Standard usage rates (these will vary depending on flavor and formulation)
Gummies 0.1-0.15%
Oil Based Tinctures 0.25-1.5%
Chocolates 0.25-0.5%
Beverages 0.03-0.08%
Pure Natural Flavors
Our Pure Natural Flavors are oil soluble and formulated to be used in oil-based products but do however work fine in other applications, especially when introduced to a carrier. We recommend starting with the lowest % by weight in your formulation development and working up from there. With the flavors being undiluted, we recommend using a carrier where applicable for better dispersion into the formulation.
Usage Comparison
When comparing usage rates for our Pure Natural line of flavors to others on the market, we must take in account the standard dilution we see from competitors. This is typically 3-7% depending on the carrier and manufacturer. While there are a couple of companies stating that they are up to 20% of flavor, that brings them in line with our Highly Concentrated flavor profiles in either PG or OS.
Starting with our standard usage rate in gummies of 0.1% the following is a general idea of the usage rates when diluted – this is meant as a general guide, as other factors will also come into play.
0.1% (our Pure Natural Line 100% flavor)
0.5% (5x when using a flavor that is diluted by 80% or only 20% flavor)
1.0% (10x when using a flavor that is diluted by 90% or only 10% flavor)
2.0% (20x when using a flavor that is diluted by 95% or only 5% flavor)
Calculating the usage rate for a test batch of gummies
Using an example of a 0.1% (0.001) usage rate for gummies, we will use the following formula to calculate the flavor for a test batch – batch size x %
500 (batch size in grams) x 0.001 (0.1%) = 0.5g
1000 (batch size in grams) x 0.001 (0.1%) = 1.0g
Increasing that to 0.12% of flavor
500 (batch size in grams) x 0.0012 (0.1%) = 0.6g
1000 (batch size in grams) x 0.0012 (0.1%) = 1.2g
In gummy formulations we will typically dilute this flavor into a carrier such as safflower oil at a rate of 2:1 for better dispersion into the formulation and to help shield the flavor from the high heat required in the manufacturing process.
0.5g (flavor) x 2 (carrier) = 0.5g of flavor and 1.0g of carrier for a total weight of 1.5g of diluted flavor
1.0g (flavor) x 2 (carrier) = 1.0g of flavor and 2.0g of carrier for a total weight of 3.0g of diluted flavor
NOTE: ALWAYS ADD FLAVOR AT THE COOLEST POINT POSSIBLE AND ALLOW TO BLEND FOR NO LESS THAN 3-5 MINUTES, PREFERABLY LONGER
To calculate the usage rate for a gummy batch size using our Pure Natural Flavors, use the calculator below and enter your batch size in grams. The will calculate the % used and the flavor grams required