Closed: No Longer Accepting Submissions
PepsiCo is looking for solid form acetic acid as a substitute for sodium diacetate. The goal of this practice is to identify “blue sky” ideas on sodium reduction in topical seasoning, and if found, identify potential suppliers/collaborators to realize those ideas.
Currently sodium diacetate is being used widely as a solid vinegar flavor. This material contains 16% sodium, which brings up the total sodium level of food products. If vinegar (acetic acid) can be used instead, sodium level could be significantly reduced. Other potential advantages include better physical characters (hygroscopicity) and flavor profile. The technical obstacle is that vinegar (acetic acid) needs to be converted into solid form by delivery technology.
The target is an encapsulation technology to deliver acetic acid in solid form which enables its use in seasoning.
Solution Requirements
Must-Haves
- Close match to sodium diacetate in acidity and flavor profile.
- Food applicable in terms of regulatory standards and scale.
- Compatibility with PepsiCo seasoning application process (powder, with acceptable physical properties such as flow and adhesion).
- Acetic acid flavor must be released during the eating process in the mouth
Nice-to-Haves
- Viable regarding cost.
Preferred Collaboration Types
- PepsiCo is open to a range of collaboration types, but focusing on sodium reduction technologies that have reached at least pilot scale.