iTi Tropicals, Inc. (iTi) has created six custom coconut water and coconut milk prototype blends to stimulate research and development and to initiate a creative dialog. iTi’s goal is to encourage manufacturers to experiment with these special ingredients, discover new formulations and functions, and collaborate with iTi product development scientists for insights and assistance. 

Displaying coconut ingredients, the prototypes include an Organic Coconut Water 100 percent juice beverage, two Coconut Milk beverages, a light Culinary Coconut Milk, an Apple-Coconut Water blend, and an Orange-Coconut Water blend.

All products come packaged in shelf-stable 330ml Tetra Prisma boxes. The coconut beverages highlight powerful ingredients for use in products including juice, tea, coffee, and soda, to mention a few. The coconut milk beverages also can contribute mouthfeel, electrolytes and label-appeal to such foods as ice cream, yogurt, soup, dressings and sauces.

“iTi product development scientists, the lifeblood of our state-of-the-art Innovation Center, are proud to offer our customers new and innovative ways to succeed with these ingredients,” says Gert van Manen, president, iTi Tropicals, Inc. “Strengthening our commitment, this is the first time we’ve actually secured time at a commercial pilot plant to create unique shelf-stable prototypes intended to spark creativity and stimulate creative conversations with our customers.”

The six prototypes include:

Organic Coconut Water: This 100% juice prototype is a pure and natural isotonic beverage featuring five essential electrolytes, more potassium than a banana, no added sugars, and is fat-free, cholesterol-free and preservative-free. It can be incorporated into many beverage applications and is often described as a natural sports drink.

Two Coconut Milk Beverages: These include Coconut Milk beverage made from 33% Coconut Water from concentrate and a Coconut Milk beverage made from 100% Coconut Water from concentrate. Bothare formulated with reconstituted Coconut Water from concentrate and coconut cream.

Health benefits include a lower fat content (similar to reduced fat 2 percent milk) and appreciable amounts of electrolytes (potassium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium) from the coconut water. These creamy products are light white in color and have a pleasant taste without any added sugar. The use of coconut water in place of regular dilution water provides added body, a bolder flavor, and a pleasant texture.

Further, the coconut water content of the Coconut Milk beverage made from 33% Coconut Water can be labeled as 30% juice, and the Coconut Milk beverage made from 100% Coconut Water can be labeled as 91% juice.

Light Coconut Culinary Milk: This prototype is a 6% fat coconut culinary milk designed predominantly for cooking. A vegan ingredient, it is dairy-, gluten-, and GMO-free. It is ideal for making vegan soup bisques.

The Apple-Coconut Water and Orange-Coconut Water beverages are ingredient blends that showcase 100% juice products having 25% fewer calories versus all apple or all orange juice. This is accomplished because coconut water has a single strength of only 4.2° brix. The coconut water provides juice content without interfering with the characteristic flavor, texture or color of other fruit juices.

Iti Tropicals also is planning for additional prototypes this May. These will include:

• Coconut water diluted to either 3° or 4° brix and with 1% sugar added.
• Coconut water and passion fruit blend with 100% juice content.
• Coconut water and acerola blend with 100% juice content.
• Coconut water, spinach, mango, and blueberries with 100% juice content.
• Coconut water, red beet, passion fruit, and carrots with 100% juice content.
• Toasted coconut water with 100% juice content.
• Cranberry and coconut water with 100% juice content.
• Grape-coconut water with 100% juice content.

“Our mission is to be our customer’s partner in innovation,” says Mr. van Manen. “The objective of our new prototype program is to get the creative juices flowing and help them translate inventive ideas into successful new products.”

Manufacturers can contact iTi Tropicals to obtain details and samples or to arrange a personal meeting. Please visit the iTi website at www.ititropicals.com or call +1 609-986-2711 for further information.

iTi Tropicals Inc., a leader in the exotic tropical fruit product category, is an independent company headquartered in Lawrenceville, N.J. Since 1988, iTi Tropicals has grown to become a leading U.S. supplier of processed tropical fruits. iTi maintains an extensive inventory of both frozen and aseptically packed tropical and exotic fruit purees, juices and concentrates.

Their sole business is importing high-quality tropical ingredients from manufacturers worldwide who meet their quality standards. iTi products include coconut water, coconut cream, banana, guava, papaya, mango, passionfruit, açaí, acerola, mangosteen, tamarind, and dragon fruit.