Cargill Beverage Concepts Will Address Consumer Demands

Cargill has developed these prototypes: Barliv barley betafiber juice beverage, a probiotic juice smoothie with inulin, a low-calorie tea with 4g protein, and low-fat milk with CoroWise plant sterols.

26/06/08 Visitors to Cargill’s booth (#2826) at the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Food Expo (June 28—July 2, New Orleans) can sample and learn more about five new beverage prototypes that provide health benefits and address consumer demand for taste and texture.

Functional beverages are a convenient way for manufacturers to deliver consumer benefits like soluble fiber for heart health and prebiotic fiber for digestive health. Cargill responded by developing these prototypes: Barliv barley betafiber juice beverage, a probiotic juice smoothie with inulin, a low-calorie tea with 4g protein, and low-fat milk with CoroWise plant sterols.

For manufacturers looking to deliver indulgent, rich flavors to consumers, Cargill will also showcase a chipotle-chocolate flavored milk, creating a new sensory experience in a traditional family staple.

Barliv Barley Betafiber Juice Beverage
According to the 2007 Health & Wellness Trends Database, taste is the number one factor when consumers are considering selecting a food or beverage. Cargill’s Barliv barley betafiber beverage helps reduce cholesterol without adding unwanted taste implications.

Cargill conducted clinical trials with the University of Minnesota (2004-05) to test the efficacy of Barlív barley betafiber and submitted a petition to the FDA in 2006 for an amendment to the soluble fiber health claim to include Barlív barley betafiber. Barliv barley betafiber is now authorized by the FDA as a source of soluble fiber eligible for the soluble fiber claim: Diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 3 grams per day of beta-glucan soluble fiber from barley betafiber may reduce the risk of heart disease.

The Barlív barley betafiber beverage also includes Cargill’s natural raspberry flavoring.

Probiotic Juice Smoothie
Seventy-eight percent of current probiotic sales today are delivered through yogurt. Juices featuring probiotics are another way of delivering probiotics. (2007 AC Nielsen). Cargill’s juice smoothie features Viable Bif-6 probiotic cultures, which are a key ingredient in delivering probiotics in a great-tasting beverage. Viable cultures are concentrated, frozen cultures optimized for high counts throughout product shelf life. Probiotic cultures contribute to overall health and well-being through balance in the intestinal microflora.

Cargill’s probiotic juice smoothie also includes the company’s Oliggo-Fiber inulin, which has the versatility to be incorporated into many foods and beverages without impacting taste or texture. Inulin is recognized as a prebiotic fiber that supports the natural, healthful bacteria in the lower GI tract.

Cargill flavors included in the smoothie are natural ginger, natural gingerroot and natural apricot, making the smoothie a delicious and functional drink.

Low-Calorie Tea with 4g protein
Consumers want low-calorie beverages that taste great. Cargill’s tea with 4g protein per serving features the company’s BT-100 system, a proprietary spray-dried combination of trehalose and whey protein isolate that improves the functional performance of whey protein in beverages.

The tea also includes Zerose erythritol, which enables formulators to reduce calories naturally. Erythritol also adds body to beverages that may be lacking due to calorie reduction.

The Cargill flavors included in the tea are natural cinnamon and a natural peach.

Low fat Milk with CoroWise plant sterols
According to a study done in the 2008 Food Flavor and Ingredient Outlook, more consumers (80 percent) have confidence in the benefits of heart-healthy products, compared to other products that claim to have different kinds of health benefits. In response, Cargill developed low fat milk with CoroWise plant sterols. Products containing CoroWise plant sterols will display the U.S. Food & Drug Administration health claim on their label: Foods or beverages containing at least 0.4 g plant sterols, when consumed twice a day with meals for a total intake of 0.8 g/day as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

Chipotle-Chocolate Flavored Milk
Cargill’s premium Ghanaian cocoa beans give the chipotle chocolate milk its rich chocolate taste. Cargill’s flavor experts added a kick to this milk by adding a Chipotle flavor, which provides a heat sensation that you would not typically find in a milk beverage. Chipotle, which is well-known in foods, "crosses over" to beverages to provide a different way to experience chocolate milk.

Cargill’s chipotle-chocolate flavored milk also includes the company’s AUBYGEL ABN 4000 carrageenan, a hydrocolloid that stabilizes and suspends the cocoa, imparting a uniform appearance and texture to the chocolate milk.