DENVER — Leprino Nutrition, the dairy ingredients division of Leprino Foods Co., offers Native Micellar Casein Concentrate (MCC), a clean label emulsifier that serves as a replacement for sodium caseinate.

Made from Grade A skim milk without bleaching or the use of chemicals, the dry powder product has a neutral flavor and appealing color, the company said. It may be labeled as “microfiltered milk protein” and is suitable for use in a range of applications, including coffee creamer, processed cheese, whipped topping, baked foods and more.

Native MCC also allows for added protein in applications like ready-to-drink beverages. It is rich in calcium and supports the sustained release of amino acids with high leucine levels for muscle protein synthesis.

“Unlike other dairy protein sources with flavor off-notes of sulfur and cooked milk, it has a very neutral taste, and lets product formulators start off with a really clean palate for flavor development,” said B.T. Nauslar, vice president of Leprino Nutrition. “Perhaps the biggest advantage since it works so well as an emulsifier is you don’t need as much in many applications, which may result in lower ingredient costs.”