How Flavour Companies Are Enticing Customers With Non-Traditional Flavour Combinations?

Majority of the chefs would agree that when they combine flavours with different ingredients and profiles, such as sweet and spicy or tangy and smoky, each flavour needs to be given an equal chance to shine out and contribute. Balancing is more important than blending. There’s a growing number of consumers who are ready to explore non-traditional combinations here in India as well as around the globe. This has opened up new possibilities for food and beverage manufacturers to explore new and nontraditional flavour combinations.

There’s a big list of flavour companies in India and around the world ready to provide memorable experiences by introducing a variety of ingredients with unexpected flavour combinations.

Until now, culture and tradition used to guide flavour applications, but now people are more open to experimentations. Salted caramel, chocolate-dipped French fries, sweet and savoury ice-cream are perfect examples of this trend. A recent report suggests that youngsters prefer bold flavours rather than purely salty flavours and would like to see more of sweet and tangy flavour combinations. Those above 35, agreed to have a rising interest in ethnic flavours, especially those flavour combinations with multiple ingredients. Ginger, garlic, chilli, extra heat and a bit of acidic notes appeal them more.

If properly balanced and blended, these multiple flavours activate all the taste buds delivering an intense and mouth-watering experience to the tongue and brain. The brain interprets two different taste signals coming in from two different flavours at a time and it kind of likes it. The rising popularity of sweet and salty snacks and savoury yoghurts are the best examples of this. Especially in India, where dairy flavour manufacturers are offering solutions for a variety of buttermilk and lassi, such as sweet and salty, spiced, masala, etc.

Modern and well-educated consumers want to taste different flavours in every bite. Strong and complex flavour profile seems to be a winning combination at present. But it’s not really that easy to achieve success with every experiment. It involves many factors like flavour intensity, softness or hardness of flavours, sensations, cooling effect, etc. Above all, instinct, experience, and talent play a major role in bringing out winning combinations.

There are few flavours which seem to blend well with each other but it’s not necessary that all opposite flavours attract each other. Bold flavours such as figs and balsamic, ginger and plum, capsaicin and menthol appear to mix well. Additionally, sweet seems to balance out perfectly with savoury, spicy, smokey and sour. One major reason is that maybe we are trained by birth to enjoy sweet flavours. Bitter flavours are very hard to pair with. Again, the reason being that majority of us dislike bitterness. On the other hand, sweet and spicy fusion and pickled/fermented flavours are also growing in popularity. 

Finally:

Plenty of opportunities exist for non-traditional and bold flavours, but innovative and balanced combinations seem to provide “wow factor” to consumers’ taste buds. The current trend has proven that flavours know no boundaries and this allows flavour companies and chefs to take the risk of exploring the geography of flavours.

What Do You Mean By The Term “Flavour Carriers?”

A flavour is generally segregated into three main sections, flavour components, carriers or solvents, other non-flavour ingredients. Flavour carriers are available in natural, artificial and natural-identical flavour types. They are mostly used in food, beverages and pharmaceuticals applications in solid and liquid forms.

For flavour manufacturers, as higher-value-added foods and beverages necessitate specialized machinery and ingredients, the demand for speciality flavour ingredients like natural flavour carriers is expected to grow steadily. 

So, flavour carriers can be termed as those ingredients that contain the flavouring agents and are mixed in liquid and solid forms. Flavour carriers can be naturally sourced from plants, roots, minerals and animals or can be synthetically sourced.

Flavour carriers are used by food flavouring manufacturers and food technologists to boost flavour shelf life and taste of food and beverages. Flavour carriers also work as processing aids, humectants and solvents.

The common carriers for flavours are food-safe solvents, namely propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, ethyl alcohol/ethanol and triacetin. In order to create a specific taste or aroma, food scientists combine all the botanical extracts, aromatic chemicals, essences and essential oils to achieve a particular flavour.

Convenience food products are highly consumed foodstuffs. These include snacking products, packaged foods and others. These are daily required products which are available in ready-to-eat formats. They contain flavours, which are added to enhance the taste profile of the products.

