The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) saw more than 23,000 attendees from 90 countries come together at IFT18: A Matter of Science + Food. The organization’s annual meeting and food expo, which took place July 15-18 at McCormick Place in Chicago, featured more than 100 scientific sessions and 1,200 exhibitors.

The following are some of the beverage highlights from exhibiting ingredient suppliers:

Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America Inc., Itasca, Ill., showcased its portfolio of amino acid-based ingredient technologies. It highlighted advantame, an ultra-high potency sweetener that can be used to partially replace caloric sweeteners and other high potency sweeteners in foods and beverages. The company also offered samples of a zero-added-sugar honey cinnamon, hazelnut and ginger cardamom cold-brew coffees.

City of Industry, Calif.-based AIDP debuted VegD3 at the tradeshow. The product is a high-quality, vegan vitamin D3 from a 100 percent non-GMO plant source that is certified vegan and USDA-approved, the company says. The crystal cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) can be used in nutritional supplements, immune, bone, joint and multi-vitamin formulations, as well as to fortify vitamin waters and protein drinks.

John’s Creek, Ga.-based Amelia Bay highlighted its tea and coffee offerings in several ready-to-drink on-trend prototypes. It offered samples of an organic green tea with lemongrass and mint, a premium-brewed organic lightly sweetened black tea, a premium-brewed organic unsweetened black tea and an organic lightly sweetened cold-brew coffee.

Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM), Chicago, and Matsutani Chemical Industry Co. Ltd., Itami City, Japan, highlighted fiber fortification opportunities with their Fibersol brand. The soluble dietary fiber ingredient was offered in a golden vanilla frozen novelty, which featured 6 grams of prebiotic fiber, and a dairy-free coconut caramel beverage, which contained 6 grams of prebiotic fiber from Fibersol and 5 grams of sugar.

Beneo, Morris Plains, N.J., promoted its prebiotic chicory root fiber, Orafti, and highlighted that because oliofructose and inulin are plant-based dietary fibers, they don’t have to be labeled as additives on food and beverage labels.

BI, Long Beach, Calif., offered samples of an apple cider vinegar and beet lemonade that contained the company’s apple cider vinegar powders and beet root powder; and a hibiscus and beet green tea, which featured beet root powder and hibiscus flower powder. The company also promoted its 40th anniversary at the show.

Blue Diamond Global Ingredients, Sacramento, Calif., debuted its new almond protein powder for smoothies and shakes. The company noted the powder is part of a protein blend that can assist with flavor masking from other protein sources. The powder is non-GMO, and free of gluten, dairy and soy, the company says.

Chilton, Wis.-based Briess Malts & Ingredients Co. highlighted its expanding portfolio of natural and specialty ingredients, including malts, malt extracts, gluten-free sweeteners, and sprouted, roasted and pregelatinized grains.

Minneapolis-based Cargill highlighted that EverSweet now is commercially available and that its branded stevia leaf extracts, Truvia and ViaTech, are Non-GMO Project Verified. It offered samples of a no-sugar added strawberry drinkable yogurt and a pear tarragon craft soda containing EverSweet. In addition, it highlighted its proprietary “Shifting Global Dairy Market” report.

Commerce, Calif.-based Carmi Flavors highlighted its flavor portfolio and provided samples of an Italian slushie, a piña coloda and a horchata.

Chr Hansen Inc., Milwaukee, promoted its FruitMax range of minimally processed fruit, vegetable and plant concentrates, which can be cleanly labelled on ingredients’ lists, it says.

CP Kelco, Atlanta, highlighted its protein stabilization capabilities in a tropical-flavored, pineapple, mango and coconut milk containing KELCOGEL gellan gum and CEKO cellulose gum. A lactose and dairy-free almond milk yogurt featured stabilization with GENU Explorer YA-400 pectin and 6 grams of protein in a 5-ounce serving.

Darmstadt, Germany-based The Döhler Group showcased its portfolio of natural ingredient ranges from natural flavors, natural colors, and health and nutrition ingredients, as well as its range of color concentrates and extracts. The company highlighted its ingredient mixing abilities with samples of handcrafted alcohol and non-alcohol beverages.

DSM Nutritional Products Inc., Parsippany, N.J., featured AmpliVida, a new xylo-oligosaccharide naturally sourced from organic-certified, non-GMO, high fiber sugar cane grown in the Imperial Valley of California and processed in Arizona using only water, the company says. The prebiotic is selectively targeted by beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract without promoting the growth of unfriendly bacteria.

Lincoln, R.I.-based Finlays highlighted its tea and coffee solutions, including all-natural tea essences sourced from the Rift Valley in Kenya and Argentina. It also promoted its cold-brew coffee extracts that provide an extended shelf life, natural caffeine and a smooth finish when served hot or chilled with water, milk or sweeteners, the company says.

