Tate & Lyle presented its enhanced ingredient capabilities at IFT FIRST 2025 in Chicago (13-16 July), marking the first major industry event since the company's integration with CP Kelco. The combined portfolio now includes pectin, specialty gums and nature-based ingredients alongside Tate & Lyle's established sugar reduction and fortification solutions.

The company introduced its Mouthfeel Lab, an interactive demonstration space focused on texture science applications. The facility showcases hyper-crunch textures for optimal bite characteristics, stabiliser systems for frozen dessert applications and hydrocolloid solutions for enhanced suspension and mouthfeel. These demonstrations highlight formulation approaches that industrial bakers can apply to improve product texture and consumer appeal.

Four prototypes demonstrated the expanded ingredient portfolio's capabilities across different applications. The Piña Colada Dual Texture Gummy Lollipop combined GENU® Pectin and GENUTINE® Carrageenan to create distinct textures in a single product, formulated as a fibre source in both full sugar and no sugar added variants. The Dubai Chocolate Ice Cream Parfait utilised NUTRAVA® Citrus Fibre for clean label formulation whilst maintaining indulgent mouthfeel through specialised dairy formulation techniques. The Dip-n-Crunch Veggie Snackers incorporated X-PAND-R®, PROMITOR®, KELTROL®, and STAR-DRI® to achieve specific textural properties, demonstrating how multiple ingredients can work together to create desired crunch and creaminess characteristics. The Tropical Mystic Elixir featured PROMITOR® Soluble Fibre, KELCOGEL® Gellan Gum, and the newly launched All-Americas Stevia Reb M for sweetness and stabilisation.

During the event, Tate & Lyle presented two technical sessions addressing industry applications. The first, "The Power of Stevia Reb M: Elevate Every Sip" on the Taste of Science Stage, covered the bio-converted sweetener's clean sweetness profile and regional supply benefits. The second session, "Mastering Mouthfeel: Delivering Superior Texture in Crackers" at the Solution Showcase, addressed sensory optimisation through ingredient selection for crunch, crumble and creaminess in baked products.

The showcase highlighted several ingredients with direct relevance to industrial baking operations. All-Americas Stevia Reb M represents the first large-scale commercialisation of an all-Americas-sourced, bio-converted stevia ingredient, produced by Manus™ technology. PROMITOR® Soluble Fibre provides functional fibre content and digestive health benefits, with over ten years of formulation experience across various applications. NUTRAVA® Citrus Fibre offers clean label positioning whilst enhancing mouthfeel and stability characteristics. Gellan Gum, Pectin, and Modified Starches enable textural innovations including aeration, suspension and multi-layered systems.

The company reported progress on environmental targets, including new Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)-approved 2028 greenhouse gas reduction targets aligned with 1.5°C global warming limits. CLARIA G® Clean Label Starch production now uses 35% less carbon emissions and 34% less water compared to previous methods.

Jessica Wilford, vice president of category development for the Americas, noted that the combined portfolios and technical expertise enable expanded formulation solutions for customers facing development challenges. The integration of CP Kelco's ingredients portfolio positions Tate & Lyle to address broader formulation requirements across sugar reduction, fortification and texture modification applications relevant to industrial baking operations.