The ongoing focus on health and wellness is driving the demand for sports and nutrition supplements. The problem with a protein supplement is its bitter taste. But ample progress has been made in masking bitter compounds. Masking is typically done by adding a strong flavour that successfully substitutes the bitter notes. Masking can also be done by adding compounds that are capable of blocking receptors on taste buds, thus preventing bitter compounds from binding together. The sports nutrition sector has gained the most because of flavour masking agents as food companies are now able to provide delicious items with nutrients to their health-conscious customers.

Because of the success in off-taste masking, there is also an increase in demand from pharmaceuticals segments. Taste-masking allows the pharmaceutical industry to offer improved patient acceptability, especially in paediatrics and the older population.

Ever-evolving food consumption habits, rising income, growing demand for probiotics and prebiotics, the launch of new nutritional products, and increasing health awareness are some of the major factors that will continue to drive the flavour carriers market.

Snacking Just Got Healthier Because of Flavours

We all tend to binge on snacks like crisp potato chips, French fries, burgers, popcorn or samosas while viewing TV, movies or while watching a match in a jam-packed stadium. Gone are the days when it was believed that only children love snacking and adults don’t snack. Busy lifestyle makes it hard to take out time to cook traditional meals, and the World Health Organization’s recommendation of eating 5 small meals instead of 3 big meals a day seems to be the driving force behind increasing demand for snacks.

But does pleasure and health go hand-in-hand? The answer is yes. Guilt-free snacking is possible because flavour companies are working round the clock to make every snacking moment not just tasty, but also healthy. These healthy snacks are loved by all age groups. Also, dieticians and nutritionists, around the globe, now stress upon having less sodium and sugar reduction in food that we consume. From kids, office goers, and sportspersons, to all those people who are health-conscious seem to love these low-calorie nutritious snacks. In fact, the thick line which divides snacks and proper meals is vanishing, a quick snack that consumes less time to prepare and gives a full meal experience is what current consumers are looking for. 

Be it energy drinks or protein shakes which are loved by gym enthusiasts or meal replacement foods widely used by people who are on diet, food manufacturers have covered it all. Desserts (related to dairy products and filled with protein, fibre, vitamins), nutritious smoothies, and energy bars can deliver the required nutrients and calories enough to last the whole day. As these snacks contain fewer calories, low sugar, low salt, and are nutritious, consumers feel that they can carry on with their routine duties, and fill their stomachs within 1 minute anywhere or while on the run.

The list keeps growing for a perfect palatable snacking. Seeds, honey (replaced by sugar), cereals, chips with a variety of flavours, snacks manufacturing companies are now simultaneously looking to deliver on health as well as pleasure.

Food and flavours companies are trying to address numerous health concerns that today’s consumer has like diabetes and hypertension by providing solutions for low sugar and sodium reduction in foods and snacks.

Taking health and deliciousness into account, both food manufacturers and flavour companies are now delivering functional snack food/meal replacement food which provides an ample amount of calories and nutrients that healthy breakfast or lunch could provide. As the snacking industry strengthens its grip globally, healthy snacks are bound to come out as the best sellers.

Today’s consumers are looking for healthy and tasty snacks that are cost-effective as well as packed with the right kind of minerals, vitamins and other fruitful ingredients.

The Flavour Business and Flavour Optimization

Our choice of food mainly depends on the flavour or taste as well as the nutrients it provides but we tend to be more tilted towards flavour. Flavour is the main reason that we choose our food. Although we can’t separate the flavour from other food characteristics such as the texture, temperature or colour, but these other characteristics get overridden by the taste and flavour we seek from whatever we eat.

This necessitates food and flavour manufacturers to properly do their homework, study the market and work in tandem with each other in order to come out with mouthwatering flavours that consumers feel is appealing to them.

From a business perspective, creating an ideal flavour that sells is not at all an easy task. It takes years of experiments, lots of trials and errors by food experts or flavourists to put together particular combinations. One single flavour may contain 50 to 100 different compounds, which makes this process more difficult. It is said that the success ratio for any new flavour stands at less than 3%. 

