How Prebiotic Fibers, Symbiotics, and Postbiotics Crank Up GLP-1 Summary GLP-1 may be the headline hormone of the metabolic era, but food and beverage formulators don’t need pharma to play in this space. The gut already manufactures GLP-1 naturally through short-chain fatty acids produced during fiber fermentation. This article breaks Read more…
Summary High-protein and functional beverages are booming, but their biggest challenge isn’t formulation—it’s flavor. Packing 50 grams of protein into a 12-ounce RTD is a sensory minefield, especially with the bitterness, astringency, and lingering off-notes that come from dairy and plant proteins. MonkSweet™ LS4 solves this problem through a powerful Read more…
How Your Body Handles Sugar, and Why Cutting it Back Changes Everything Summary Sugar tastes simple, but once it reaches the small intestine it unravels into glucose and fructose, triggering rapid absorption, insulin spikes, liver strain, and—when consumed chronically—metabolic disruptions linked to inflammation, fat accumulation, and chronic disease. Today’s food Read more…
A Functional Approach for Food Technologists and Beverage Formulators Summary In the fast-evolving world of functional beverages, gut-healthy sodas are redefining what it means to “drink your wellness.” This white paper from Icon Foods’ Chief Innovation Officer Thom King dives into the science and formulation strategies behind creating carbonated soft Read more…
Summary Allulose is stepping into the spotlight as erythritol faces trade turbulence. With anti-dumping petitions, countervailing duties, and tariff uncertainty tightening around polyols, formulators are turning to KetoseSweet™ allulose—a rare sugar that melts cleanly into formulations, sidesteps tariff risk, and brings consistent performance. Beyond its economic edge, allulose delivers sensory and Read more…
Cracking the Code on Mouthfeel, Sweetness, and Terpene Oddities Summary As alcohol consumption declines and health-conscious consumers embrace cannabis beverages, formulators face a new challenge: creating low-sugar THC drinks that taste great without the “weed tea” effect. This white paper explores how clean-label sweeteners like allulose, monk fruit, and advanced Read more…
Summary Clean-label sugar reduction in coffee and soda syrups doesn’t have to mean sacrificing flavor, mouthfeel, or shelf life. In this guide, Icon Foods’ Chief Innovation Officer Thom King shares a practical roadmap for developing indulgent, low-sugar syrups that perform like traditional formulations—without the added sugar baggage. By combining allulose Read more…
Summary Icon Foods CEO Kash Rocheleau’s Q4 Market Intelligence Report underscores a pivotal moment for the food and beverage industry. As tariff volatility, ocean freight surges, and regulatory scrutiny reshape supply chains, brands are being challenged to adapt faster than ever. The report explores how macroeconomic shifts—from Fed rate cuts Read more…
Summary The Stevia Extracts Market Outlook Q4 2025 → 2026 positions stevia not just as a natural sweetener but as a strategic ingredient in a tightening global market. Despite a strong leaf harvest, rising demand from beverage, functional food, and GLP-1–influenced product launches is firming prices across Reb A and Reb M Read more…
Summary MonkSweet™ LS4 is Icon Foods’ next-generation stevia–monk fruit blend engineered to deliver clean, sugar-like sweetness with exceptional masking performance in complex formulations. By combining mogroside V from monk fruit with rebaudioside M (Reb M) from stevia, LS4 activates multiple sweet receptors to produce a fast-onset, rounded flavor curve that mimics Read more…