Flavor and function in beverage formulations
When a beverage formulator first thinks of flavors, the basics like chocolate, strawberry and vanilla often jump to mind. Increasingly formulators may consider more complex possibilities, such as lemon ginger or orange turmeric.
“Sweeteners provide more to the consumption experience than just sweetness, and when replacing sugar or enhancing sweetness, you have to take the other pieces into account,” said Whitney Smart, beverage applications manager, Sensient Flavors, Hoffman Estates, Ill. “We have technologies that not only enhance sweetness, but mimic the overall sugar experience by just using natural flavor.
“(These ingredients) can improve mouthfeel perception to make the product feel fuller without the use of hydrocolloids, starches or other thickeners, which enables product makers to maintain shorter, cleaner labels.”