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Technical Tips on Product Development Part 1

Inshome-section-steveights From Our Team of Beverage Experts

  • When developing, use an acid that will work in conjunction with your flavor profile. Using the correct acid will lift the flavor and brighten your beverage.

  • Record ingredient lot numbers and expiration dates for traceability purposes.

  • Anthocyanins will change color based on pH. If you are color matching, be sure to do so using your end pH.

  • Even though fantasy flavors like fruit punch, cotton candy and bubblegum don’t exist in nature, they can still be made natural.

  • If you have to add alcohol to your spray-dry formula, make sure it does not exceed 2%

  • Don’t wait until you’ve completed bench-top development to start scale-up and accelerated shelf-life testing. The earlier you can find out about a problem with your formula, the more time you’ll have to fix it and save your launch timing!

  • Work backwards! Understand the plant processing capabilities BEFORE starting any product development.

Keep Reading:

Why Relaxation Beverages Require a Different Flavor Strategy

Ingredients commonly associated with calm and relaxation — including ashwagandha, magnesium, valerian root, reishi, l-theanine, and other botanicals — can introduce earthy, woody, bitter, savory, sulfurous, or lingering off-notes.
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Masking Isn’t the Solution—It’s One Part of It

Considerations like format, processing, shelf life, and label constraints all influence how a solution performs in the final product. What works in one system may not translate directly to another.
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Why Natural Color Reformulation Requires More Than a Color Swap

Switching to natural colors affects more than appearance. Learn how natural pigments interact with flavor, pH, and formulation—and why many R&D teams rely on formulation partners during reformulation.
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Notice: Holiday Closure

Imbibe will be closed April 2, 3, 8, and 9. Please expect some delays in our response during these dates.