… and Why Smart Formulators are Buying Ahead (Like Soluble Tapioca Fiber!) Summary Fiber is emerging as the quiet juggernaut of 2026, fueled by consumer demand for gut health, satiety, glucose control, and clean-label functionality across every major category—from RTDs and bars to bakery, confections, and frozen treats. As soluble Read more…
Summary Formulators today need more than a sweetener — they need agility. As stevia markets shift and purity grades fluctuate, the ability to convert seamlessly between Rebaudioside A levels (RA60 through RA99M) has become a powerful competitive advantage. This white paper breaks down the simple yet essential conversion math that Read more…
Summary As tariffs, supply-chain volatility, and growing consumer skepticism disrupt erythritol’s longtime dominance in reduced-sugar formulation, isomalt emerges as a stable, cost-effective, and sensory-superior alternative. Derived from beet sugar and delivering a smoother sweetness curve with far less cooling, isomalt offers reliable bulk, excellent heat and acid stability, and a Read more…
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 FibRefine™ HG—Icon Foods’ proprietary partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG)—is the unsung hero behind today’s best-performing functional foods and beverages. Unlike traditional guar gum, it dissolves clearly, resists viscosity changes, and delivers proven prebiotic benefits that support gut health, glycemic control, and cholesterol reduction. Recognized by the FDA as a 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…
A comparative analysis of top fibers in food and beverage formulations Summary Agave inulin, chicory root inulin, and soluble tapioca fiber are three powerhouse ingredients shaping today’s better-for-you food and beverage formulations. Each offers unique benefits—from agave’s mild sweetness and prebiotic support, to chicory root’s strong digestive health benefits and Read more…
Summary When it comes to sugar alternatives, sweetness is only the beginning. Food scientists and formulators working in the low-carb, keto, and clean-label space know that texture, heat stability, digestive response, and regulatory compliance matter just as much. Two of the most commonly used—but often misunderstood—ingredients are isomaltooligosaccharides (IMOs) and isomalt. While both Read more…