DEERFIELD, NH – Functional beverages—beverages that are designed to provide health benefits that go beyond general nutrition—are the fastest-growing category in the nutrition industry. Liquid Health, a Deerfield, New Hampshire-based company has brought a new twist to this market with the PowerCap, a two-piece bottlecap with a storage chamber that keeps nutritional supplements and additives stable and fresh. When the consumer twists or pushes the cap, these ingredients are infused into a consumable liquid, such as water. This allows beverages companies to work with ingredients they cannot work with in standard ready-to-drink functional beverages.

In recognition of this innovative technology, Liquid Health has won the Innovation Rocks! Award from the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development and Rock 101 (WGIR-FM) for the month of November.

With the PowerCap, there is no need to heat the bottles when filling during manufacturing. This results in a lower energy cost since each hot-fill bottle uses approximately half a kilowatt hour more than a PowerCap bottle—which is equal to running a small window unit air condition for an hour. With hundreds of millions of beverage bottles used each year, conversion to PowerCap by even some of the functional beverage industry would significantly reduce the industry's carbon footprint. Cold-filled bottles also are lighter and use less plastic, and require less energy to make.

Storing the ingredients in the cap results in extended shelf life for the beverage, since ingredients are only released when the consumer opens the cap. This is especially important with ingredients like probiotics, which have a very short shelf life once they've been introduced into a liquid.

“It's so exciting to see relatively young New Hampshire company develop a product line that is innovative and 'green,'” said New Hampshire Division of Economic Development Interim Director Chris Way. “The PowerCap is already being used by Last Shot, Nutrelle, VitaHydrate and Fresh Healthy Stuff.”

Liquid Health, which was founded in 2002, is located in the abi Innovation HUB, home to many of Manchester’s most innovative start-up companies. For more information about Power Caps, visit www.mypowercap.com.

“Innovation Rocks!” is an initiative sponsored by the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development in coordination with Rock 101 (WGIR-FM) to celebrate the creativity and ingenuity of New Hampshire innovators.