Value Added Whey Based Geriatric Health Drink

A study was undertaken to prepare geriatric health drink from whey utilizing different types of sugars, isabgol, carrot juice and different stabilizers like CMC and sodium alginate. The calorie content, protein and total carbohydrate levelswere fixed at 70 KCal, 3% and 12% respectively per 100ml while themineral profiles viz. Ca, P,K, Fe and Zn were adjusted to 67mg, 135mg, 335 mg, 4mg and 3mg respectively per 100ml. One multivitamin capsule was proposed to be added per 600ml to make the prepared health drink biochemically, physiologically and nutritionally adequate for the elderly people. As elderly people have reduced activity of protein hydrolyzing enzyme,there is a need to provide nutritionally adequate and prehydrolyzed protein. So, the whey protein in this formulation was hydrolyzed enzymatically to improve its digestibility. The nutritional potential of whey protein was reported to be high as it had shown as excellent protein efficiency ratio (3.6), high biological value (104) and easy digestibility. Maltodextrin beinga complex sugar though suitable for elderly people could not be used more than 2:5 proportion to sucrose, from palatable point of view, mainly because of the low sweetness of maltodextrin (20DE) compared to sucrose. The variation in viscosity and the sensory scores for all the sensory characteristics in colour and appearance, flavour, body andtexture (mouth feel) and overall acceptability are highly significant (pd”0.01) among the types of stabilizers. One bottle of such health drink consisting of 300ml would provide 210 Kcalmay be given to the elderly in the morning and evening.