Global food company DuPont Nutrition & Health has collaborated with a Danish hospital and ice cream manufacturer to develop products for patients at risk of undernourishment.

DuPont has introduced its new range of high-protein, high-fibre frozen sherbets, which targets patients with lower appetites and an impaired sense of taste or swallowing difficulties.

The company claimed that its product was well received by the hospital patients.

"It is a natural part of our work to discuss ice cream recipes and necessary adjustments for production on a specific line.”

The new ice cream range is claimed to be ready for production by Aabybro Dairy, a Danish manufacturer of specialty ice cream.

DuPont application specialist Mads Wiene said: “Patients with a small appetite often struggle to eat a whole portion of the high-protein, high-calorie products currently on the market. Our goal was to develop a nutritious, fresh-tasting snack product that could be given to patients on demand.

“We work with ice cream producers everyday, so it is a natural part of our work to discuss ice cream recipes and necessary adjustments for production on a specific line.”

After developing the concept with the hospital’s research and development team and carrying out an initial likeability survey among patients, DuPont approached Aabybro Dairy to produce it on a larger scale.

Aabybro Dairy owner Niels Henrik Lindhardt said: “We had previously worked with Aalborg University Hospital to develop ice cream for patients with small appetites. So, when DuPont came with this concept, it was very attractive for us, especially as we know there are customers ready to buy it.”

DuPont initiated work on this project to develop appealing and easy-to-serve alternatives in cooperation with the nutrition R&D department at Aalborg University Hospital in Denmark.