DuPont: Supporting the Appeal of Plant-Based Beverages

DuPont Nutrition & Health (DuPont) has made it easier for beverage manufacturers to produce stable soy, almond and other plant-based drinks with a refreshing texture and a clean label. Utilizing a new ingredient in the DuPont Danisco range, manufacturers can obtain all the functionality they need without mixing in other additives.

The gelling ingredient is GRINDSTED GELLAN MAS 100 – otherwise known as gellan gum – and is the label-friendly stabilizer for non-dairy beverages made with pulses, grains, nuts and plant-derived protein. Previously produced by DuPont for ingredient systems, it is now available as a single ingredient for the first time.

“The main driver is the demand for dairy-free drinks for lactose-intolerant consumers. According to the latest market intelligence, close to 25% of European consumers are reducing or avoiding dairy products in their diet for health reasons,” says Jean-Baptiste Dufeu, DuPont global product manager. “Our ingredient enables manufacturers to respond to this trend by stabilizing particles in plant-based beverages and creating a refreshingly smooth texture. Consumers experience a refreshing drink with an authentic flavor profile.”

Dufeu spoke with FoodIngredientsFirst: “GRINDSTED GELLAN MAS 100 has been incorporated within our Systems portfolios for some time. Today we release as an individual ingredient as we saw a market need. We are continuously developing our product portfolio to satisfy market trends and developments.”

“We see two main trends in the dairy free milk market,” claims Dufeu. “First there is a huge market in plant-based beverages and it is a fast growing and changing segment. This segment started with soy, but now we are seeing a lot of almond-based trends. New beverages on the shelf today contain all types of nuts and cereals, and we see this segment still has lots of expansion with novel opportunities. An interesting emerging trend right now is chewable beverages, beverages that contain just a bit of nuts and grittiness to it to make you chew before you swallow.”

“The second trend we see is vegetarian and clean label – our customers are asking more and more that we offer them clean label solutions as well as vegan options. Gellan lends itself nicely to both of those potentially,” he says.

“Our product is considered premium grade, providing high quality and consistent performance. In addition, we offer customers deep technical knowledge and support with a global supply chain,” adds Dufeu.

Market analysts at Innova Market Insights have registered an explosion in sales of plant-based drinks. In 2016, sales in Western Europe alone reached $1.5 billion. Soy beverages accounted for around $1 billion of those sales – a dominant position that is now being challenged by the rise of drinks based on rice, almond and oats.

GRINDSTED GELLAN MAS 100 provides reliable stabilizing functionality with a low cost in use, regardless of raw material fluctuations. No other additives are required – supporting the consumer preference for clean-label, plant-based drinks that are free of artificial ingredients.

Gellan gum is the latest addition to the broad DuPont Danisco range of texturants, which is backed by strong expertise in optimizing the texture, taste and appearance of specific food and beverage applications.