Taste Modulation Solutions
“Does it taste good?”
It is a common question from consumers of every age, and although it might mean something different for many of them, they all have a preconceived notion of taste when it comes to a certain flavor. When the product fails to deliver against the expectation, it will be rejected by the customer, often permanently.
Presenting the right flavors can often be challenging since it requires a well-controlled harmony between different ingredients. In order to provide the aspired taste, food manufacturers use non-characterizing flavors, which may or may not have detectable flavor on their own. Some are used to modify the flavor by amplifying a specific attribute or by subduing off-flavors, for example, eliminating the bitterness that is typically associated with protein fortification. While others allow reduction of the amounts of sugar or salt in products by enhancing the levels of sweetness or saltiness.
However, taste is not the only factor consumers care about. The growing demand for healthier food and beverage options has become the main driver of the food industry. Trying to provide greater taste, lower calories and healthy ingredients often means that meeting one goal, such as lower sugar or calories or added nutritional value, results in the degradation of another area, such as taste.
Natural Flavor Masking
As a natural flavor masking agent, Sensient’s Taste Modulation ingredients offer manufacturers the best of both worlds; a way to subdue the bitter, metallic aftertaste of many sugar substitutes and nutrient additives while others allow reduction of the amounts of sugar or salt in products by enhancing the levels of sweetness or saltiness.
“Many masking agents are designed to target receptors on the tongue, They fill in the pockets of the receptor preventing the undesirable flavor molecules from being detected. With our masking agents, we can achieve 60% to 95% blockages of the undesired notes.” said Darrel Terry, master flavors-beverages, Sensient Flavors, Hoffman Estates, III.
Sensient’s proprietary and complex masking products provide a wide variety of solutions to manufacturers to enhance product appeal without compromising on labeling, taste experience or formulary goals.
As consumers continue to educate themselves on the ingredients of food and beverage products, more ingredients are less desired, creating a challenge for developers in the lab. Sensient’s natural masking and modifying technologies can be the solution to these problems by providing a high-quality taste experience with an ingredient label that is consumer-approved.
Sweet Solutions™
Sweetness enhancement without compromising taste
Non-GMO, kosher and allergen-free
Beverage, confectionery and dairy products
Smoothenol®
Mask the off-notes sweeteners, caffeine, vitamins, minerals and functional ingredient
Combats astringency, bitterness, metallic off-notes and palate burn
Diverse group of food and beverages
SensaSalt™
Collection of yeast extract-based flavor enhancers
Reduces sodium content by up to 50%
Wide range of savory applications, such as soups, gravy, meat, cheese, sauce, dips and bakery
Click here to find out more about the current Flavors Trends or contact us today.
