Introduction to Soft Drinks Development and Manufacture

Campden BRI’s  Soft Drink Development and Manufacture training course offers individuals the opportunity to gain knowledge on the key considerations around the development and production of soft drinks. During this course, delegates will be introduced to a wide range of technical areas including; ingredient functionality (water, sweeteners, acidity regulators, juices, colours, preservatives and flavourings), microbiological considerations, pasteurisation, carbonation, packaging, and shelf life considerations. The course will allow individuals to imbed their learnings through benchtop development and manufacturing of their own drinks using Campden BRI’s pilot facilities.

Typical attendees are new product developers and technical team members within the beverage and beverage ingredient manufacturing industry.

This course will provide knowledge of the key considerations around the development and production of beverages.

Course aims

• To provide an introduction to beverage development and manufacture
• To give an end to end understanding of beverage development, from ingredient selection and recipe design through to manufacturing
• To demonstrate, at small scale practical level, the key processes involved in beverage development and manufacture. These include recipe design, ingredient blending, carbonation and pasteurisation
• To share Campden BRI's experiences on the development and manufacture of beverage

Note: this course does not cover beer or alcoholic drink.

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course delegates will be able to:-

• Understand the Beverage Development Process:
  • Describe the end-to-end beverage development process, from initial ingredient selection to recipe design and scale-up manufacturing.
• Identify Key Ingredients and Their Functionality:
  • Explain the roles and functionalities of key ingredients such as water, sweeteners, acidity regulators, juices, colours, preservatives, and flavourings in soft drink formulations. Work at benchtop level to safely and effectively work with key ingredients to maximise sensory appeal.
• Gain an Understanding of Common Beverage Development and Manufacturing Methods:
  • Demonstrate an understanding of essential beverage processing techniques, including blending, carbonation, and pasteurization, and how these processes influence the final product. Execute benchtop development activities, using small-scale manufacturing equipment to blend, carbonate, and pasteurize beverages.
• Apply Microbiological, Packaging and Shelf-Life Considerations:
  • Recognize critical microbiological risks associated with soft drink production and apply best practices for ensuring product safety and optimizing shelf-life. Discuss how packaging choices and stability factors influence product quality, shelf-life, and consumer perception.
• Troubleshoot Common Production Issues:
  • Draw on Campden BRI’s expertise and case studies to understand industry best practices and potential pitfalls in beverage development and manufacture. Identify common production challenges and quality issues in soft drink manufacture and propose appropriate troubleshooting approaches.