Sipping on New Beverage Ideas
June 13, 2011
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by Donald E. Pszczola
Fruit-flavored frozen coconut water. Stevia-sweetened drinks. New color emulsions for enhanced water applications. And a tropical beverage made with a transparent soy protein. These are just a few of the innovative prototypes found at IFT Food Expo that might be of special interest to beverage formulators.
Let’s sip for a moment on some of these beverage concepts:
Tropical flavored coconut water ices are available (for sipping or slurping) from David Michael & Co., Booth 5217. Using coconut water as a frozen treat base offers consumers a refreshing healthy alternative without compromising taste. As you sample these drinks, cookies made with a partial cocoa replacer are provided as well.
- Beverage prototypes feature a number of innovative solutions from National Starch/Corn Products, Booth 6839. For example, a fortified, citrus-flavored vitamin water is crystal clear because of a Q-Naturale encapsulating system. The beverage is sweetened with Enliten A stevia and fortified with Aquamin® calcified mineral source and Nutriose soluble fiber. Other prototypes include sweet tea and raspberry powder beverages sweetened with Enliten A and fortified with Aquamin, Nutraflora prebiotic fiber, and Purimune high-purity GOS for digestive, immune, and bone health.
- A number of natural flavor distillates, part of the Treattarome™ line from Treatt, Booth 7213, are showcased in beverage prototypes. Visitors can sample the latest additions to this range of sweet and savory flavor ingredients. These include, honey, ginger, mango, spearmint, green tea, and habanero pepper. Clear and entirely water soluble, these products are suitable for applications including beverages, alcoholic drinks, juices, and dairy formulations.
- A tropical beverage, Orange Mango Protein Cooler, is made with Clarisoy, an isolated soy protein product that is 100% soluble, transparent, and very low in viscosity. Use of this protein allows for the production of transparent, protein-fortified beverages such as juices, soft drinks, and sport drinks in the low pH range. Recently, ADM, Booth 6539, entered into a license agreement with Burcon NutraScience Corp. for the worldwide production, distribution, and sale of the soy protein.
Idyllic beverage prototypes can be enjoyed in a park-like setting at Virginia Dare, Booth 6130. These prototypes include a fortified smoothie made with masking flavors and natural fruit flavors; refreshing iced teas made from tea concentrates (black, green, Assam, oolong, and white, as well as Rooibos); a beverage highlighting vanilla’s delicate aromatics and complex, full-bodied flavor profile; and a lightly flavored spa-type drink.
- A “Symrise Happy Hour,” features Mixologist Junior Merino, who will concoct special cocktails—the kind of creations that have crowned him as “the liquid chef.” The event is held by Symrise Inc., Booth 5015, on Sunday and Monday, from 2–4 p.m. Also, the company will showcase its new line of tropical fruit flavors—mango, guava, papaya, pineapple, lychee, passionfruit, pomegranate, and coconut water fruit flavors.
- Natural water-soluble colors for beverages can be created without opacity. The clear color emulsions are developed by Wild Flavors, Booth 6813, using new delivery systems. They have bright appealing color and can be made in a variety of shades without imparting a negative taste to the end product. The emulsions also have a high stability over shear forces and phase separation such as ringing or sedimentation, and are heat and light stable. They not only provide bright natural color in enhanced water applications, but can be easily incorporated into most beverages and other products.
- Reduced-calorie solutions, TasteWise, optimize the balance between taste and mouthfeel in beverages. The solutions are developed by Cargill, Booth 6039, based on a new approach using “tribology” (the science and technology of interacting surfaces in relative motion). Attendees are able to take the TasteWise challenge to see if they can tell which lemon-lime soda is zero calorie.
- The wellness benefits of whey protein are infused in a variety of beverage concepts demonstrated by Hilmar Ingredients, Booth 4942. Prototypes include a clear, high-protein sports drink, a whey-protein-fortified tropical fruit and veggie smoothie, a low-fat chai spice protein shake, and a chocolate dairy drink designed for markets where a lack of refrigeration and supply infrastructure limit fresh dairy. Working on healthy beverages? This may be the booth for you.
- Sip on a refreshing, effervescent pomegranate beverage at Grain Processing Corp., Booth 7239. The prototype is made with Maltrin® maltodextrins for building body and mouthfeel while adding a clean-tasting, non-sweet energy source into beverages.
- A “Happy Hour” is held daily from 3–5 p.m. by GNT USA, Booth 7039. Frozen cocktails, such as rum punches, are served, made from fruit juice concentrates. Also virgin frozen mocktails are available throughout the day. Learn more about the company’s fruit-derived natural colors and fruit and vegetable extracts.
