the orange or grape juice. than tricalcium citrate to beverages, other hand, are poorly soluble and higher amounts of calcium in the for that reason not commonly used in Calcium lactate is provided as a product might be difficult to achieve beverages. pentahydrate, containing 13 % of without control of pH and addition of calcium. It shows good solubility chelating agents such as potassium Tricalcium citrate of fers a good properties and is therefore mainly citrate 1,5 . In some applications, combination: The commonly used used in clear beverages to achieve combinations of calcium lactate with tetrahydrate form shows a high the necessary levels for nutritional other calcium salts can also have a calcium level (21 %) and moderate claims on calcium. It is known that stabilizing effect. solubility (0.9 g/L). Solubility is using calcium lactate in high con- strongly influenced by the pH of the centrations may lead to adverse Although calcium gluconate displays system since the solubility of calcium effects in certain applications 1,5 . Due a good solubility, it is not used salts typically increases with to the fact that with higher soluble frequently in ready-to-drink bever- decreasing pH. Tricalcium citrate salts, more free calcium ions are in ages, especially due to its low shows improved solubility at pH- solution and available for reaction calcium content (9 %). However, its values below 4.5 as found in most than with lower soluble ones, neutral taste properties, good beverages. If calcium content is complications in the form of calcium dissolution speed at higher temper- referred to per beverage serving of sediments can develop with time. atures and low water content makes 330 or 500 mL, 15 % of RDA (120 mg This is the case, when components especially the anhydrous form a valid calcium) can easily be reached with (e.g. free protein, tartrate or phos- calcium source for instant prepar- tricalcium citrate also for acidic clear beverages. Contrary to other salts, Table 2. Important characteristics of common calcium sources used tricalcium citrate is better soluble at in the food industry low temperatures which can be an advantage for processing because it Product Ca Solubility Taste Calcium Content can be dissolved at low temperatures at 25°C (g/L) and shows low reactivity at high Calcium carbonate Insoluble Soapy, lemony 40 % temperatures. To further increase the Calcium phosphate Insoluble Sandy, bland 17 - 38 % solubility and ease of dispersion, we Tricalcium citrate 0.2 Tart, clean 2 1 % (4 H O) have developed a particularly fine 2 Calcium lactate 9.3 Bland 13 % (micronized) tricalcium citrate grade. (5 H 2O) With this special granulation of min. Calcium lactate 45 - 50 Neutral 10 - 13 % 90 % < 20 microns, it can be sus- gluconate pended in cloudy beverages and Calcium gluconate 3.5 Mild, neutral 9 % Food Marketing & Technology October 2003 17 Ingredients cium lactate gluconate and calcium gluconate are considered to be the most neutral calcium salts, as masking agents are not really necessary. Since the particle size and solubility are linked with mouthfeel properties, we have developed micronized grades for