Innovative dairy products by extrusion

The demand for high-protein and nutritious food products is rising as consumers pursue healthier lifestyles. The extrusion of milk proteins holds untapped innovative potential, ranging from high-protein dairy products to versatile and functional dairy based ingredients. The exploration of new product categories offers promising opportunities for growth and improved consumer satisfaction. Despite its potential, limited studies have explored extrusion technology to produce dairy products. This work aims to outline the technical aspects and underlying mechanisms of the extrusion process of milk proteins, focusing on how their physicochemical properties are modified during extrusion. The existing literature on the extrusion of milk proteins will be presented and analyzed, highlighting knowledge generated and potential applications, including the combination of milk proteins and carbohydrates, to develop innovative dairy products. Extrusion technology enables the production of innovative protein-rich extruded products and functional ingredients. The extrusion of casein-based material enables the production of novel anisotropic fibrous cheese structures with enhanced functionality. Extruded whey proteins demonstrated valuable properties, serving as a beneficial nutritional ingredient in puffed snack products. Micro-particulates formed by extrusion have the potential to mimic fat globules, thereby enhancing texture in low-fat food applications. Finally, co-extruding milk protein concentrates with plant materials can improve the nutritional profile and affordability of innovative products. Novel extrusion technologies and versatility of the extrusion process for milk proteins present unexplored opportunities for developing innovative, affordable and nutritionally appealing dairy products and ingredients. • Extrusion of milk proteins offer new routes for producing innovative dairy products. • Extrusion of caseins enables anisotropic fibrous cheese structures with enhanced functionality. • Extruded whey proteins mimic fat globules, improving texture in low-fat food applications. • Extrusion of milk proteins with plant ingredients can boost diversity, affordability and nutrition. • Novel technologies for extrusion of milk proteins offer prospects for innovative dairy products.