A drink mix is a
processed-food product, designed to mix usually with water to produce a beverage resembling juice, soda, or other sweet products in flavor. Another type of drink mix is represented by products that are mixed into milk. Most drink mixes are
powdered, but some are
liquid
Liquid is a state of matter with a definite volume but no fixed shape. Liquids adapt to the shape of their container and are nearly incompressible, maintaining their volume even under pressure. The density of a liquid is usually close to th ...
-
concentrate
A concentrate is a form of Chemical substance, substance that has had the majority of its diluting agent or diluent (in the case of a liquid: the solvent) removed, such that the substance becomes the majority of the composition. Typically, this w ...
.
History
The first juice-type powdered drink mix was Poly Pop, invented by Paul Stevens Hollis in 1922. He sold it as part of the Big State Company until its acquisition by
General Foods
General Foods Corporation was a company whose direct predecessor was established in the United States by C. W. Post, Charles William (C. W.) Post as the Postum Cereal Company in 1895.
The company changed its name to "General Foods" in 1929, a ...
in 1953.
Ingredients
While some are made with sugar, or sold unsweetened, the products are often made with artificial sweeteners such as
aspartame
Aspartame is an artificial non-saccharide sweetener commonly used as a sugar substitute in foods and beverages. 200 times sweeter than sucrose, it is a methyl ester of the aspartic acid/phenylalanine dipeptide with brand names NutraSwe ...
,
sucralose
Sucralose is an artificial sweetener and sugar substitute. In the European Union, it is also known under the E number E955. It is produced by chlorination of sucrose, selectively replacing three of the hydroxy groups—in the C1 a ...
,
cyclamates or
saccharin
Saccharin, also called saccharine, benzosulfimide, or E954, or used in saccharin sodium or saccharin calcium forms, is a non-nutritive artificial sweetener. Saccharin is a sultam that is about 500 times sweeter than sucrose, but has a bitter or ...
, and often include
artificial flavors and colors. Powdered drink mixes without sugar will often contain water-soluble filler ingredients such as
maltodextrin
Maltodextrin is a name shared by two different families of chemicals. Both families are glucose polymers (also called ''dextrose polymers'' or ''Dextrin, dextrins''), but have little chemical or nutritional similarity.
The digestible maltodextr ...
or
dextrose
Glucose is a sugar with the molecular formula , which is often abbreviated as Glc. It is overall the most abundant monosaccharide, a subcategory of carbohydrates. It is mainly made by plants and most algae during photosynthesis from water an ...
. Products may also include vitamins,
electrolytes
An electrolyte is a substance that conducts electricity through the movement of ions, but not through the movement of electrons. This includes most soluble salts, acids, and bases, dissolved in a polar solvent like water. Upon dissolving, t ...
,
caffeine
Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the methylxanthine chemical classification, class and is the most commonly consumed Psychoactive drug, psychoactive substance globally. It is mainly used for its eugeroic (wakefulness pr ...
, or other nutrients.
The products are variously marketed and to the point to children, athletes, bodybuilders, dieters, or as a vitamin supplement. Some brands are only sold as drink mixes, while some beverage companies produce powdered versions of their products, as do
Gatorade
Gatorade is an American brand of sports-themed beverage and food products, built around its signature line of sports drinks. The drink is owned and manufactured by PepsiCo and is distributed in over 80 countries. The beverage was develope ...
and
Ocean Spray. Another form of drink mix is represented by products mixed into milk, such as
malted milk
Malted milk or malt powder or malted milk powder, is a powder made from a mixture of malted barley, wheat flour, and Milk powder, evaporated whole milk powder. The powder is used to add its distinctive flavor to beverages and other foods, but i ...
,
Nesquik,
Ovaltine, and
Carnation Instant Breakfast.
Packaging
Drink mixes are packaged to protect the product from moisture, air and light.
Powdered drink mixes can be found as bulk, resealable containers or as single-serve pouches or sticks. Pouches may be made of a
laminate
Simulated flight (using image stack created by μCT scanning) through the length of a knitting needle that consists of laminated wooden layers: the layers can be differentiated by the change of direction of the wood's vessels
Shattered windshi ...
of paper and aluminum foil. Powdered coffee is often packaged in
single-serve coffee container for use in beverage machines.
Liquid concentrates are often sold in squeezable bottles or as single-serve pouches. A patent for a liquid concentrate squeeze bottle was issued to
Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods Group, Inc. was an American food manufacturing and processing conglomerate (company), conglomerate, split from Kraft Foods Inc. on October 1, 2012, and was headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. It became part of Kraft Heinz on July ...
in 2012.
Drink mix brands
*
Nesquik (mix)
*
Burple (discontinued)
*
Country Time
*
Crystal Light (primarily to female dieters)
*
Emergen-C (vitamin supplement, with sugar or unsweetened)
*
Flavor Aid (primarily marketed to children)
*
Funny Face (primarily marketed to children)
*
Kool-Aid (primarily marketed to children)
*
Fruty
*
Milo (drink)
*
Tang
*
Rasna
*
MiO
*
Cedevita
*
Bolero
Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It h ...
*
G Fuel
*
Prime Hydration+ Sticks
See also
*
Instant coffee
Instant coffee is a beverage derived from brewed coffee beans that enables people to quickly prepare hot coffee by adding hot water or milk to coffee solids in powdered or crystallized form and stirring. The product was first invented in Inver ...
*
Instant tea
*
Powdered milk
*
Squash (drink)
Squash (sometimes known as cordial in British English, dilute in Hiberno English, diluting juice in Scottish English, and water juice in the Northern Isles of Scotland), is a non-alcoholic beverage with syrup used in beverage making. It is usual ...
References
{{Instant foods
Soft drinks
Dietary supplements
Instant foods and drinks
Powdered drink mixes