Ready-to-drink products

This sector accounts for the largest volume of soft drinks production and is divided into products that are carbonated, that is, contain carbon dioxide, and those that are still. Carbonated RTD soft drinks dominate the world market and detailed consumption trends appear in Chapter 2 of this volume. 

The market for carbonated soft drinks is dominated by two giant brands of cola drinks that, together with their associated brand names, account for just over half the world s consumption of such products. 

Non-carbonated RTD beverages have shown some considerable growth in recent years mainly because of the availability of aseptic packaging forms. Still drinks that rely on chemical preservation or hot-pack/in-pack pasteurisation suffer from a number of potential problems, including rapid flavour and colour deterioration. 

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However, use of these lower energy options can also lead to excessive phenylalanine intake from foods. Various convenience forms of medical food such as bars, tablets, and ready-to-drink products can be offered to older children. Products made with glycomacropeptide (GMP), a protein source that is low in phenylalanine and supplemented with limiting amino acids, are also available. The phenylalaiune in GMP often needs to be considered in the daily phenylalanine prescription [13]. Table 10.4 provides an overview of some of the medical foods available to patients with PKU. 

The aforementioned products are commercialised at different concentration levels, for example ready to drink or dilute to taste in the case of syrups. 

Instant Tea-Based Products. Powdered soft drinks and ready-to-drink teas are produced by formulating instant teas with acids, flavors, sugars, or noncaloric sweeteners. Lemon is by far the predominant flavor used but tropical, citrus, and berry flavors are also quite common. 

There are two basic types of soft drinks the so-called ready-to-drink (RTD) products that dominate the world market and the concentrated or dilute-to-taste products that are still important in some markets. These include syrups and so-called squashes and cordials. 

Preservative Max. ready-to-drink level mg/1 Dilution recommended for product Max. level in dilutable... 

There has always been a market for ready-to-drink (RTD) non-carbonated products, but it has been a difficult market to develop because consumers need persuading away from making then- own RTD products using dilutables. 

It remains to be mentioned that the same aromatised concentrates are also used for reconstitution and sale in dispensers. These machines keep the concentrate refrigerated, they reconstitute it with water to juice strength and they dispense the ready-to-drink juice into cups for immediate consumption. A large Floridian citrus factory (LYKES PASCO, Inc. (25)) used to distribute a great part of their citms juice production world-wide in this way (Vitality-Dispenser). 

More than 80% of all Americans say they are currently consuming or would be interested in consuming foods and/or beverages for such benefits (29). This is clearly evident by the 2008 consumer report of the Natural Foods Merchandiser, which has shown that the natural products industry in the USA grew by 9.8% in 2007 to more than US 62 billion in sales (30). The survey revealed that food, supplements and natural personal care products have contributed 57.9, 28.8 and 13.3% respectively to the total sales of natural products. In terms of sales growth, carbonated, functional, ready-to-drink tea and coffee beverages have made the highest contribution of 29.4%. 

Concentration is achieved by changing the formulation of the product to deliver higher performance per unit volume. For example, instead of delivering one litre of ready-to-drink juice, a concentrate occupying a fifth of the volume can be delivered to the customer, who just adds water to it. The transported weight is reduced, but the same function is delivered to the customer. 

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Chemical-based products cover a broad spectrum of materials and forms, ranging from molecules to appliances. Table 16.1-1 shows the various product functional forms, along with examples in major application areas. Examples highlighted in italic are those discussed in this book. Most small molecules such as BTX (benzene-toluene-xyxlene) are sold to chemical and allied products industries while a limited number such as refrigerants and solvents are for sale in the consumer market. In contrast, multicomponent liquid mixtures such as liquid shampoo, semi-solids such as cream and paste, and structured solids such as controlled release herbicide are often sold directly to the consumers. Business-to-consumer sale is even more prevalent for ready-to-use devices and appliances such as diagnostic kits, drinking water filters and air cleaners. 

How do you make a better tasting sports drink How can you make a gravy mix that can be ready to serve in 5 min, yet maintain its consistency under a heat lamp for 8 h Food chemists use their knowledge of chemical reactions to improve food quality and develop new products. 

Sorbic acid can be used to preserve ready to eat fruits in concentrations around 0.05% and fruit pulps combined with sulfur dioxide by the addition of about 0.15% potassium sorbate. Sorbates are also used in juice and soft drink production, especially products intended for further processing. In juices 0.05 to 0.2%, in soft drinks around 0.04% of potassium sorbate are applied (Raczek, 1998a). A special quality of potassium sorbate is also used to avoid a secondary fermentation in wine with residual sugar (Raczek, 1998b). 

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