Overview

True Citrus products are crystallized fruit ingredients designed to deliver the flavor and aroma of fresh fruit in a convenient powdered form. They capture the natural oils, juices, and essences of real fruit and combine them into a stable, easy-to-use ingredient suitable for beverages, cooking, baking, and brewing.


Unlike fresh fruit, juices, or purees, these products are shelf-stable and do not require refrigeration, making them easier to store and use year-round while still providing authentic fruit flavor.


This guide covers common ways to use True Citrus products, including beverages, cooking, baking, and brewing.

What Is True Citrus?

True Citrus products use a proprietary drying and crystallization process that captures the key components of fresh fruit—such as oils, juice, and aromatic compounds—and preserves them in a powdered form.


These components are blended together to recreate the balance of flavor and aroma found in fresh fruit, allowing the powder to deliver a “fresh-squeezed” taste when added to foods or drinks.


Key characteristics include:

  • Made from real fruit ingredients

  • Shelf-stable powdered format

  • Consistent flavor year-round

  • No refrigeration required

  • Easy to store and transport

  • Suitable for wet or dry applications


Common citrus flavors include lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, and blood orange, with additional fruit flavors such as mango, passionfruit, watermelon, pineapple, and strawberry available.

General Usage Tips

True Citrus powders are concentrated and dissolve easily in liquids or can be blended into dry recipes.

General recommendations:

  • Start with small additions and adjust to taste

  • Mix thoroughly to ensure even distribution

  • Hydrate the powder in a small amount of liquid if needed before adding to larger batches


Because the powder is concentrated, a small amount can provide noticeable fruit flavor.

Using True Citrus in Beverages

Water, Tea, and Sparkling Drinks

One of the most common uses for True Citrus is flavoring beverages.


Examples include:

  • Flavored water

  • Sparkling water

  • Lemonade or limeade

  • Iced tea

  • Cocktails and mocktails


Simply dissolve the powder directly into the drink and adjust to taste.

Smoothies


True Citrus powders can add bright fruit flavor to smoothies without needing fresh citrus or fruit juice.

Benefits include:

  • Adds citrus brightness without excess liquid

  • Consistent flavor regardless of fruit season

  • Easy to blend into frozen smoothie mixes

Using True Citrus in Beer and Brewing

True Citrus powders can also be used to add fruit flavor to beer, hard seltzer, and other fermented beverages. 

The best time to add True Citrus is at the very tail end of fermentation or 2 days before packaging. 

If your beverage is stored in a keg and force carbonating you can add it directly to the keg.


Compared to fresh fruit or purees, powdered fruit ingredients provide several advantages:

  • No refrigeration required

  • Consistent flavor between batches

  • Reduced storage and shipping costs

  • Lower risk of introducing spoilage organisms

These ingredients are used by a number of commercial breweries for citrus-forward beers and specialty fruit styles.


Basic Brewing Guidelines

When using True Citrus products in brewing:

  • Start with less than 1% of the batch

  • Citrus powders often work well at ~0.25%

  • Hydrate the powder in liquid before adding to the beer

  • For best results, add after filtration or near the end of the process


Always perform small-scale tests when possible to determine the best flavor level for your recipe.

Storage and Shelf Life

True Citrus products are designed to be stable and easy to store.


Typical storage guidelines:

  • Store in a cool, dry environment

  • Ideal storage temperature: 40°F–80°F

  • Avoid excessive humidity


When stored properly, products such as True Lemon typically have a shelf life of up to two years from production.

Summary

True Citrus products offer a convenient way to add real fruit flavor to beverages, foods, and brewing recipes without relying on fresh fruit or purees.


They are commonly used for:

  • Flavored drinks and smoothies

  • Cooking and baking

  • Seasoning blends

  • Beer and fermented beverages


Their shelf-stable powdered format makes them easy to store, consistent to use, and versatile across a wide range of applications.


For additional resources and recipe ideas, visit:
https://www.truecitrusingredients.com/resources/