Beverages for Bounty

July 2001

Beverages for Bounty

By Dan Turner

They say that man cannot live by bread alone. The real question is: Why would he want to? With the proliferation of designer drinks on the market, today’s indulgences include more than the standard baked goods and confections. What’s driving the latest trends in beverages? There are a number of reasons, really, but the largest contributing factors include increased flavor choices, improved quality and consumers’ desire for added nutrition.Coffee talk The specialty coffee market is an area where increased flavor choices have spurred an entire industry that shows no sign of diminishing anytime soon. In fact, flavored coffees account for up to 35% of a typical roaster’s/ retailer’s annual sales. In it’s infancy, the flavored coffee market was geared primarily toward liqueur-type tastes targeting the after-dinner crowd. But as the demand for flavored coffees increased, so did the sophistication of consumers’ palates. Today, that sophistication is evidenced by consumers’ ability to detect subtle differences in beans, roasts and blends. The flavored-coffee drinker is generally female (67%), aged 30 to 59 (50.8%) and prefers a beverage that, interestingly enough, doesn’t taste like coffee. The most popular blends include sweet, creamy notes with aromas that fill the room with the rich smell of the delectable beverage. Chocolate, caramel and nut flavors work particularly well with coffee, as these bitter ingredients harmonize with coffee’s naturally bitter characteristics. The type of bean roast affects the flavor release, as does the type of coffee bean used. Just as a Granny Smith apple differs from a Golden Delicious, coffee has differing attributes depending on the region in which it is grown. Many factors go into making high-quality flavored coffee. Some of the factors to consider include a rich bean sheen, powerful aroma, low caloric count, heat stability, packaging compatibility, extended shelf life, masking ability and a recognizable characterizing flavor. When it comes to flavored coffee, the areas to look for flavor inspiration are Central and South America. There, they’re doing some really creative things with vanilla flavors, ranging from the rich, round flavor profile of a Bourbon vanilla, to the fruity, tropical, flowery notes of an Indonesian vanilla. With the trend of flavored coffees expanding into other areas of the world, smart manufacturers will give the consumer what she (or he) wants — a high-quality beverage with unlimited flavor choices.Bearing fruitThe fruit-juice and juice-drink market also has witnessed significant growth due to increased flavor choices and interesting combinations. Not-from-concentrate juice is becoming increasingly sought after not only for superior taste, but also because the juice is viewed as being healthier than from-concentrates. The health-conscious consumer typically doesn’t mind the more fibrous liquids containing pulp, seed and skin, but for mass-market appeal, these extras are not so desirable. One of the first things I learned as a chef was to make sure to strain your raspberries, because there’s nothing more painful than a raspberry seed lodged under your denture! Ten years ago, who ever heard of a kiwano or a calamanci? Just as the food industry has seen increased demand for flavors from around the world, the juice industry is witnessing the desire for exotic fruit blends. Tropical fruits with familiar flavor profiles, such as star fruit, which is reminiscent of a ripe melon, and guava, with flavor similar to that of berries, are becoming accepted in the American diet. Mango and papaya are making inroads, but still are not fully accepted. I like blending berry flavors with acid products, such as lemon or lime. Tree fruits work really well with some of these exotic flavors, too. While tropical flavors are increasingly desired, don’t ignore the tried and true — standard flavor combinations such as cranberry-apple, raspberry lemonade and orange-tangerine continue to lead the pack.Smoothies made with juice are a rapidly growing trend in our culture, and present an excellent opportunity for incorporating herbs. Rosemary and raspberry work wonderfully together, as does basil, and any member of the mint family. Of course, the base ingredients of a smoothie also will determine the flavors used. I like incorporating dairy beverages with orange, raspberry or cherry flavors, then adding some of the exotic fruit flavors mentioned above. Making a soda pop New flavors seem to be the wave of the future, but one segment of the beverage marketplace is experiencing a “back to the basics” mentality — carbonated beverages. Consumers are looking for a really good cherry soda, or a tasty root beer. Basically, they want something better than what’s currently out there — they’re looking for the “Picasso” of orange sodas. When venturing into new flavors in this area of the beverage marketplace, look to Southeast Asia, where orange pop with pulp is popular, or Panama, where melon-flavored soda is the rage. But if the fruit-flavored pops don’t do it for you and the urge to create an elaborate concept is too strong to resist, put something in there that the customer will recognize — an orange in your tropical blend. Go ahead and make it sophisticated, but let the consumer get a handle on something familiar in your concoction. Popular with the younger crowd, clear, sweet flavored waters are becoming increasingly commonplace. Young women, in particular, flock to this type of beverage because of a “missing” ingredient — phosphoric acid, often found in cola products, which may hinder calcium absorption. These fat-free drinks frequently are cited as a nice alternative to fat-laden sweet-treats, such as candy bars. On the sweet sideA recent trend taking