01 December 2004

New Zealand dairy company Fonterra has exhibited its commitment to production of the diary protein lactoferrin with the opening of its USD$15 million lactoferrin processing plant.

The Waikato plant features leading milk protein fractionation technology that will be used to extract lactoferrin, a high value milk component that is considered to have an important role in boosting the body’s immune system.

“Lactoferrin will be to the dairy industry, what aspirin has been to the pharmaceutical industry,” says Patrick Geals, Fonterra’s head of health and nutrition. “Research shows that it is the body’s first line of defense against infections, it boosts the immune system and may have properties in the treatment of some tumors.”

Lactoferrin research and development is a small but growing part of the global dairy bioactives market over the last ten years. Since 1992, six major global conferences have explored the biological function and the market potential of lactoferrin.

At last month’s World Dairy Summit in Melbourne, Australia, lactoferrin’s potential role in combating osteoporosis was presented by the Auckland based Osteoporosis Research Group. The group found that lactoferrin not only inhibits bone breakdown but boosts bone growth four times faster than normal when injected directly into bone cells.

The processing plant’s opening is a signal of Fonterra’s intent to move towards producing more value-added products.

“We will be able to use this technology to extract other target protein fractions or bioactives,” says Rob Boswell, Fonterra project manager. “The facility provides a pipeline for future value-add, innovative specialty milk products and the commercialization of these.”

Tatua (NZ) is another local dairy company that produces lactoferrin and has exported the product for incorporation into infant formula for the Asian market.

For more information:
www.fonterra.com
www.tatua.com