Fortifying the future of plant-based beverages
As global demand for non-dairy drinks continues to rise, food scientists and manufacturers face a recurring challenge: fortifying these beverages with calcium—essential for bone health—without compromising stability, texture, flavor, or shelf life. Different calcium salts offer distinct properties, but not all perform equally well in suspension after processing.
Omya recently conducted a study comparing the stability of non-soluble calcium salts in almond drink, including our own Omya Calcipur® 90-KP. This product was selected from our portfolio based on earlier data showing slower sedimentation and faster resuspension, Omya Calcipur 90-KP is derived from marble and features a fine D50 particle size of approximately 3 microns—an important factor contributing to its performance in suspension.
A head-to-head comparison under real conditions
The study used almond drink formulations without stabilizers, aligning with the clean-label trend that represents about 30% of new product launches over the past five years. The absence of stabilizers allowed for a more straightforward comparison, eliminating variables that could differently affect the stability of each calcium salt due to chemical and physical interactions. The effects of stabilizers will be explored in a future study.
The current trial compared:
A control sample (almond drink without calcium fortification)
Almond drink fortified with precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC)
Almond drink fortified with tricalcium phosphate (TCP)
Almond drink fortified with Omya’s Calcipur 90-KP (calcium carbonate)
Commercial almond drink fortified with calcium carbonate
Non-fortified UHT cow milk
All products were processed using a full pilot-scale UHT line, including homogenization, ultra-high-temperature treatment, and a clean-fill station—mirroring commercial production. Calcium carbonate is the most commonly used calcium salt for fortification, accounting for over 50% of fortified product launches since 2020. Tricalcium phosphate, the second most common, appears in 20% of products launched in the past five years.
To evaluate suspension stability, the team used Turbiscan technology to measure the Turbiscan Stability Index (TSI), with each measurement performed twice for reliability. TSI increases over time after pouring the drink. Stability was measured over two hours to simulate the time a drink might remain in a glass after shaking and pouring.
Omya Calcipur 90-KP matches - alternatives
All calcium salts exhibited TSI values below 2.5, indicating excellent stability according to the Turbiscan manufacturer¹. Additonally, all results fell within the range typically observed for UHT cow’s milk, which is unfortified and known for its stability.
The findings showed that Omya’s Calcipur 90-KP performed on par with alternative options, confirming its suitability for non-dairy applications. Across all calcium-fortified formulations, TSI values were comparable and aligned with ranges reported in previous peer-reviewed studies². This demonstrates that none of the calcium salts compromised stability, even in the absence of stabilizers.
