Immunity Boosting UHT Beverages and Ready to Eat Products Having Heat-Stable Colostrum

Bovine colostrum, a highly nutritious food has high concentration of immunoglobulins, antimicrobials lactoferrin, lysozyme, lactoperoxidase, growth factors and other bioactive components. Immunoglobulins, a major immune fraction, are natural antibodies which boost immunity against a wide range of bacterial and viral infections. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) constitutes about 80 to 90 percent of immunoglobulins in bovine colostrum. Thermal treatment of colostrum causes a significant loss in the immunity boosting property of IgG due to its denaturation. A novel technology has been developed to protect immunoglobulin G (IgG) against heat, thereby enabling retention of about 65 to >90 percent of its bioactivity in dairy and related products after heat processing.

The patented technology uses powder formulations having “heat stable” colostrum. These are reconstituted in water for the manufacture of bioactive “Ready to drink” (RTD) UHT (long life) beverages and “Ready to eat” (RTE) products on a commercial scale. The powders can be used with other naturally occurring bioactive ingredients to get additional health benefits. The long-life beverages do not have added preservatives, have a shelf life of 3 to 9 months under ambient conditions. These can be made with different flavours and enjoyed by both adults and children.

The technology employs low-cost heat processing which can be used by manufactures of dairy products and beverage / juice manufacturers, including small scale manufacturers. 

The inventor of this technology would like to collaborate with manufacturers of dairy products / beverages / juices/ nutritional supplements and license the technology for manufacturing immunity boosting products.

IgG is a heat sensitive protein. On heating reconstituted colostrum at a temperature of 85-90°C / 15 sec, <15% of the original bioactivity of IgG is retained. A novel technology developed recently enables retention of about 65 to >90 per cent of its original bioactivity after heating reconstituted colostrum at 63-140 °C. The technology uses unique powder formulations having “heat-  stable” colostrum powder which besides IgG has other bioactive components like lactoferrin, lysozyme, etc. The powders offer advantages of ease of handling, uniformity of composition, thus avoiding difficulties in handling day to day variation in handling liquid colostrum. Moreover, powder can be transported over long distances and used for making bioactive products at the point of manufacture. The commercial manufacture of immunity boosting RTD UHT beverages and RTE products involves reconstitution of powder in water, hydration, acidification and heating at 63-140°C. For RTE products like ice cream, instant desserts acidification / heating is not required. Conventional thermal processing which is low in capital cost and equipment is used which is much more economical than other non-thermal technologies. 

The commercial products currently available in the form of powder or tablets as nutritional supplements contain colostrum powder which can be used for domestic consumption only after reconstitution in water. The immunity boosting RTD and RTE products are convenient to use, have a greater consumer appeal and can be made with different flavours. Moreover, RTD UHT beverages have a shelf life of 3 to 9 months under ambient conditions.

The technology can be used in the following areas:

• For incorporating bioactive IgG and other bioactive components like lactoferrin, lysozyme, etc. in the commercial manufacture of RTD UHT acidified beverages, UHT drinking yoghurt, UHT juices, carbonated drinks and “drinking yoghurt with live organisms”, etc. and RTE products like probiotic set / stirred yoghurt, frozen yoghurt, long life yoghurt, sorbet, sherbet, water ices, hard or soft ice cream, instant desserts, juice milk spread, flans, cheese and related products.
• RTD UHT beverages have a pleasant taste, negligible fat and high protein content, no added preservatives, have a shelf life of 6-9 months under ambient conditions.
• RTD and RTE products can boost overall immunity against pathogens, prevent upper respiratory infection and diarrhoea in adults and children, boost athlete’s immunity and prevent gut permeability during extreme physical workout and training and help in reduction of stress.
• The formulations can be used with other natural bioactive ingredients that promote brain health, gut health or have anti-inflammatory properties like Manuka honey.
• Hot coffee / tea, drinking chocolate can be enriched with bioactive IgG and other bioactive components by adding “heat stable” colostrum powder.  
• Powder formulations can be incorporated into pharmaceutical, health or medicinal products

• There is a great need for food products that can promote immune health against deadly bacteria and viruses like Covid19. This technology presents a unique opportunity to the manufacturers of dairy products, beverages, juices or health / nutritional supplements to manufacture and market immunity boosting RTD UHT beverages and RTE products that are enriched with IgG, lactoferrin, lysozyme and other bioactive components that are derived from “heat stable” colostrum.
• Small or medium scale manufacturers can beneficially use this technology as conventional thermal processing which is low in capital cost and equipment is used and this is much more economical than other non-thermal technologies
• Immunity boosting dairy and related products are value added premium products and can yield profitable returns to the manufacturers.
• The technology offers significant logistical advantage and flexibility as powder can be easily transported over long distances to a specific site for the manufacture of bioactive RTD and RTE products.