Glanbia Nutritionals, Fitchburg, Wis., showcased its patent-pending, made-in-the-USA BevEdge Whey Protein A-220W pea protein, which delivers a high level of protein in a clean-label ingredient statement, it says. Available in a ready-to-mix powder, the company offered samples of the ingredient in a pineapple orange beverage, a blueberry hibiscus beverage and an orange cream smoothie.

Tarrytown, N.Y.-based GNT promoted its line of natural colors from fruits and vegetables.

Commerce, Calif.-based Gold Coast Ingredients offered samples of flavored iced coffee and cereal milk flavored ice cream to highlight its flavor capabilities. Among the flavored iced coffees was a hickory smoked caramel variety with smoked hickory, caramel and coffee extract, a chocolate affogato featuring natural coffee dessert and coffee extract, and a brown butter flavored iced coffee with butter, brown sugar WONF and coffee extract.

FutureCeuticals, Momence, Ill., demonstrated how its TruServ Whole Food Verified Servings program and functional ingredients can help products stand out in the market. The program offers a variety of fruit and vegetable powders that deliver real whole food nutrition servings, piece claims and a clean label.

Hilmar Ingredients, Hilmar, Calif., showcased its Hilmar 9400 Whey Protein Isolate in a ready-to-drink vanilla sports shake designed to help replace nutrients lost during exercise while aiding the body’s recovery.

Icon Foods, Portland, Ore., highlighted new developments in natural, clean-label sweetening systems. Its newest line, KetoseSweet+, contains allulose, a low-energy monosaccharide sugar that naturally occurs in wheat, figs, raisins and jackfruit, and has 0.2 calories per gram compared with sugar’s 4 calories per gram, it says. The highly soluble KetoseSweet+ line, available in powder or liquid syrup formats, is available as a blend of allulose and stevia, allulose and monk fruit or a combination of the three for carbonated and non-carbonated beverages, baked goods and more, the company says.

Westchester, Ill.-based Ingredion, Salem, Ore.-based Kerr Concentrates Inc. and TIC Gums, White Marsh, Md., exhibited in a co-located booth for the first time. Ingredion highlighted its new virtual “Inside Idea” lab designed to provide science-backed problem solving and specific solutions on a wide range of topics to customers anywhere in the world. For more information, visit insideidealabs.com. The company’s new ENLITEN Fusion, a cost-optimized stevia solution for targeted usage and taste profile, was featured in a berry iced tea lemonade. Kerr Concentrates showcased its range of fruit and vegetable juices, purees, concentrates, essences, distillates and custom formulations. TIC Gums offered samples of a coconut milk yogurt containing faba bean protein concentrate, agar and Simplistica YG 3206, a new all-in-one system to simplify the formulation process, it says. It also offered prototype beverages, including a vanilla cake drink containing Simplistica BV 1325, and a raspberry flavored water with the hydrocolloid acacia and Simplistica BV 0358.

Innophos Inc., Cranbury, N.J., promoted Textur-Melt LM89, its newest nutritional solution designed to protect traditional protein sources (dairy and eggs) as well as non-traditional sources (pea, hemp and chia) in its natural state while ensuring more efficient processing, a longer shelf life and fresh, stable beverages, the company says.

Beloit, Wis.-based Kerry highlighted a 2018 report on consumer taste preferences on sweeteners that noted that American consumers prefer traditional sources of sweeteners like honey, sugar and maple syrup.

Newport Beach, Calif.-based Layn USA Inc. rolled out two new sweetener solutions: SteviUP and Lovia. SteviUP is a plant-based sweetening solution that combines glycosides with a proprietary formula. The Lovia platform pairs mogroside compounds with preferred glycosides to provide a high-quality, sugar-like sweetness that can be used for deep-sugar reduction with zero calories, without significantly increasing in-cost use, the company says.

Grafton, Wis. based-MAK Wood Inc. highlighted its portfolio of prebiotics, probiotics, enzymes, genomeaceuticals/nutraceuticals, functional sugars and flavors. The company emphasized its new cranberry powder and pomegranate extract nutraceuticals that can be added to range of food and beverage products.

Matsutani Chemical Industry Co. Ltd., Itami City, Japan, showcased its sugar brand, Astraea Allulose. The company highlighted how manufacturers that use Astraea can formulate reduced or low-calorie beverage products with the same sucrose-like sweetness of full sugared variants.

Oftringen, Switzerland-based Omya International AG announced the launch of its Omyafood range, a collection of tailor-made protein particles and vitamin premixes. The company highlighted Omyafood 100-OG, a powered sports nutrition additive with vitamin supplements, as well as Omya-Cal, a mineral that is sustainably sourced from California that adds nutritional and processing benefits to food and beverage products.

PAT Vitamins, Laverne, Calif., highlighted its lineup of vitamins as well as its new line of probiotics.

