Milk protein concentrate processing and texture changes in high-protein bars
What it found
Bars made with extruded milk protein concentrate stayed softer during storage than those using toasted or unmodified versions.
This was tested in lab-made model bars, not in people.
What they found
Hardening during storage
Bars made with extruded milk protein concentrate became hard more slowly than bars made with toasted or unmodified concentrate.
Sulfhydryl group changes
Extruding the concentrate lowered the number of exposed free sulfhydryl groups. Toasting it raised those levels instead.
Protein clumping patterns
Researchers used a gel method to look at protein clumps caused by processing and storage. Changes in disulfide bonds and sulfhydryl groups did not reliably match up with how the bar textures changed.
Ingredient separation
Under a microscope, bars made with extruded concentrate showed less separation of ingredients. These bars also went through fewer texture changes during storage compared to the other versions.
What the authors conclude
- They suggest that extruding milk protein concentrate helps keep high-protein bars softer during storage.
- Their results show that fewer exposed sulfhydryl groups may be linked to better bar texture, though the relationship is not always consistent.
How it was done
Milk protein concentrates containing over 80% protein are rarely used as the main ingredient in snack bars because they make them crumbly and hard over time. The researchers wanted to see if physically altering the protein could prevent these texture problems.
The researchers made model high-protein bars using unmodified milk protein concentrate alongside versions that had been extruded or toasted. They tracked how the bars changed in firmness and internal structure while being stored.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This work looked at physical changes in lab-made bars rather than effects on the human body. It cannot show what happens when people eat these bars.
The paper
- Title
- Microstructural Changes in High-Protein Nutrition Bars Formulated with Extruded or Toasted Milk Protein Concentrate
- Type
- Study
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Banach JC, Clark S, Lamsal BP (2016). Microstructural Changes in High-Protein Nutrition Bars Formulated with Extruded or Toasted Milk Protein Concentrate. Journal of food science. doi:10.1111/1750-3841.13198PubMed 26748454DOI
Summary written 1 Oct 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error