Beverage solutions made simple with TIC Gums

TIC Gums for beverage solutions address specific beverage formulating and processing needs. Its solution like Simplistic ingredient systems designed to help meet texture, stability, and nutrition goals. To make stabilizer selection even easier, the company has developed a handy guide to put the most popular product recommendations at fingertips. Its beverage product and application guide includes stabilizer recommendations, usage levels, and features for popular beverage categories—from creamy coffees and hot chocolates to smooth protein beverages and drinkable yogurts.

Beverage stabilizers can help processors increase viscosity, emulsify flavors and other oils, stabilize the protein, suspend particulates, and enhance mouthfeel. From on-trend beverages based on alternative dairy proteins to more traditional applications like instant beverages, beverage manufacturers face quite a few challenges when formulating a new product or reformulating an existing one.

In addition to understanding the functionality of the various ingredients used in any one beverage application, product developers must understand how those ingredients interact with each other and how those ingredients are affected by processing.

Beverage texture

Texture is an essential element of consumer acceptance of new product launches, and it often drives the preference of one beverage over another. For manufacturers, texture can be a powerful point of differentiation.

TIC said when introducing a new beverage into a marketplace where a beverage with a recognizable texture already exists, it is essential that the new product exhibit similar texture attributes or differentiated in a way that increases consumer acceptance. Hydrocolloids help formulators achieve that familiar texture or create an innovative, distinct, and stable product.

To have more effective communication during the product development process, TIC has compiled a set of lexicon terms called the Food Texture Terminology to standardize the way product texture is described. This allows its food scientists to deconstruct terms like “creamy” into individual texture attributes such as mouth coating, cohesiveness and mixes with saliva to determine the specific attributes most important to its customers. According to TIC, the goal is to make this complex process and turn it into something accessible and navigable.

Functions of gums and stabilizers in beverage applications are such as suspend particulates like protein, cocoa, and pulp; decrease awareness of particulates like mineral and vitamins; prevent separation and sedimentation; delay age gelation; increase viscosity; build mouthfeel; stabilize foam; improve process efficiency, and boost soluble dietary fiber levels.

Considerations when formulating beverages

Texture targets–Does this beverage need to mimic an existing beverage’s texture, or is texture being used as a point of product differentiation? Finding consensus on texture targets early in product development increases efficiency and reduces unexpected delays.

Viscosity requirements–What is the desired viscosity of the finished beverage? Some gums and ingredients can provide mouthfeel, stability, suspension, and even soluble dietary fiber while maintaining a low viscosity, while others can increase the formulation’s viscosity.
Protein content–Will the beverage contain protein? If so, what will be the source of the protein? Stability requirements can vary between dairy-based proteins and the many dairy alternatives that are entering the market.

Nutrition fortification–Aside from protein, will other insoluble ingredients like minerals or vitamins present in the formulation? Some gums can suspend insoluble and improve the drinking experience by reducing the awareness of particulates in the finished beverage. If one happens to be working with alternative proteins, TIC also offers ingredient systems that provide vegan protein fortification.

Sugar content–Will this be a reduced sugar or no sugar beverage? Ingredient systems can replace the texture and sweetness lost when sugar is reduced or removed from a beverage formulation.

Processing conditions–How will the beverage be manufactured? If it will be processed using UHT, HTST, or retort. If one is working on an instant beverage. TIC solutions offer the ability to withstand harsh processing conditions.

Desired label claims--Will the beverage carry label claims like organic or non-GMO? If the finished product doesn’t carry those claims now, is there the possibility that those claims could be adopted in the future? TIC offers a full line of USDA certified organic, and Non-GMO Project Verified gums and ingredient systems. It’s essential to identify the label claims that are important to a processor to help meet their goals.

Interactions with other ingredients–What other ingredients will be present in the formulation? Ingredients like fruit or vegetable juices can decrease the formulation’s pH, so gums or ingredient systems chosen must be stable under those conditions.

Based in Belcamp, USA, TIC Gums offers solutions from its broad portfolio of ingredients that includes gums, starches, sweeteners, and plant proteins for basic texture attribute mapping and functional stabilization.