PLT Health Solutions, Morristown, N.J., offered samples of its Artesa chickpea protein in a vegan, protein chai latte containing 19 grams of protein in a 330-ml serving. The plant protein concentrate launched at the show and can match dairy proteins for taste, texture, mouthfeel and formulation functionality, the company says.

Carol Stream, Ill.-based Prinova presented samples of several on-trend beverage prototypes: a cardamom pear flavored sparkling water and a mango rooibos tea nootropic beverage. The company offers more than 2,000 ingredients for use in functional foods, beverages and wellness applications. Additionally, the company celebrated its 40th anniversary.

Danvers, Mass.-based Prova Inc. highlighted its range of natural vanilla alternatives, coffee and chocolate extracts, and masking flavors, along with on-trend sweet brown flavors such as caramel and honey maple. It also showcased 12 liquid and powdered masking solutions in a variety of pea protein beverages.

S&D Coffee & Tea, Concord, N.C., featured its customer-specific coffee and tea extracts in several coffees and teas, including a rooibos tea with lavender, licorice root and valerian root extract; a peppermint patty coffee cappuccino; and a toddy cold-brew coffee brewed with 2 percent milk and another version containing almond milk.

Sensient Flavors, Hoffman Estates, Ill., promoted its portfolio of protein masking solutions, its 130 years of sourcing clean-label botanical extracts, and its sugar reduction capabilities. It also announced the acquisition of Mazza Innovation, Vancouver, to enhance its seed-to-shelf strategies with agronomy technology, process engineering technology and color applications.

Solvay, Princeton, N.J., highlighted its new vanillin solution, Rhovanil US NAT, which serves as a drop-in replacement for synthetic vanillin. It showcased how the solution delivers high intensity for an improved taste and mouthfeel across a variety of beverages, it says. The ingredient also is clean-label, non-GMO and allergen-free.

Longmont, Colo.-based Stillwater Ingredients showcased its low-calorie, shelf-stable formulations of isolated or full-spectrum cannabinoids that mix into beverage products. The company highlighted Ripple, a ready-to-drink liquid cannabinoid concentrate that dissolves quickly in any beverage.

SweeGen, Foothill Ranch, Calif., promoted BESTEVIA Reb M, a non-GMO sweetener. The company highlighted that BESTEVIA Reb M is a stevia sweetener that is 200- to 300-times sweeter than sugar, but gives products a 70 percent sugar reduction. They sweetener also was recently approved for Latin American usage, with other countries to soon follow, it reports.

Sweetener Solutions USA, Savannah Ga., showcased its high-intensity beverage sweeteners that are custom-blended and ready to use. The company highlighted how its custom sweetener blends reduce labor costs and employee uncertainty, and improves functional properties of the product it’s being blended with.

Wauconda, Ill.-based Synergy Flavors Inc. focused its exhibit on the theme of “Simply Chicago,” featuring foods and beverages incorporating Synergy’s flavors, extracts and essences inspired by the gardens of the city. The company had four distinct “garden areas,” where it invited attendees to sample a multitude of products including Synergy Pure, a line of sparkling and still waters that use fruit- and floral-flavored proteins.

Minneapolis-based Taiyo promoted its new SunCran Naturelle product line, a synergistic blend of 100 percent natural, organic cranberry juice powder grown and processed from whole cranberries. Cranberries are a superfood that might help women manage the symptoms of urinary tract infections and the powder, when combined with the prebiotic, it states. Sunfiber offers an improved gut micobiome, it adds.

Tastepoint by IFF, Philadelphia, highlighted its capabilities as a flavor house with expertise in the field-to-shelf production of vanilla flavors and extracts from farms it maintains around the world.

Tate & Lyle, Decatur, Ill., announced a new partnership with Sweet Green Fields (SGF), Bellingham, Wash., to provide stevia solutions. It highlighted five product families designed to offer a cleaner taste and higher levels of sugar reduction: Intesse, Intesse Stevia 2.0, Omega Stevia, TASTEVA stevia sweetener and TASTEVA M Reb M stevia sweetener. It served up samples of a low-calorie raspberry peach lemonade featuring SGF’s Intesse Stevia 2.0 and PRIMA flavor formulated to provide a 75 percent sugar reduction and 71 percent fewer calories along with a 25 calorie mango coconut refresher with TASTEVA Stevia and PRIMA flavor, it says.

Virginia Dare, Brooklyn, N.Y., featured its Taste Foundations platform of vanilla, tea, coffee and cocoa extracts, and its Taste Collaborations platform of taste enhancement and modifying solutions. The company offered samples of cold-brew coffee ice cream and plant-based protein chocolate cookies.

Concord, Mass.-based Welch’s Global Ingredients Group highlighted the benefits of the Concord and Niagara grapes and their heart-health benefits in an array of applications, including beverages, juices, smoothies, cocktails and dairy. The company also stated that it is working on grape purees and powders that can be added to a plethora of beverages and food products.

IFT19: Feed Your Future will take place June 2-5 at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. BI