Compositions comprising whey protein and Gum Arabic

A heat-treated aqueous liquid composition comprising:

• water,
• at least 8.0% by weight of whey protein,
• at least 2.0% by weight of Gum Arabic, and
• 0.10% to 1.00% by weight of native starch,
• wherein the pH is of from 6.5-7.5,
• wherein the composition has a viscosity of lower than 500 mPa·s at 10° C. and at 1290 s−1,
• wherein the weight ratio GA/WP between Gum Arabic and whey protein is higher than 0.25 and lower than 1.00,
• wherein the whey protein is at least partly solubilized in the water, optionally in the form of at least a partially solubilized complex, and wherein the whey protein is not aggregated, and
• wherein the heat-treated aqueous composition is obtained by a process comprising the steps of:
• a) preparing an aqueous mixture comprising the water, the whey protein and the Gum Arabic, wherein the whey protein is a whey protein concentrate, a whey protein isolate or a mixture thereof, wherein the whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate or mixture thereof consists of the whey protein, and
• b) heat-treating the aqueous mixture at a temperature of at least 70° C.