Whenever consumers make Jell-O, thicken gravy or add corn starch to a pie filling, they knowingly or unknowingly are using hydrocolloids to thicken their products and give them a desired consistency. As health-and-wellness trends impact new product development, beverage formulators increasingly are using these ingredients to give consumers the clean label, nutrient-enriched beverages they seek, experts say.

In response to the latest clean label market trends, TIC Gums has developed blends using the newest gellan technologies. Recent products developed for ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage applications target texture, improve stability and provide cost-in-use savings while adhering to label restrictions, the company says.

 Food scientists at Tic Gums Inc. created a new product, Ticaloid GR 5420, as a replacement for guar gum in food and beverages.