According to Innova Market Insight’s 2019 Diet Trends Survey, 80% of respondents in the US indicated that they maintained or increased their dairy alternative consumption. Ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages made with plant-based protein sources can offer viable substitutions for consumers looking for a dairy-free option with similar indulgent texture attributes.

When formulating in the dairy alternative category, whether the product is based on rice, nuts, grain or soy (RNGS), developers must contend with a variety of challenges including:

  • particulate suspension
  • emulsification
  • mouthfeel

When compared to a dairy-based beverage, a plant-based beverage will inherently lack two major components: protein and texture. In order to provide a recognizable and pleasant drinking experience for the consumer, formulators need to nutritionally fortify the beverage with an additional protein source and enhance its texture with stabilizers.

Ingredients for formulating on-trend beverages

Moreover, consumer demand for transparency and cleaner labels continues to drive product development with more beverage manufacturers seeking to introduce label-friendly products.

Our ingredient systems give formulators the flexibility to develop a variety of dairy alternative beverages, ranging from almond, soy, and pea-based plant milks to high protein nutritional beverages, that meet their label claim goals.

Functions of stabilizers in plant-based RTD beverages

  • Emulsification
  • Particulate suspension
  • Texture enhancement

Questions a Gum Guru may ask when recommending a stabilizer

  • What is your target protein content?
  • What are your label claim goals?
  • What are your processing parameters?
  • What functionality are you looking to achieve with additional ingredients?
  • What is the pH of your beverage?
  • Is your beverage UHT processed?

Call on the Gum Gurus

Talk with a Gum Guru about your specific application by calling our technical support hotline +1-800-899-3953 / +1-410-273-7300 or chat live online.

Resources

Products

  • Product
    Application
    Usage Level
    Features
  • Simplistica™ BV 1325
    Beverages, RTD, Plant-based
    4.5-8.5%
    Provides protein and stability to plant-based protein beverages
  • Ticaloid® PRO 148 OG
    Beverages, RTD, Plant-based
    0.05-0.07%
    Suspends proteins and cocoa for increased product stability while adding viscosity
  • Ticaloid® PRO 181 AG
    Beverages, RTD, Plant-based
    0.2-0.4%
    Suspends proteins and cocoa for increased product stability while adding mouth coating
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