Among many reasons for such less success ratio is flavour interactions. Once a flavour is added to food, unwanted chemical reactions, solubility, starches contained in the food can ruin the flavour. You might have heard that our foods are made up of different chemicals and these chemicals tend to react with each other during the process. It is this chemistry of reactions that can make or break the flavour. Additionally, frying, baking or heating process can further add on to the damage already being caused due to chemical reactions.

Another major reason behind the success or failure is the level or quantity of flavour to be added to a particular product. High quantity or level of flavour can override the actual taste of a product. A little bit less of flavour and the product may lack the punch you need. So, it becomes very crucial that the flavourist try at least 2 to 3 different levels of flavour in the product to get the exact amount. They also need to ensure the correct level of sugar, salt and acidity once the level of flavour to be used is determined. Finally, when a new product is ready for tasting, its preferred that it is given ample time to rest and cool down so that all the necessary flavours can settle down and all the flavours get fused into the product.

In order to obtain flavour optimization, one can follow the statistical experimental design. This technique is the best and direct, quick, and cost-effective route to obtain optimized products. This technique enables you to determine the exact levels of sugar, salt, acid, flavours and colours to be added with keeping your consumers’ palate in mind.

Creating the best flavours for your customers

Cooks, chefs, restaurant owners and food & beverages manufacturers are always in search of that “great taste” that would attract a great consumer response. They tend to continuously search for recipes and keep on blindly tasting new food products. Their only aim is to deliver that fantastic flavour with rich delicacy.

Please be reminded, there is no magic or shortcut that can guarantee huge success with the “great taste” that you invented, but it can surely enhance your chances by creating a product that is unique and delicious.

Nobody can be 100% sure to interpret what impresses consumers but we can surely discuss and offer you a few tips for creating the best flavours for your customers.

Try to be adventurous with flavours:

Do not shy away trying for unusual flavours. A rising number of young consumers seem to be very adventurous when it comes to trying unconventional flavours. Try to make something which is more outstanding and delicious. Yes, traditional blends are always welcome but it’s those exciting & unusual flavours that could really “wow” your consumers

Pay attention to your palate:

The biggest question every flavour producer asks is “how to invent an award-winning flavour? The honest answer is “nobody knows.” We would suggest that you pay attention to your palate and believe in yourself. Try to see yourself as a customer who is on the lookout for something unique, what would he specifically look for? Try to take inspirations from any source you can think of, allow you imaginative juices to flow and try to create flavours that you love. Because there’s a strong possibility that others may also like your invention.

Always pay attention to “what customer wants”

Keep checking your flavour library and try to take out those flavours which are not popular or liked by your customers because your customers are your supreme taste-makers. Don’t keep those flavours in your menu just because you love them. Always ensure that you are offering your customers the best taste they prefer rather than your favourite flavours.

Try to expand the boundaries

Never be satisfied with what you are offering, always try to push yourself to the limits so that you can come out with that outstanding “great flavour.” Never sit back and relax thinking that we’re the best. You should always be on the lookout for new and exciting flavours. It’s quite possible that one particular flavour will be loved by one set of customers and another set of customers may prefer something else. So, as a flavour manufacturer, you should always explore and discover new flavours so that you have a variety of flavours to offer.

Quality speaks

Managing an organization requires lots of decision making, commercial & strategic decisions, such as procurement of raw material, pricing, distribution, etc. You need to keep in mind that you can’t achieve a delicious flavour with cheaper ingredients, so we would suggest never ever compromise on the quality of ingredients. Eating or drinking is entirely an “experience” and cheap ingredients can’t provide that great experience. Our gentle advice: “Always pursue quality ingredients.”

Finally, your aim should be to have the best flavour library with unique flavours and your focus should be on exploring and discovering wonderful flavours that are derived from high-grade ingredients. If you’re creating a flavour with love, care & attention, you can be 100% sure that your customers will also love it. Keep testing your flavours from time-to-time, refining and upgrading them. Try to keep ample space and time for your creativeness to flow and allow your own experiences to motivate your preferences.

