Gellan Gum Formula for Ready-to-Drink Tea Beverage

The following formula is provided for reference and product development trials only. Actual formulation should be adjusted according to raw materials, processing conditions, and final product requirements.

Ready-to-drink tea beverages are widely consumed around the world, but maintaining a stable appearance during storage can be challenging.

Tea systems may contain:

* tea extracts
* fine particles
* minerals
* added functional ingredients

During storage, these components may slowly settle or create an uneven appearance.

Gellan gum can help improve suspension stability at a very low usage level while maintaining a light mouthfeel.

For clear tea beverages or tea drinks containing fine particles, low acyl gellan gum is commonly considered because it can create a transparent suspension network with minimal viscosity increase.

Basic RTD Tea Beverage Formula

For 100 kg finished tea beverage:

Water: q.s. to 100 kg
Tea extract: according to required strength
Sugar: 5–10 kg
Low acyl gellan gum (LA): 10–25 g
Citric acid or other acid regulator: as required
Flavor: as required
Other functional ingredients: as required

Recommended starting range:

Low acyl gellan gum: 0.01–0.025%

Equivalent to:

10–25 g LA gellan gum per 100 kg tea beverage

Why Use Gellan Gum in Tea Beverages?

Tea beverages may appear stable immediately after production, but storage can lead to:

* sediment formation
* separation
* loss of visual quality

A small amount of gellan gum can help create a weak structure that keeps fine particles distributed.

The target is:

* clean appearance
* stable suspension
* low viscosity
* good flavor release

The beverage should still feel like a normal drink.

Suggested Processing Method

1. Prepare the water phase and begin mixing.

2. Premix gellan gum with sugar or other dry ingredients.

3. Slowly add the dry mixture under agitation.

4. Heat the system to approximately:

85–90°C

to hydrate the gellan gum.

5. Add tea extract, sweetener, acid, and flavor according to the product process.

6. Adjust the final formulation and complete pasteurization or filling.

Starting Trial Design

Because tea formulations vary significantly, a dosage screening trial is recommended.

Example:

Trial A:

0.010% LA gellan gum

Trial B:

0.015% LA gellan gum

Trial C:

0.020% LA gellan gum

Trial D:

0.025% LA gellan gum

Evaluate:

* sedimentation after storage
* clarity
* viscosity
* mouthfeel
* flavor release

What If Sedimentation Still Appears?

Increasing gellan gum may help, but other factors should also be checked.

Important variables include:

* tea extract concentration
* particle size
* mineral content
* pH
* filtration process
* storage temperature

A stability problem is not always caused by insufficient gellan gum.

What If the Beverage Becomes Too Thick?

Reduce the dosage gradually.

For example:

0.025% → 0.020% → 0.015%

The best formulation is usually the lowest dosage that provides the required stability.

HA or LA Gellan Gum for Tea Beverage?

For clear tea beverages:

Low acyl gellan gum is often preferred because of:

* transparency
* strong suspension ability
* low viscosity

For milk tea or tea beverages containing dairy proteins, high acyl gellan gum may be considered because it can provide a softer texture and better mouthfeel.

Practical Starting Formula

For a first RTD tea beverage trial:

100 kg tea beverage

*

10–25 g low acyl gellan gum

*

hydration at 85–90°C

is a reasonable starting point.

The final commercial formula should always be validated using the actual tea extract, water quality, processing equipment, and expected shelf-life requirements.