Food & Beverage

With tea, the flavor possibilities are virtually endless.

In Nutritional Outlook's 2018 Best of the Industry Awards, we are recognizing individuals, groups, and companies whose initiatives today may help shape, for the better, the state of the dietary supplement and food and beverage industries for years to come.

The Annex by Ardent Mills is helping to change the landscape of ancient grains in North America.

Flavor companies discussed their new clean-label capabilities at November’s SupplySide West show.

Meal replacement products like bars and shakes are seeing rapid growth thanks to the convenience and variety they offer consumers.

The ingredient, Nutri Whey Isolate, can be used to make clear high-protein beverages, such as protein water, with an extreme level of clarity even in acidic beverages with a higher pH level.

Plant protein suppliers are innovating to get their protein ingredients into beverages, gummies, and more.

This new stevia sweetener has “a taste profile closer to sugar, high solubility for use in concentrates, high stability, and a price competitive to sugar,” the company says.

The large percentage of consumers who don’t identify exclusively as vegan or vegetarian but who are purchasing plant-based alternatives is an important reason why plant-based food innovation continues.

This is the first whey protein isolate ingredient to come from dairy protein specialist FrieslandCampina Ingredients.

The company says it will discuss with attendees how it can help solve off-flavor, mouthfeel, and formulation challenges that come with using alternative proteins.

Synergy Flavors released new research called “Flavors of the Future,” highlighting new and emerging flavors in the sports nutrition market in North America. 

At SupplySide, Virginia Dare will offer samples of three product prototypes demonstrating its expertise in action: a functional cold-brew coffee shot and two flavors of vegan protein cookies.

The company will showcase its new Maltrin SS dried glycose syrup, with reduced sugars compared to corn and tapioca syrup solids.

Despite their rising profile, probiotics have yet to reach their full potential with Americans, whether as supplements or functional-food ingredients.

Compared to a "leading competitive pea protein" in a consumer sensory panel, the company reports, consumers preferred the sample containing TRUPRO 2000 on the basis of flavor, thickness, mouthfeel, and aftertaste.

Kerry has released an interactive simulator that utilizes U.S. consumer research data to provide product formulators a better understanding of consumers’ preferred combination of sweetening agent, calorie count, and protein content across six different product categories. 

This new ingredient lets the company take tongkat ali to products in which it was challenging to include in the past.

According to Evolva, Veri-te Resveratrol CWD 90 offers up to 67x higher the dispersion capability of standard resveratrol.

New food and beverage product launches containing stevia leaf sweeteners rose by 27% globally in the first six months of 2018.

The concept was created by EPI Ingredients, a subsidiary of French-based dairy cooperative Laïta.

The palm oil supply chain is a topic of concern for many consumers, but companies like Cargill are working hard to develop a transparent and sustainable supply chain that reduced the crop's environmental and social impact. 

Proteins typically do not perform well in low-pH environments, the company says.

An Australian company has launched in the U.S. what it claims is the world’s first clinically tested prebiotic honey. 

Among the top trends in RTD coffee are the use of non-dairy milk and functional benefits.

The single-serve spoonable cake can be heated in the microwave to create a warm, on-the-go breakfast.

Beverage and flavor development company Flavorman says it is exploring formulating with cannabidiol (CBD), the non-psychotropic, hemp-derived ingredient gaining interest throughout the dietary supplement, food, and beverage market.

In a new study published in Food Control, researchers tried to analyze and compare the PAC content of 10 different commercially sold cranberry products, including sticks, caplets, tablets, and syrups.

Functional water is changing the way people consume water.

The Lentein brand of lentil protein has secured a Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) “no objections” letter from FDA, said the ingredient’s supplier, Parabel USA.