5 Formulation Challenges You Can Solve with Gellan Gum

Gellan Gum is your multi-functional, go-to ingredient for conquering protein beverage formulation challenges.

Here’s how we can help solve five challenges when working with neutral pH milk and plant-based protein drinks, smoothies and drinking yogurts:

1. Suspension.

Innovative KELCOGEL^® Gellan Gum is a master of long-term suspension. It suspends insoluble ingredients, such as cocoa powder, calcium, minerals and protein, while contributing minimal viscosity. So, you don’t have to worry about sediment on the bottom of your formulation. Gellan gum also offers no adverse impact on flavor. You just get a uniform pour with a clean, pleasant mouthfeel in shelf-stable UHT and refrigerated, neutral pH protein drinks, smoothies and drinking yogurts.

2. Stabilization.

Maintaining product consistency over the course of shelf life is what we call stability. Your beverage must deliver the promise of the ingredient benefits in every sip, and it must taste and look good, without separation and settling. As new alternative protein sources come along, so do new stabilization challenges. For instance, protein powders can be difficult to hydrate and sensitive to heat and pH, so there’s the threat of protein instability in the finished beverage. KELCOGEL Gellan Gum forms a fluid gel to stabilize your beverage and prevent phase separation with minimal impact on viscosity. No matter if you’re using dairy milk or plant proteins, KELCOGEL Gellan Gum provides stabilization.

3. Tailored texture.

Great texture can be compared to making a memorable first impression. It can be hard to describe what you’re expecting, but we encourage formulators to try to address their texture needs up front and work backwards in the process to achieve them. Define the richness, creaminess and other specific attributes you want consumers to experience when tasting your beverage and we can help you attain them. Innovative KELCOGEL Gellan Gum should be the first tool in your texture toolbox. It plays well with other hydrocolloid texturants so we can help you achieve your desired mouthfeel. Remember, most consumers won’t even think about texture – unless it’s inferior. A gelatinous chocolate milk (dairy or alternative dairy) could turn off a customer for good.

4. Reducing ingredients.

KELCOGEL Gellan Gum supports the development of your innovative products with shorter ingredient lists to meet ever-changing consumer demands. Discovered on a water lily plant and commercialized by CP Kelco over 25 years ago, KELCOGEL Gellan Gum is a naturally derived, highly effective, soluble dietary fiber. It’s multifunctional, so a little accomplishes a lot in terms of suspension, stabilization and texture. And it comes in a variety of grades to meet your specification. Because nature-based ingredients form the core of everything we do, quality and sustainability is built into our DNA. We’re proud to be leading the way in how nature-based products are produced.

5. Achieving clean label requirements.

“Free-from” food products are a huge consumer trend. This has led to a rise in vegan/vegetarian, gluten-free and other label-friendly claims. Plant-based, fermentation-derived KELCOGEL Gellan Gum can help you meet your clean label requirements with grades that are non-GMO, vegan, kosher, halal and more to eliminate any consumer concerns.

Let Us Help Find Your Solution

How can we help you satisfy your unique challenges? Whether it’s suspending botanicals in an energy drink, creating an indulgent, creamy smoothie or recovering body in a reduced-calorie beverage, CP Kelco is the perfect partner for the beverage category. With 25 years of gellan gum innovation, world-class application knowledge and regional expertise, our global team of nature-based ingredient enthusiasts love to collaborate with you on good-for-you beverages that range from light and refreshing to rich and decadent.