• Applications

  Fruit / Juice Drinks

  Carbonated Beverages

  Acidified / Fermented /
  Low pH Drinks

  Neutral pH Drinks

  Powdered Drink Mixes

  Coffee Beverages

  Tea / Energy / Sports Drinks

  Concentrates / Syrups

  Alcohol / Spirits

• Products

  KELTROL^® Xanthan Gum

  GENU^® Pectin

  KELCOGEL^® Gellan Gum

  GENU^® Carrageenan

  CEKOL^® Cellulose Gum

  SIMPLESSE^® Microparticulated Whey Protein Concentrate

Beverages

Carbonated Beverages

Recently, Carbonated Soft Drinks (CSDs) have been targeted for contributing to rising obesity rates due to their high sugar and calorie content. This is driving manufacturers to launch healthier sugar- and calorie-free varieties as well as reduced carbohydrate and low calorie versions.

Formulating products with fruit juice, or without artificial flavours or colours, has also been used to give a healthier image to CSDs, and allow products to better compete with more dynamic beverages such as energy drinks, fortified waters and juices. Organic and All Natural formulations remain niche but with growth potential, given increased consumer interest in organic products.

Companies are reinventing ‘soda’ into ‘new age carbonated beverages’ by creating versions that are unique, healthy and nutritious.

A Market Ripe for New Product Developments…and Hydrocolloids

Mouthfeel is often described as the ‘weight,’ ‘body’ or ‘substance’ that a beverage has when being consumed. Recent experimental evidence with non-carbonated products has shown this mouthfeel can come from two complimentary properties of a hydrocolloid. One of those is the increase in density that comes from using a gum like GENU^® pectin. Typical use levels of 0.2% confer a small but important increase in density that enhances body.

A second method to build body in a beverage is to increase the viscosity with an efficient thickener like KELTROL^® Xanthan Gum or CEKOL^® Cellulose Gum.The use level is even lower in this case, having minimal effect on density. But an increase in viscosity of even 2 mPa*s (cP) can be noticed and contributes to improved mouthfeel. Of course, combinations of gums can be used to tailor the body of the beverage to exact requirements.

CP Kelco specialty hydrocolloids can be used as aids to recover the body and mouthfeel when manipulating a formula to remove the sugar or carbohydrates. To meet the needs of the label-conscious consumer, most CP Kelco hydrocolloids support a natural or organic label claim.

BEST CHOICES

• GENU^® Pectin

  GENU^® Pectins are polysaccharides derived from naturally occurring structural components in fruits and vegetables. Pectin is well known by consumers and accepted as label friendly. The major commercial raw material source is citrus peel, although CP Kelco also produces pectin derived from sugar beets.

  Recovering Mouthfeel/Reducing Sugar: Formulating with GENU pectin is an excellent way to recover mouthfeel when reducing or removing sugar in carbonated beverages. GENU pectin can also be used to build mouthfeel with high clarity requirements. At typical beverage use levels, the rheological profile of GENU pectin is similar to that of sugar solutions. This means that when consumed, a reduced-sugar beverage containing GENU pectin can have a mouthfeel which mimics its full-sugar counterpart.

  Excellent Flavor Release: Due to the low use level, GENU pectin can build body in the CSD without masking the flavors inherent to the drink, and may impart improved refreshment in fruit flavored CSD.

• KELTROL^® Xanthan Gum

  KELTROL^® Xanthan Gum is a high molecular weight polysaccharide produced by fermentation of Xanthamonas campestris. The composition and structure of the xanthan gum produced by commercial fermentation is identical to the naturally occurring polysaccharide formed on plants belonging to the cabbage family, where it occurs naturally.

  Body and Mouthfeel: KELTROL’s pseudoplastic flow behavior provides high viscosities at low shear rates to help improve suspension and emulsification, yet provides good flow properties when poured. The slight increase in viscosity resulting from very low use levels imparts the sensation of enhanced body, ideal for sugar-free or reduced calorie soft drinks.

  Excellent Flavor Release: KELTROL’s high degree of pseudoplasticity means the beverage will have body, but not seem syrupy.

  Low pH / Acid Stability: KELTROL, due to its molecular structure, has excellent pH stability – down to pH 2.7 – such that it is very tolerant to the high acid environment of traditional carbonated soft drinks. This acid stability allows the manufacturer to produce sugar-free or diet beverages with the mouthfeel of full-sugar drinks. Special grades of KELTROL exist that provide stability similar to and greater than high intensity sweeteners such as aspartame. Stabilizers such as guar will hydrolyze at low pH, and the beverage will lose viscosity over time.

• CEKOL^® Cellulose Gum

  CEKOL^® Cellulose Gum is a highly-purified, cold water-soluble polymer derived from cellulose. For beverages, CEKOL is a versatile, cost-effective way to add viscosity. CEKOL is produced in a wide range of viscosity grades, with resulting flow properties ranging from nearly-Newtonian to pseudoplastic. Depending on the grade, CEKOL can have either thixotropic or non-thixotropic rheology. This diversity allows beverages to be formulated for a syrup-like mouthfeel.

  Function in High pH Ranges: For carbonated drinks formulated to pH values of 3.5 and greater, CEKOL cellulose gum offers body and mouthfeel. CEKOL is normally used for dry mix beverages for this reason, and can have the same positive effect for CSDs. It is most appropriate where very low pH values and extremely long storage stability not required.

  Rapid Hydration: CEKOL cellulose gum is very quick to hydrate and so is an excellent choice for powdered soft drinks.

Please contact a CP Kelco representative for more details.