Whey protein hydrolysates (WHP) consist of powder proteins derived from whey, a liquid by-product of cheese production. They are commonly used as dietary supplements due to their healthy properties as well as their positive effects on muscle growth. However, the high content of hydrophobic peptides confers them a bitter taste.

In order to circumvent this problem, Pattarin Leksrisompong, North Carolina State University, USA, and colleagues evaluated the efficacy of different bitter taste inhibitors on WHP endowed with different levels of hydrolysis. The researchers demonstrated that the most effective compounds able to counteract WHP bitterness were fructose, sucrose, sucralose, monosodium glutamate, sodium gluconate, sodium acetate, adenosine 5’ monophosphate, and adenosine 5’ monophosphate disodium. Salts and nucleotides also decreased WHP’s bitter taste but they either affected other desired flavors or augmented their own.

• Bitter taste inhibiting agents for whey protein hydrolysate and whey protein hydrolysate beverages,
  P. Leksrisompong, P. Gerard, K. Lopetcharat, M. Drake,
  J. Food Sci. 2012, 77 (8), S282–S287.
  DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2012.02800.x