Sparkling Drinks

Sparkling or carbonated drinks

Sparkling or carbonated drinks can be varied in appearance from the subtle shades of craft-style premium sodas to more intense vibrant colors use in classic fizzy drink formulations. Typically made as a syrup, it’s important that the color is fully solubilized or dispersed to achieve the desired shade. RTDs are frequently retailed in single serve and large format sharing bottles and so it’s important to select the right dosage for bottle size and shelf life expectation.

Formulation

  • Use a starting color dosage level between 0.02% w/w – 0.25% w/w
  • For optimal appearance and color performance, beverage pH should be <3.3 for red, purple, and pink shades
  • Water quality and mineral content can influence color shade and performance

Manufacturing process

  • Note the order of ingredient addition and add colors during the final stages of production
  • Ensure compatibility with a beverage syrup
  • Avoid excessive processing through tunnel pasteurization
  • Rapid cooling helps preserve color

Shelf-life

  • Optimal color performance is up to 9-12m
  • UV barriers and full-shrink labels will preserve color vibrancy and can help extend shelf life
  • Packaging material can impact on color performance over time