Flavor and ingredient supplier T. Hasegawa has launched a new technology designed to help beverage makers preserve natural citrus flavors for longer, addressing one of the biggest challenges in clean-label drink formulation.
The innovation, branded Hasecitrus, protects citrus flavors from oxidation — a process that dulls color, aroma, and taste due to oxygen, pH shifts, and temperature fluctuations. Unlike many existing solutions, Hasecitrus maintains shelf stability without refrigeration or special packaging, allowing for longer-lasting citrus-based beverages such as sports and energy drinks.
The technology is debuting in eight variants, including lemon, lime, orange, and grapefruit, and meets U.S. FDA guidelines for natural flavors, supporting clean-label claims.
“Consumers increasingly want preservative-free, natural beverages, even in categories like sports nutrition and energy drinks that are packed with added protein or electrolytes,” said Mark Webster, vice president of sales and marketing at T. Hasegawa USA. “Hasecitrus meets this demand by extending flavor integrity while keeping formulations clean.”
Developed over two years, Hasecitrus draws on research from T. Hasegawa’s global R&D hub in Japan and adapts it for North American production needs. The U.S. unit has been expanding its citrus portfolio, bolstered by its 2024 acquisition of Abelei Flavors.
The launch also comes as competitors such as Sensient Flavors & Extracts roll out their own natural flavor technologies, highlighting industry-wide efforts to tackle the dual challenge of clean-label demand and rising commodity costs.
“We aim to identify production challenges facing the food and beverage industry and address them with innovative, science-based flavor solutions,” said Masashi Miyamoto, senior flavor chemist at T. Hasegawa USA. “Hasecitrus reflects this approach, offering a natural solution to one of the beverage sector’s most persistent hurdles.”