Fortune 500 co. seeks Holy Grail of clean label solvent for ‘natural’ beverages
In a posting on the website NineSights, open innovation expert NineSigma says:
“The ‘gold standard’ solvent, if one were to exist, would have the physical and chemical properties of ethanol (in terms of viscosity and ability to solubilize ingredients), without ethanol’s challenges such as low flash point, potability, and negative consumer perception.”
The “next best” option ispropylene glycol, says NineSigma. “However, its ability to solubilize ingredients is not as good as ethanol, and it also has consumer-related issues and an off-taste in final products.”
Its client is therefore seeking solvent technologies that can reproduce the viscosity and solubility performance of ethanol andpropylene glycol, “without the commercial and consumer issues”.
Label-friendly ingredient a must
The successful solvent will ideally meet a definition of ‘natural’, either as obtained through fermentation and/or extraction with water or alcohol, it says. It will also:
- Have a flash point above 140oF
- Have similar solubility and viscosity characteristics to water, ethanol, or propylene glycol
- Have low or no odor and taste
- Be miscible with water
- Be able to favorably solubilize components traditionally used as flavoring ingredients
- Be GRAS (generally recognized as safe) listed (or potentially so) and label-friendly
- Meet a preferred use level of between 1,000 ppm and 20,000 ppm (0.1% - 2.0%) in a final beverage
- Exhibit shelf stability of at least six months at room temperature and in the presence of oxygen
- Preferably, meet a definition of ‘natural’, either via fermentation and/or extraction with water or alcohol
- Demonstrate solubility and dispersion in cold water (200- 240 mL at 38 oF – 45oF) with no negative sensory impact at a concentration of 1,000-20,000ppm
Solution might involve esterified glycols produced via fermentation
Possible approaches might involve esterified glycols via fermentation or enzymes or solvents currently used in other industries such as pharmaceuticals or cosmetics, it says.
However, the client is not interested in triacetin because of its poor solubility and miscibility, Glycerol, 1-3 propane diol, “any solution that does not provide for a label-friendly alternative”, or beverage emulsions, vegetable oils and non-polar substances that are not miscible in water.
Responses are due by July 19, 2013.
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