Sipping Into a Clean Label Alcohol-Free Future: A Formulator’s Guide to No-Added Sugar Mocktails Summary The rapid rise of alcohol-free lifestyles is reshaping the beverage landscape, and with it comes a powerful opportunity for formulators. As traditional alcohol consumption declines and ready-to-drink mocktails surge, today’s consumers are demanding more than Read more…
Summary Organic allulose has officially crossed the line from industry legend to commercial reality, and with it comes a fundamental shift in what’s possible for clean-label, reduced-sugar formulation. Once considered a “unicorn” ingredient, organic allulose now delivers sugar-like performance, real bulk, clean sweetness, and negligible glycemic impact, all within a Read more…
The Ingredient Everyone Wants and Almost Nobody Can Get Enough Of Summary Organic allulose is rapidly becoming one of the most important ingredients in modern sugar-reduction strategies. As brands pursue clean label positioning, low-sugar nutrition panels, and premium product experiences, organic allulose offers a rare combination of functionality and consumer Read more…
Why the Price of V25, V40, and V50 Keep Climbing – and How to Keep it From Murdering Your COGs Summary Monk fruit extract prices are climbing steadily across the grade spectrum, from V25 to V40 to V50, putting real pressure on formulation budgets and COGS stability. The reason isn’t Read more…
A Formulator’s Field Guide to Maltitol, Isomalt, and Erythritol Summary Panned confections may look simple on the outside, but the glossy shell that defines them is the result of careful ingredient strategy and processing control. As sugar reduction becomes a priority, formulators are increasingly turning to polyols such as maltitol, Read more…
The Part Everyone Tastes, but Few Talk About A formulator’s field guide to why sweetness timing matters, what goes wrong, and how to fix it Summary Sweetness isn’t just about how strong it is. It’s about how it behaves over time. In this white paper, Icon Foods’ Chief Innovation Officer Read more…
A Guide to Sweet Protein – Taste Receptor Interactions – and How Not to Screw Them Up Summary The era of brute-force sugar reduction is over. Sweet proteins are here, and they demand a smarter hand. In this white paper, Thom King unpacks the receptor-level science behind thaumatin and brazzein, Read more…
Summary Most formulation strategies still focus on sweetness curves, macros, and label claims. But the real metabolic story begins after digestion, in the colon, where microbial fermentation determines whether your product drives short-chain fatty acids or neurotoxic byproducts. In this white paper, Thom King reframes fiber not as a trend, Read more…
Sweetener Breakups Are Hard: Why the Industry Is Quietly Moving on from Erythritol (and What to Do Instead) Summary Erythritol hasn’t been banned, and it hasn’t stopped functioning. What’s changed is risk. Once a quiet, reliable workhorse in sugar reduction, erythritol now carries perception volatility and trade exposure that smart Read more…
Trade Policy Just Changed the Formulation Playbook (Again) Summary In The Erythritol Reckoning, Part II, Thom King moves beyond last week’s science debate and into the economic earthquake now reshaping formulation strategy. With final antidumping and countervailing duties of up to nearly 200% on Chinese erythritol, what was once a dependable, Read more…