Treatt Taps into Consumer Demand for Vegetable-based Beverages

05 Mar 2014 --- Consumers are increasingly seeking out vegetable-based beverages, which has led to a boost in demand for the Treattarome range of 100% natural distillates, according to flavor and fragrance solutions provider, Treatt. The company’s expanding portfolio of ‘From the Named Food’ (FTNF) vegetable-based ingredients features an array of flavor profiles – including cucumber, tomato, bell pepper and jalapeno – to allow manufacturers to create on-trend vegetable beverage products.

Nick Evans, director of sales & purchasing, told FoodIngredientsFirst that there has been notable increased demand for vegetable-based ingredients across the US and Europe, “but other markets of note are the Far East, including China and Japan,” he explained. “Demand is primarily for flavoured alcoholic drinks, dairy-based drinks and flavoured waters.”

And Douglas Rash, Treatt’s group VP, global sales also noted that vegetable-flavoured beverages are moving from the niche to the mainstream, ranging “from vegetable-based smoothies to energy drinks and juices”, he said. “With 55% of people globally making a conscious effort to eat as many vegetables as possible, the so-called ‘healthy halo’ of vegetable-based beverages makes them a hit with consumers and the trend is spreading across nearly all beverage sectors.”

Developed using proprietary technology, Treattarome ingredients are produced using a short duration, low temperature distillation process to guarantee maximum flavour entrapment. By entirely replicating the character of the fresh vegetable, the distillates can be used to deliver a unique and authentic aroma to a wide variety of beverages. For example, Cucumber Treattarome 9721 imparts a fresh, green cucumber flavour and is particularly effective in clear beverages where unusual, tropical notes are required. Green Bell Pepper Treattarome 9723, on the other hand, is wholly distilled from fresh green peppers and delivers a green and astringent flavour to adult beverages and fruit juices.
 
The innovative ingredients are water soluble and highly concentrated and can be added to a variety of formulations at dosage levels of as little as 0.05%. This makes the distillates ideal for use in clear beverages and applications include alcoholic drinks, juices, carbonated soft drinks, smoothies and flavoured waters.
 
At the end of last year the company launched a range of TreattZest citrus oils, which offer an authentic fresh and zesty profile. The concentrated products offered enhanced solubility and low cost in use in an array of finished product applications.

TreattZest oils are produced using highly selective extraction methods, which separate compounds based on their relative solubility. The equipment used ensures short contact time between phases, resulting in a highly efficient extraction. Due to the enhanced selectivity and high concentration, TreattZests are economical to use, with a recommended starting dose ranging from 2ppm to 10ppm.

Natural FTNF (From The Named Food) distillates, the TreattZest range has low terpene levels, with enhanced solubility compared to folded oils produced by conventional distillation methods. This innovative distillation process results in concentrated products that retain their volatile flavours.

By Sonya Hook