TIC Gums developed a new product that can replace guar gum in powdered instant beverages. Ticaloid GE 306 is a blend that can replace guar gum on a one-to-one basis while also improving the thickness of the finished beverage, which guar alone cannot provide, the company says. Ticaloid GE 306 can be formulated in instant beverages like lemonade and other powdered drinks, it says. According to TIC Gums, the new product can improve the overall mouthfeel of instant lemonade because the thickness of Ticaloid GE 306 is slightly greater than that accomplished using only guar. This blend of ingredients, which contains reduced levels of guar, is cold-water soluble and has qualities comparable to 100 percent guar gum formulations, the company says. It also provides a clean flavor and low thickness, which in a TIC Gums test made beverages easy to swallow with slightly slower mouth clearing, allowing the flavors to linger in the mouth longer, the company says.

• TIC Gums, 10552 Philadelphia Road, White Marsh, Md., 21162; 410/273-7300; ticgums.com.