Authentic meat profiles: Bell Flavors eyes opportunities for beef-flavored NPD in EMEA region

14 Oct 2019 --- Bell Flavors & Fragrances EMEA is focusing on culinary taste profiles in order to deliver authentic solutions for savory product developments. Bell’s flavor profiles are aligned with consumers’ clean label expectations and are suitable for a variety of savory applications. The company’s flavor team is combining the knowledge of experts, flavorists and culinary chefs, aiming to replicate the distinctive taste profiles and aromas that characterize traditional meat products.

“The biggest market potential for the use of meat in general can be seen in the field of ready-to-eat products and convenience food. Both represent very dynamic segments, requesting for authentic, culinary taste profiles on the one hand and easy, affordable food options for consumers, on the other hand,” Agneta Hoffmann, Marketing Teamleader at Bell Flavors tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

The reason behind this market potential is not only for the growth in hectic lifestyles and the need for indulgent foods, there is also a shift in consumer perception – next to a growing movement for vegan meat alternatives, consumers value the taste of meat. “A flexitarian diet is what consumers are looking for, resulting in a growing desire to experience authentic taste when consuming both, meat-based products or plant-based alternatives,” explains Hoffmann. 

The market for meat flavors and especially natural meat flavors is on the rise, as manufacturers are focusing on more natural, clean label product developments and launches, Hoffman notes. 

Bell Flavors is looking particularly closely at the plant-based meat-substitutes movement. “From an ingredients and taste perspective, this is a category that is not highly contrary to meat products, as taste, texture and mouthfeel play a huge part in both segments,” she adds.  

Focusing on the gold standard for creating iconic flavors 
Beef not only shows great versatility, but it is also used in an expanding variety of culinary dishes and products around the world, creating a strong need for flavor-focused product solutions. To cater to this growing demand, Bell targets the creation of authentic, intense and delicious flavor varieties to deliver taste experiences and high-quality product solutions based on golden standards. 

With its range of natural beef flavors, Bell caters to the growing market needs for beef-flavored product varieties in the EMEA region. The flavor house also highlights its competency in creating iconic meat profiles and combining both sensory experiences with market-conformity.

“Chef specials”: Authentic beef flavor profiles for savory product creations 
Reflecting today’s consumer expectations for authenticity and naturalness, Bell has designed a variety of intense and robust beef flavors that are inspired by the unique cooking techniques of beef and its versatile, aromatic taste components. Bell’s R&D team, therefore, has evaluated the taste characteristics defining distinct beef notes through various cooking processes. This has resulted in the creation of key flavor profiles that are replicating the specific culinary taste characteristics. 

Expanding the scope of Bell’s “Chef specials” range, the line includes a fatty beef variety, that is characterized by an “intense, full and salivating” fatty beefy note, as well as a cooked beef flavor, which has a strong meat character and delivers a juicy and slightly brown taste profile. Furthermore, the portfolio includes a natural roasted beef flavor providing dark roasted and brown notes along with a meaty taste profile. All flavors have been created for increasing the overall taste by delivering various nuances of beef and can be used to amplify already existing beefy and meaty notes even further, says Bell.  

Functional taste solutions
The new natural flavor range allows for the creation of different cooking profiles and cost-effective as well as appealing sensory products on a standardized quality, Bell highlights. The range is aiming to offer high-efficiency for optimal industrial processing due to convenient and easy applicable powder format of the flavors and long shelf life. 

The high-impact beef profiles deliver full and unique meat characteristics, improved taste and a rounded mouthfeel for a broad range of applications, such as soups or broth, sauces, processed meat products, ready meals and foodservice products. The halal-conform range is in-line with consumer needs and expectations for transparency, as it allows for clean labeling due to a “natural flavoring” declaration and can be declared as allergen-free and free from palm oil.

Furthermore, the products are designed to fulfill high-quality industry standards and deliver reliable taste properties without the use of added MSG or ribotides.  

By Elizabeth Green