Healthy, unique flavours and aromas

EXPERIENCES that flavours and aromas offer consumers are expected to get even richer and more unique. The key drivers: a bullish F&B industry, technological innovations in manufacturing procedures, and continued preference for health & wellness.

The flavours market for food and beverage is expected to hit $18,126 million by 2023, according to a report from Allied Market Research. Asia-Pacific is the leading region in terms of growth given its large consumer base and expected premiumisation trend. The rise in consumption of dairy, bakery and beverage products is providing big potential for expansion in emerging countries such as China and India. Offering assurance for food safety are stringent government regulations in terms of flavour preparation as well as rising awareness regarding side effects of artificial flavours.

Recipe for success

Maintaining the fullness or integrity of flavours requires a fine balance among many factors, says Döhler, a global producer, marketer and provider of technology-driven natural ingredients, ingredient systems and integrated solutions for the food and beverage industry.

The same flavour can result in a completely different taste in different applications. Foods that contain fat, such as yogurt or dairy beverages, absorb flavours to a greater extent than near-water beverages, the company explains. In the case of aqueous products such as beverages, the flavours can escape more easily from the matrix and reach the receptors in the nose. This means that in aqueous products a lower dosage can achieve a high impact with regard to the smell and taste of a product. In addition to the application matrix, the production process also influences the suitability, stability and performance of flavours. In baked goods, it is the heat that the products are exposed to during baking that poses the greatest challenge. As a result, each food and beverage application needs its own flavour solution.

Besides application, the interaction with other recipe components and the packaging are taken into account. Every new flavour at Döhler, whether it is an individual building block or an all-in-one compound, is therefore subjected to a shelf life test in which it is exposed to realistic stress situations.

Technologies such as distillation, extraction and chromatography enable Döhler to turn 100% natural raw materials into FTNF/FTNJ flavours, extracts and flavour building blocks with a distinctively authentic taste.

The cost of going natural

For a long time now, the trend has been to use natural ingredients since consumers prefer it although some are more willing to pay a premium than others. On the manufacturing side, a good number of companies are noted to take a more cautious approach. Their reasoning: it jacks up costs, results in shorter shelf life, pushes end-product pricing and cuts into profit.  Such points of view are valid, but just how can a middle ground be achieved?

According to Döhler, product innovations and trend reports show that naturalness is one of the main driving forces in F&B. In industrial-scale production, however creating 100% natural products that appeal to consumers is more difficult than it might initially appear.

To create stable products, it is important to study the behaviour of the individual recipe components. Döhler’s focus has always been on the production of natural ingredients, and delivers these individually or as part of an ingredient system in which all recipe ingredients are already included. For each food and beverage application Döhler develops tailor-made ingredient solutions that remain stable until the end of the product’s shelf life. The company maintains that when natural or other flavours are used properly, there is nearly no difference between their shelf life. It adds that price ultimately depends on the raw materials used and the final product.

The latest and most advanced technologies such as distillation, extraction and chromatography enable Döhler to turn 100% natural raw materials such as fruits, vegetables and other plant substances into FTNF/FTNJ (from the named fruit/juice) flavours, extracts and flavour building blocks with a distinctively authentic taste. The firm believes that using exclusively physical processes guarantees that no process aids or solvents can impair the clean, pure taste of nature, and this gives absolute accuracy to the use of the term “natural”.

As to flavour profiles, apple remains an undisputed favourite globally in the non-alcoholic beverage sector, followed by orange, lemon and mango. In Southeast Asia, fruity flavours such as melon, peach, cherry and lychee sell well, says Döhler.

Every new flavour at Doehler–whether it is an individual building block or an all-in-one compound–is subjected to a shelf life test that exposes it to realistic stress situations.

Botanical extracts

But growing demand for more natural flavours and aromas are making F&B companies diversify into other botanical sources such as leaves, flowers and vegetables. Authentic botanical flavour profiles can stand alone for themselves, but they also work perfectly in combination with other flavours such as fruit flavours.

Döhler identifies botanical extracts of tea, especially green tea, and herbs and spices, such as ginger and turmeric, as also shaking up the Southeast Asia market.

Blossom flavours are particularly appealing to women in all age groups, say Döhler. In the drinks category, blossom flavours fit with everything from still and carbonated soft drinks, tea drinks and spirits to sweet liqueurs, trendy beer mixes, malt drinks, ciders and sparkling wines. They also represent an exciting alternative to existing flavours in many confectioneries.

The company has a whole portfolio of bitter extracts especially for bitter and tonic drinks. It employs gentle extraction processes to obtain unique FTNS (from the named source) extracts from high-quality botanical sources such as gentian, chiretta, wormwood or bitter orange peel. These products are ideal for use as natural alternatives to quinine in soft drinks or as a base bitter note in alcoholic beverages.

Low-calorie, low sugar content

Another trend that Southeast Asian markets share with the rest of the world is that of healthy and reduced-calorie products. However, creating products that offer a first-class sensory experience remains a challenge for manufacturing, according to Döhler. The company, developed a new range of natural MultiSense® Flavours. Depending on the version used, they enhance the sensorial properties of calorie-reduced products, enable a significant reduction in sugar, mask the aftertaste of certain sweeteners or optimise the mouthfeel. – JEAN ALINGOD-GUITTAP