Why Natural Flavors Are Used as Food Additives

Have ever thought about the ingredients listed on the labels, bags, cans or boxes of food mentioning “natural flavours”? Or is it that your food will taste good without adding any ingredients to it? So it’s imperative to understand what ingredients make a flavour and why these flavours are necessary.

Flavour is a very important feature when it comes to foods that we consume. It is really difficult to even imagine eating bland or flavourless food. Essentially, the flavour is a proper mix of the taste and aroma.

While there are some natural foods like fresh fruits which taste delicious. But enhancing the flavour of foods is always a joyful experience. Addition of flavour to foods helps to stimulate the appetite which is very essential for people who are underweight or older people who seem to have lost their ability to taste due to some disability.

But why are flavours used as food additives?

We all know the aroma of fresh foods while cooking at home. Just imagine the scent of fresh bread that is baked in your oven or a delicious vegetable stew smouldering on your kitchen stove. But again cooking yourself at home is very time-consuming. Most of the working population doesn’t have the required time to cook for themselves, so they have to consume processed foods that appear almost as good and fresh and like its homemade.

However, these processed foods must have a longer shelf life and need to have preservatives added in order to accomplish that homemade flavour. This necessitates the food & beverages manufacturers to add flavours to maintain or enhance the flavour of foods.

What does the term “natural flavours” mean?

It means that the natural flavours are essence/extractive, essential oil, oleoresin or other products that are sourced from plants or animals and added to food & beverages to enhance the flavour of particular foods. They can be sourced from fruit/fruit juice, spices, edible yeast, vegetable/vegetable juice, bark, herbs, leaf, root, or seafood, meat, poultry or dairy products.

The label of “natural flavour” really doesn’t tell you much about what these added flavours actually taste like. Because it’s very easy to recognise a flavour in an actual recipe, but it’s much difficult to find out what flavours are being added to the processed foods.

Here are a few questions that may arise in your mind regarding “Natural Flavours:”

  • Are these natural flavours safer than their counterparts (artificial flavours)? I’m afraid they are not. Although artificial flavours are derived from non-edible sources and natural flavours are derived from edible sources, both are roundabout the same and both are safe to consume.
  • Are these natural flavours appropriate for vegetarian/vegan foods? Natural flavours are sourced from both, plants and animals. Therefore, if it’s clearly stated that the natural flavours contained in a particular food are plant-based, there’s actually no other source to find out whether the flavours are from plants or animals.
  • Are these natural flavours organic? Again, unless and until there’s clear mention of it by the food manufacturer, there’s actually no other source to find out whether the flavours are from organic sources. 
  • Can we consider monosodium glutamate a natural flavour? Monosodium glutamate is a flavour enhancer and if it’s used as an ingredient in any food, then MSG needs to be listed in the ingredients list.

Currently, natural flavours are being used in different foods and are most preferred by consumers. As they are derived from edible or natural elements, we can say for sure that they are definitely safe to consume. But we need to keep this in mind that by just simply mentioning “natural flavours” on the food & beverages labels, it doesn’t really mean that those products are healthier than those foods which are made using artificial flavours. We would recommend you to have a look at the nutritional ingredients listed on the label to know for sure that the food indeed is healthier or not.

Why Packaging Matters in Flavor Perception

The most essential function of food packaging is to keep the foods & beverages safe and contamination-free, from the factory until it reaches the end consumers. And yes, it also provides an opportunity for the companies to list the products’ advantages and convey their message to the consumers as to why their product is so special and why they should buy it. Good food packaging makes the brand recognizable.

First impression is the last impression – meaning the more aesthetic-appearing food packaging, it’s more likely that the customers will purchase your products. The design of packaging also plays an important role in influencing consumers. Extensive research has been done by food and flavour manufacturers as to how the taste of a product gets altered through shape, colour or sound of the packaging. The results have suggested that a particular sound created while opening the can of a particular drink is liked by many and the yellow shade on 7Up can make the consumers perceive soda very lemony.

