Whey or skimmed milk powder added to fortified blended foods
What it found
Adding whey or skimmed milk powder to fortified blended foods may improve weight gain, growth and recovery from malnutrition, but this is not yet confirmed.
Evidence in vulnerable groups is lacking.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Immune system and muscle
Bioactive factors in whey might help the immune system and muscle synthesis. Evidence from vulnerable groups is lacking.
Studies in people and animals
Growth and recovery
Adding milk could improve weight gain, linear growth and recovery from malnutrition. The authors say this still needs to be confirmed.
Other findings
Protein quality
Adding whey or skimmed milk powder to fortified blended foods improves the protein quality. This means less total protein is needed, which could have metabolic advantages.
Less soy and cereal
Adding milk powder means less soy and cereal are needed in the mix. This reduces the potential antinutrients from those ingredients.
Flavour and acceptability
Milk proteins improve flavour. This matters for whether vulnerable groups accept the food.
Cost
The most important disadvantage is a considerable increase in price. Adding 10-15% milk powder would double the price, so such a product should be used only in well-defined vulnerable groups with special needs.
What the authors conclude
“The potential beneficial effects of adding milk protein and lack of evidence in vulnerable groups call for randomized intervention studies.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say the potential beneficial effects of adding milk protein and the lack of evidence in vulnerable groups call for randomized intervention studies.
- They advise that a product with added milk powder should be used only in well-defined vulnerable groups with special needs.
How it was done
Fortified blended foods are used as food aid for millions of people, especially malnourished individuals and vulnerable groups. There are only a few studies on how these foods affect health, and the possible negative effects of antinutrients have not been examined.
The authors reviewed evidence on adding whey or skimmed milk powder to fortified blended foods for malnourished infants and young children, and for people living with HIV or AIDS.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- The review found only a few studies looking at how fortified blended foods affect health outcomes.
- The possible benefits for weight gain, growth and recovery from malnutrition have not been confirmed.
- Evidence on bioactive factors in whey and their effects on the immune system and muscle synthesis in vulnerable groups is lacking.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- University of Copenhagen, Denmark
The paper
- Title
- The use of whey or skimmed milk powder in fortified blended foods for vulnerable groups
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Hoppe C, Andersen GS, Jacobsen S, et al (2008). The use of whey or skimmed milk powder in fortified blended foods for vulnerable groups. The Journal of nutrition. doi:10.1093/jn/138.1.145SPubMed 18156417DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error