Cargill is using IFT 2023 to showcase its commitment to the food industry with a trio of new solutions that offer improved functionality and address prevailing consumer trends from plant-based formulation to improved nutritional profiles, as well as trending product concepts developed specifically for the event.

Go!Drop
Representing a significant leap forward in plant-based formulation, Cargill will showcase Go!Drop, a   smart fat solution developed by CUBIQ FOODS. Created using specialized, patent-pending technology that creates a structured emulsion, stabilized with plant-based ingredients, this technology allows Go!Drop to more closely mimic animal-based fats, while also offering an improved nutritional profile.

Earlier this year, Cargill and CUBIQ FOODS showcased Go!Drop’s advantages in plant-based burgers. At IFT23, Cargill will feature Go!Drop in a plant-based ice cream alternative, where it builds back mouthfeel, creaminess and structure, and improves flavor. At the same time, Go!Drop also supports improved nutritional profiles, enabling brands to reduce calories and total fats, and even makes it possible to create indulgent plant-based ice creams with 0g of saturated fats per serving.

In consumer testing, Cargill’s plant-based ice cream prototype earned high scores for overall liking, flavor liking and mouthfeel, illustrating how Go!Drop can be used to create the “healthy indulgences” consumers crave.

Gerkens® Sweety Cocoa Powder
Permissible indulgence is also the driving force in Cargill’s new Gerkens® Sweety cocoa powder range, which enables up to 15-30%* sugar reduction in a simple way, without compromising on great chocolaty taste.

Designed for chocolate dairy beverages and similar chocolate-flavored drinks, Gerken’s Sweety cocoa powders are low in bitterness but still maintain a well-balanced chocolate flavor with a sweet perception. As a result, less sugar is needed in the final application, enabling sugar reduction without additional sweeteners or artificial ingredients.

The Sweety range includes two distinct cocoa powders. Gerkens Revelry™ features stronger chocolate and cocoa notes, whereas Gerkens Bliss offers a milder chocolate flavor and heightened creaminess. Regardless of the cocoa powder used, Cargill’s sensory testing with both adults and children affirms Sweety’s chocolatey flavor is a hit with all ages.

Pink Himalayan Salt
Cargill will soon be adding to its premium salt offerings with a line of Pink Himalayan salt for food manufacturing customers, offering the quality, supply reliability and technical expertise expected from the world’s most trusted salt supplier.  As one of the fastest growing salt categories, Cargill’s Pink Himalayan salt is perfect for food manufacturers who want to position their products as premium and want to play in the natural, better-for-you space.

Mined from ancient salt deposits, Cargill’s Pink Himalayan salt line includes a broad range of crystal sizes, such as Pink Himalayan Salt Flour, ideal for applications that require extremely fine sizing for blending, such as dry soup, cereal, flour and spice mixes, as well as topping snack foods, and a fine Pink Himalayan Salt, versatile for use in a variety of applications.

Visit the Cargill booth to taste a prototype highlighting the Pink Himalayan Salt Extra Coarse Topping, ideal for use when a larger crystal size is desired, such as in confectionary applications.

Sustainable Solutions
Cargill also revealed findings from its latest life cycle assessment (LCA), completed for its EverSweet® stevia sweetener. The third-party verified LCA found EverSweet, which is produced via fermentation, uses 98% less water, produces 83% less CO2 and requires 98% less land than beet sugar. The assessment also affirmed the environmental advantages of fermentation over other stevia production methods, including leaf-based and bioconversion. The results are especially relevant as consumers prioritize the environmental impact of what they consume, and many food and beverage manufacturers work to meet aggressive Scope 3 sustainability goals. EverSweet, with its small environmental footprint, can support both groups on their sustainability journeys.

Inspiring Product Concepts
Visitors to Cargill’s booth at IFT233 will sample prototypes highlighting the new ingredients, including a decadent lemon shortbread cookie topped with lavender jelly and Pink Himalayan salt; an indulgent plant-based ice cream alternative made with Go!Drop, PURIS 2.0 pea protein and EverSweet® stevia sweetener; and a dark chocolate-infused mocha latte, made with Gerkens® Sweety cocoa powder – with just 7g of added sugar. For deeper sugar reduction, Cargill offered a no-sugar-added soda fountain drink, sweetened with EverSweet® stevia sweetener + ClearFlo™ natural flavor solution, demonstrating how the sweetening system can be used in concentrated systems like beverage throw syrups.

Cargill product developers will use the trade show floor to showcase the possibilities in the functional food and beverage space with tasty prototypes featuring EpiCor® postbiotic. Backed by more than a dozen published studies showing its support for immune health, EpiCor is well-suited for food and beverage applications, with a low recommended dose of just 500mg per day and ability to handle varying pH levels and high heat conditions.

Trendy product concepts, including a sweet biscotti cookie; a strawberry-filled whole wheat bar; and a high-protein fruit smoothie, packed with 22g of PURIS HiLo pea protein and a daily allotment of EpiCor postbiotic, demonstrated the health-supportive ingredient’s flexibility across a wide range of applications.

*Reduction will vary by product and will depend on several factors, such as the amount of cocoa powder and sugar in original product, as well as on sensory profile preferences.