Another example of the influence of food packaging is that in 2011, unlike their usual red coloured can, Coke introduced a white can in order to collect funds for Polar bears protection. Within a few weeks, Coke had to withdraw the white canned Coke because consumers started complaining that with the change in the colour of can. Coke has also changed its delicious secret formula, and that consumers are not liking this new taste. This example shows the power of packaging and how it alters the flavour perception of consumers. Research shows that the usual red colour of Coke is linked with sweetness. Another experiment was carried out where the customers perceived the salty popcorn to be tasting sweet because it was being served in a red coloured bowl.

The results of these experiments suggest that food manufacturers & designers need to focus also on aesthetic-appearing packaging if they want to make their food taste delicious. We can never be 100% sure how a particular colour or pattern of packaging affects consumer’s senses, but links connecting the products’ taste and packaging should never be underestimated or ignored. We also would never know that consumers tend to do this intentionally or unintentionally, but again the truth is that outside appearance of a product persuades consumers to purchase a product and enhances their taste perception.

So, the products manufacturers and designers should always be aware of this relationship and how it affects consumers’ psychology.

Flavours for Confectionery Industry

With the rising prices of commodities, margins are squeezing globally for the food industry. Confectionery manufacturers can no longer depend on just selling traditional chocolates & candies to keep up the profits. Now consumers demand more unique and innovative products as the demand for organic and unique confectionery flavours is growing globally. As a result, demand for the traditionally best selling confectionery like hazelnut, caramel, almond, toffee, peanut, peppermint, lemon, etc. has tremendously decreased in popularity. Because of this decrease, the confectionery manufacturers are now trying more innovative and exotic ingredients in their products and are not hesitating in experimenting with new flavours. Results and surveys have shown that incorporating new and exotic flavours tend to boost the curiosity of consumers and sales. The use of exotic fruits, which was considered to be a luxury, now has become more common because consumers are now ready to experiment with “unusual flavours.”

Confectionery manufacturers have not just started manufacturing these super exotic fruit flavours, but they are using these flavours to promote healthy indulgence. For superfruits flavours, they are claiming these to be high in nutrients and antioxidants and chocolate confectionery with less sugar content. Consumers seem to have taken this move very positively and are very appreciative of this. A new range of fruit flavours that have been very recently unveiled in the market includes cranberry, pomegranate, mangosteen, blueberry, acerola.

A few examples of indulgent, trendy and complex confectionery flavours are salted caramel, strawberries & cream, brownie, tiramisu, Oreo, matcha tea, sea salt, etc.

The 3 main drivers of choice in confectionery remains cost, flavour and indulgence. But as the confectionary items remain at an affordable price, manufacturers are successfully building upon opportunities around unusual & unique flavours and health considerations.

When we say flavours for confectionery products, creativeness and innovation become the key element. Those manufacturers who want to introduce a new confectionary item into the market, they need to perfectly blend taste, flavour, and healthy indulgence in order to make a perfect match. For example, a few years ago, nobody would even think of flavours like candy with salt, chilli chocolate, sugary sweet bacon, hot and spicy candy. But in the present market scenario, these unusual flavours provide momentum and can stimulate sales and profits. Plus, one can be 100% sure that this trend of interesting and unusual flavours will continue to gain popularity as modern consumers pursue exciting & exotic options in confectionery products.

What are Flavouring Agents?

Flavouring Agents:

There are two classifications of flavours, they can either be:
(A) Natural
(B) Artificial

The sole purpose of adding Natural & Artificial Fla vours to food and beverage products is to enhance the taste of the food or drinks – making it more appetizing for consumption.

Flavouring agents include the usage of flavouring substances/extracts/preparations, which are used to give the food its taste or aroma or both. Flavouring agents are of three types.

