Ingredient Spotlight

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It was only a matter of time before hot and spicy ingredients made the transition from food to beverages, according to Lisa Demme, marketing director for Fona International, Geneva, Ill. Now, there’s no slowing the flavor profiles down, suppliers say.

Although artificial intelligence could be a wave of the future for retailers and plant operators, artificial ingredients might be a trend of the past for consumers.

Citrus flavors have long been popular among U.S. consumers, whether the flavors appear in an orange soda or Key Lime pie.

At picnics and other outdoor events during the summer and early fall, consumers have to watch out for bees that might crawl into their unattended beverage cans.

When playing Jenga, players have to carefully remove small wooden blocks to simplify a tower’s structure without pulling out the wrong block, which can cause the tower to topple. In some ways, formulating beverages is like playing a game of Jenga: Formulators add and remove certain elements to simplify beverage processing or meet consumer interests; however, if they pull out the wrong ingredient, the beverage’s structure can fall apart.

Although some people might use the word “vanilla” to describe events, people and objects that are ordinary or boring, researchers have found that people who like vanilla flavor actually are the life of the party.

In the craft beer segment, hops tend to steal the spotlight when it comes to formulation. They’re prominent within India Pale Ales (IPAs), which is the segment’s top-selling style, according to Information Resources Inc., Chicago. Plus, they’re even measured in most beers by International Bitterness Units (IBUs), which assess the bitterness of a beer as provided by the hops that are infused during brewing.

As the old saying goes, only two things are absolute in life: death and taxes. As many of us just finished the hustle and bustle of tax season, I think we can add another item to today’s list of absolute certainties, and that’s the discussion of obesity.

Although many people might not enjoy cold weather — especially as many parts of the country have faced multiple rounds of cold temperatures and snow this winter — data are showing that consumers do enjoy cold coffee.

Traditionally known for its skin-soothing benefits, aloe vera can be found in a multitude of consumer packaged goods (CPG) products, including tissues, soaps and lotions.