hold is the combination of sweeteners, such as aspartame and acesulfame K with natural sweeteners, which gives beverages the sweet profile that people desire without the high-calorie content of naturally sweetened beverages. Flavors specifically designed to round out artificial sweetener profiles, giving them a more sucrose-like profile, have enhanced the taste of low-calorie beverages significantly. These flavors don’t impart a characteristic flavor, but are added to augment the flavor profile in general; then a characterizing flavor can be added to further enhance the beverage. Better-for-you beveragesIn addition to interesting flavor combinations, one of the biggest trends in the beverage industry today is the advent of drinks with health and nutritional benefits. Recommended daily intakes of vitamins and minerals now can be ingested through a glass or two of fortified juice, or juice drink, or a thick milkshake-type beverage. Drinks that provide the health-enhancing benefits of a multivitamin are now taking center stage. Some of the most popular additions in this category are vitamin A, for its antioxidant benefits; vitamin C, for immune enhancement; vitamin D, for bone strength; and the B-complex vitamins for increased energy and improved memory. The good news is that adding these vitamins generally doesn’t affect the beverage’s flavor profile because their concentration, at about 10% to 25% of the Recommended Dietary Intake, is too low to impart off notes typically characterized by some vitamins. Another area that is hot, in terms of nutritional benefits, is calcium fortification. Everyone, from preteens to seniors, seems to need extra calcium these days for strong bones. In fact, research recently has linked a higher percentage of bone breakage in younger girls with a decreased calcium intake. This type of fortification works well in juice and milk beverages. Calcium lactate works particularly well, and is easiest to use because of its solubility and because it doesn’t adversely affect the stability of the beverages it is used in. Calcium lactate also provides the added benefit of smooth mouthfeel, whereas tri-calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate can be more gritty and chalk-like. Yogurt beverages are gaining favor, largely due to the intestinal-health benefits they provide. As gastrointestinal diseases become more prevalent, look for these beverages to become more widely available. In the past, these drinks tended to be very thick, viscous liquids. Now, we’re able to incorporate the probiotics found in yogurt, and prebiotics, such as fructooligiosaccharides, which work hand-in-hand to promote gut health in much thinner liquids, such as juice. In terms of flavoring, the ingredients used need to complement the yogurt’s acid profile. Citrus flavors work well, as do most berries and melons. Tart fruits, such as orange, raspberry and lime, seem to provide more pleasant flavor profiles. One trend, begun a few years ago that continues to experience growth, is the soy-beverage industry. It has been estimated that the U.S. soy market will exceed $3.5 billion next year. Various studies have linked high soy intake with a reduction in the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis and cancer. When the FDA approved a health claim for soy protein, allowing manufacturers to emphasize soy protein’s health benefits on packaging, a new market emerged. However, adding the 6.25 grams per serving needed for the claim presents some major challenges for our industry. One of the biggest is keeping soy protein in suspension while achieving a smooth mouthfeel. Often- times, soy will leave a gritty or chalky feel in the mouth. Stabilizer blends that contain pectin help reduce the amount of sediment in beverages by protecting the soy protein during heat processing and pasteurization. This sedimentation reduction provides a smoother mouthfeel to the beverage — a major factor in the acceptance of soy beverages. Another challenge commonly faced when working with soy-based beverages is soy’s unpleasant beany flavor. Masking systems specifically designed to reduce soy’s off-notes have proven extremely effective. These flavors mask the beany flavor associated with soy without imparting a characteristic flavor. Other flavors, such as vanilla or strawberry, then can be added to work synergistically with the masking flavor systems. Protein drinks are experiencing a resurgence, thanks, in part, to soy. Generally speaking, there are two markets within the soy spectrum — the health-food market, which accepts the flavor limitations and sedimentation of particulates traditionally found in soy beverages, and the mainstream mass market, which tends to be less accepting of these unappealing characteristics. As a result, the latter group is seeking other protein alternatives void of many of the soy beverage off-notes and gritty mouthfeel. Whey protein isolate and milk protein isolate beverages are coming into vogue. These ingredients are easier to work with than soy, because they are more soluble, and therefore present fewer obstacles in terms of sedimentation. When the isolates are combined with milk, these drinks offer the added health benefits of vitamins A and D. Whatever the reason, designer drinks and beverages have become as much a staple to the dining experience as has the main course. And the trend toward sipping flavored coffees, tropical juices or soy shakes throughout the day will only continue to grow as our aging culture looks for better taste and health. With these advances in beverage technology, our palates are becoming more and more sophisticated, requiring yet more discoveries. Take advantage of this booming market and let the “bottoms-up” craze boost your bottom line.

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