How Pectin Can Help You Reduce Sugar in Fruit-Flavored Drinks without Losing Mouthfeel
Consumer – and government – interest in reduced-sugar beverages is on the rise. So far, approximately nine U.S. jurisdictions and more than 50 countries have implemented a consumer tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. Globally, consumer-driven nutrition scores are also affecting product placement and purchases.
Heavily influenced by the longstanding health and wellness megatrend, “low-/no-sugar” and “real” ingredients are among the top positioning claims influencing consumer behavior.
While consumers want less sugar, they don’t want to sacrifice taste and texture. According to Innova Market Insights*, the top reasons why people consume fruit-flavored drinks are because “they taste great” and their “kids like them.”
According to Food Navigator, the global cost of sugar is also on the rise and expected to climb higher this year due to poor weather conditions in major growing regions of the EU, India, Thailand and Brazil.
Consumers are sensitive to changes in beverage consistency, viscosity, flavor release and mouthfeel. Formulators must find innovative ways to preserve the texture consumers crave while reducing sugar.
How Pectin Can Help
GENU® Pectin is upcycled from citrus peels, an abundant byproduct of the juice industry. So, you could say it’s a natural for juice drinks. This easily recognizable, label-friendly ingredient can also help when you want to use less sugar in your formulations, too. Pectin adds viscosity and body to mimic a full-sugar mouthfeel while also enhancing the fruity flavors of your beverage. Process tolerant, it’s become a beverage formulator’s staple for:
- Thickening acidic beverages.
- Improving flavor release.
- Providing long-lasting stability.
- Creating a wide range of mouthfeels.
See if our GENU® Pectin is the right solution for your
reduced-sugar beverage formulation.
*Innova Market Insights, April 2023