  • Natural Flavours & Flavouring Substances:

    These are the flavour preparations or single substances, obtained through the physical process of extraction from plants, herbs, spices, animals, or even microbial fermentations. Essential oils and oleoresins that are created by solvent extract with the solvent removed, herbs, spices and sweetness, all come under natural flavours and natural flavouring substance.
  •  
  • Nature-Identical Flavouring Substances:

    Nature-identical flavouring substance are obtained by either synthetic methods of extraction or by chemically purifying and isolating the required elements from the source. The result of these processes is an organoleptic product (substances that create an individual experience via the senses, in this case, the senses being taste & smell) intended for consumption by humans. These substances cannot contain any artificial flavouring substances.
  • Artificial Flavouring Substances:
    Artificial flavouring substance are the flavouring elements that are absent in the natural products but are chemically similar to the natural flavouring. In fact, more easily available, which is why it costs less and is a cheaper option for manufacturers. Amyl acetate is used as banana flavouring which is not the same component that gives banana its actual flavour.

Food Items in Which Flavours Can Be Added:

  • Fruit beverages/fruit drinks/ready-to-serve fruit beverages (canned/bottled/Flexi-pack/aseptically packed).
  • Custard powder.
  • Ice lollies or edible Ices.
  • Paan masala.
  • Canned luncheon meat/canned chopped meat/canned cooked ham

Food Items in Which Flavours Can Be Added, but with Restrictions:

  • Synthetic syrups or sharbat: must contain only permitted flavours and should be free from any burnt or any objectionable flavours.
  • Interesterified vegetable fat or hydrogenated vegetable oils: As The artificial flavour, as per the list of permissible flavours, should be distinct from that of ghee.
  • Turmeric: It should be free of any artificial flavours and should retain its characteristic flavour.
  • Tea/Green Tea:
    • The flavour added must contain proper label declaration.
    • The quality of tea used for flavouring should be of high standards.
    • Registering with the Tea Board is a must for flavour manufacturers.

Food Items in Which Flavours Cannot Be Added:

  • Shrikhand.
  • Jam or Fruit Cheese.
  • Cornflour.
  • Solvent Extracted Cottonseed Flour.
  • Carob Powder.

Use of Flavour Enhancers

There are some exceptions as to what and where flavour enhancers or flavour agents can be added to. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is one of those exceptions. It may be added to the food products – provided that they follow the regulations subjected to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) level and are under proper label declaration as provided in Regulation of Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011. Such substances need to follow strict restrictions, it cannot be added to any food product consumed by infants that are below 12 months and also in the following list of foods:

  • Products containing milk such as buttermilk, malted milk, fermented or renneted milk products (plain) excluding dairy-based drink.
  • Creams that are either pasteurised, sterilised, ultra-high temperature (UHT), and reduced-fat creams.
  • Fats and oils, pulses, oilseeds and grounded/ powdered food grains
  • Products containing butter and concentrated butter-like margarine or fat spread
  • Fresh fruits, surface treated fruit, peeled or cut fruit.
  • Fresh and frozen vegetables.
  • Pastas and noodles (dried products).
  • Fresh meat and poultry, whole pieces or cuts or comminuted. Fish products (fresh and processed)
  • Egg products (fresh, liquid, frozen)
  • White and semi-white sugar (sucrose and saccharose, fructose, glucose (dextrose), xylose, sugar solutions and syrups, also (partially) inverted sugars, including molasses, treacle and sugar toppings. Other sugars and syrups (e.g. brown sugar and maple syrup),
  • Honey, saccharine
  • Spices, salts, herbs, condiments, seasonings, oriental seasoning mix, fermented soya bean paste, yeast
  • Mineral, packaged and carbonated drinking water
  • Concentrates (liquid and solid) for fruit juices.
  • Fruit nectar (canned/bottled) 
  • Coffee and its substitutes such as teas, herbal infusions, and other cereal beverages (with the exception of cocoa).
  • Alcoholic beverage and wines
  • Fruits and vegetables products except those where monosodium glutamate is permitted under these Regulations.
  • Baking powder
  • Plantation sugar, jaggery
  • Ice-candies, ice-creams and frozen sweets
  • Cocoa butter
  • Bread
  • Vinegar
  • Sugar confectionery, toffee, lozenges, chocolate
  • Paan masala

How flavour manufacturers can assist you in your quest to find the right flavouring agents?

The main focus of flavour manufacturers is putting forward innovative ideas, turning them into delectable food products and providing the customers with a multi-sensory, unique & delicious experience. Flavour manufacturers are not just successfully creating new flavours but also delivering concepts, ideas and complete solutions, providing the market with new impulses and helping the industry tap into the full potential of its brands and products.
Flavour manufacturers are creating and providing flavours that are suitable for application to a wide range of products, right from bakery and dairy to savoury, confectionery and beverage flavours. This team of food-technologists are also guiding and helping food manufacturers regarding flavour applications, stability, dosages, standard recipes, food science, food chemistry, and any other parameters relevant to flavours and finished products.

What Are The Differences Between Flavourings, Extracts And Essences?

In the food & beverages industry, the recipe is king. The race for the best recipe is never-ending. Recipes are always carefully studied and crafted to deliver the best palatal delight. But in order to obtain this delight, you need the best ingredients and keynote flavours that best suits the consumers’ taste. Your recipe should connect with your audiences and that can’t be achieved until you know the best formula, the best cooking or baking techniques and the differences between flavourings, extracts, and essences.

Flavourings:

Flavourings are any ingredients that are added to foods in a very small quantity to enhance taste and aroma that may have got lost during food processing. Flavourings are produced from essential oils or extracting aromatic compounds from food. Water is added and sometimes certified food colour as well.

Essence:

A substance acquired from the plant, drug, or by distillation, etc. containing its qualities in concentrated form. Essence can also be termed as imitation extract or a pure extract (highly concentrated form). Pure extracts are fundamentally very strong extracts, 2-4 times stronger than normal extracts. Natural essences can be obtained by extracting essential oil from fruits, blossoms, roots, etc. of the parts of the plant or the whole plant. 

The main methods to produce essences are:

  • Expression
  • Absorption
  • Maceration
  • Distillation

Imitation Essences: Essences are chemically created substances created with an aim to replicate the flavour/taste of the original ingredient. These don’t contain delicacy of natural flavours but are economical and best alternatives and more convenient than actual ingredients. 

Extract:

 An extract is made by placing raw material in alcohol & water. A substance separated from a mixture by distillation, pressure or treatment with solvents. Combining oil from the ingredient with alcohol of proper strength can create a long-lasting flavouring agent. Non Alcoholic extracts are prepared by using glycerol/propylene glycol or both to bring the essential oil into solution, with water and sometimes food colour. In fact, water-soluble and oil-soluble based suspensions are more superior carriers than alcohol.

The most commonly available extracts & essences are:

  • Nuts
  • Spices
  • Fruits
  • Herbs
  • Flowers

Best known extracts & essences are:

  • Cinnamon.
  • Almond,
  • Cloves.
  • Lemon.
  • Ginger.
  • Nutmeg.
  • Orange.
  • Peppermint.
  • Pistachio.
  • Rose.
  • Spearmint.
  • Vanilla.
  • Violet.
  • Wintergreen.

Oil: Even though referred to as oil, they do not include any vegetable oil. They are obtained from the peels of fruits, flowers, plant leaves, etc. As they do not contain any alcohol or water and are highly heat tolerant, they are best suited for candies & chocolate. They are a bit expensive but are very intense, very few drops impart more flavour when compared to extracts.

Emulsions:

These typically contain essential oils, water, stabilizers and emulsifiers. These are mostly water-based and are typically used instead of extracts as a substitution and are bake-proof (flavour stays the same when baked).

Powders:

Powders are also used in baking as primary or sometimes secondary flavouring agents. The common powdered flavourings are nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, etc. They need to be mixed with dry ingredients so that they spread evenly in the batter.

Today’s customer is well informed about their needs. They perceive the clean labelled product and its freshness as a healthier option without compromising on the taste. So, the flavour manufacturers need to focus on making true and accurate flavours to enhance the taste & aroma of foods & beverages.

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