Inside natural flavors: Meat and dairy alternatives driving need for naturality

11 Mar 2020 --- A multitude of key trends are driving the natural flavors market currently. Chief among them are sustainability, health and experimentation which dominate how manufacturers are approaching formulation across several categories. Natural flavors are key in salt and sugar reduction, MSG replacement, masking off-notes associated with plant-based proteins and improving the taste of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives. Natural flavors derived from botanicals are also being used to convey naturality in beverage applications such as waters and ready-to-drink (RTD) teas, while also being applied to the likes of yogurt and ice cream.

During a recent interview with FoodIngredientsFirst, Anu Fisher, Marketing Analyst at Flavorchem, explains that “2020 will see a continued rise in natural and organic flavors brought on by the clean living trend.” She pointed out that consumers, especially the Millennial and Gen Z generations, are increasingly focused on reading labels and knowing how and where ingredients are sourced in their food and beverage products. “Manufacturers are continuing to develop more natural formulations and brands realize that consumers are willing to pay a premium if they know flavors are organic and sustainably sourced,” she states.

Almost three months into the year, we spoke with some key players in the flavor space to find out the latest offerings, market dynamics and trends driving natural flavors as well as what might be coming next. 

Coralie Garcia Perrin, Global Senior Strategic Marketing Manager, Sweet & Modulation Taste, at Kerry, explains how consumers are looking for “easy ways to do right by the planet,” and ingredients with a sustainability story is one way to do just that. 

“It is important for brands to have a sense of purpose that resonates with people, the community and impacts the planet positively. Among our natural flavors, we have several sustainability programs in place. One of the biggest ones and closest to our heart is our Tsara Kalitao program in Madagascar,” she tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

The Tsara Kalitao (Meaning ‘Good Quality’ in Malagasy) project in Maroambihi district of the Sava Region, started in 2014 and aims to support farmers and their families while improving the quality and traceability of the raw material supplied to Kerry. We also have more regional programs such as our ‘Citron de Menton.’ The lemon crop is harvested with the help of the ESAT initiative, which works to integrate people with disabilities into the workforce.”

Hemp taste solutions
Based on current consumer trends and market dynamics, Bell Flavors & Fragrances has a portfolio of natural flavors, natural hemp flavors with other natural flavorings and botanical extracts that the company says “will allow for inspiration for authentic, intense and delicious range extensions based on the hemp megatrend.” 

The range of natural flavors is designed to replicate the characteristic herbal and floral taste profile of hemp. Moreover, the all-natural range enables a clean label declaration that underlines the better-for-you and at the same time premium appeal. Bell’s botanical hemp extracts and natural flavors lend a signature profile to a variety of sweet and savory applications, including beer and beer-mixers, cider and spirits, non-alcoholic beverages, baked goods, sugar confectionery, sauces such as ketchup and mayonnaise, flavored oils and even meat marinades.

“Hemp-based products are increasingly appearing in the food and drinks sector, and we see a lot of brands targeting the hemp leaf on-pack, within their new product developments. There is a lot of consumer interest driven by the fact that hemp is a megatrend in terms of experimentation based on the health and wellness aspirations that hemp brings because it can be associated as a superfood as well,” Agenta Hoffman, Teamleader Marketing Flavors, at Bell Flavours and Fragrances. 

Providing customers with a taste solution that is authentic and at the same time innovative, is one of the major focus areas for Bell. 

“Our taste solutions are based on natural flavors, they can be claimed as a natural flavor on-pack, and we also combine it with a hemp extract which can be used for depiction and so we have the whole association with hemp and the plant itself,” she adds.

Flavoring properties of yeast
Lallemand Bio Ingredients within the Savory Ingredients segment develops and markets products for the savory food industry starting with yeast-based ingredients. The use of yeast extracts to balance the overall flavor of a prepared meal, can help to reduce the sodium content, thus supporting healthier solutions in a natural way, explains Silvia Sorangi, Lallemand Global Savory Product Manager. It is possible to apply yeast extracts and inactive yeast in food preparations for their flavoring properties, she says, and they are also constituents in the production of more complex, but still natural, flavorings.

“Yeast extracts can provide different flavoring notes, from a general rounding of existing taste to the balance of the overall profile [thanks to the contribution to umami profile], to the extension of brown, roasted notes,” Sorangi tells FoodIngredientsFirst. “A very relevant trend nowadays is a connection to the plant-based meat and dairy alternatives. Yeast-based ingredients can play a role in the donation of meaty notes from an animal-free origin.”

“Inactive yeast offers possibilities as a natural flavoring solution from neutral to umami donator. Very effective examples are our Torula-based lines, Toravita and Lake States. Our premium bakers’ Engevita inactive yeast can improve mild dairy notes,” she explains. 

Sorangi smoked notes are another area where Lallemand is seeing a growing interest. “Within the Bakon line we can combine mild to intense smoked notes with a unique umami addition. The ingredient list is very simple as we speak about traditionally smoked inactive yeast. Bakon is a very interesting ingredient considering the clean label trend and natural flavorings playground.”

Exploring opportunities within plant-based and dairy alternatives
The main use of yeast extracts is in the flavoring characterization of savory products, from meat, to soups, sauces and snacks. For plant-based meals, especially “meatless meat” the impact of flavoring is key for the success of a product, stresses Sorangi. 

“Consumers expect plant-based analogs to taste like meat of animal origin. Thanks to the high protein content and amino acid composition, the yeast extract taste is reminiscent of traditional meat products but is vegan [no animal source]. Thanks to strain selection and application of simple technologies such as heat treatment, yeast extracts can be differentiated. They can help improve the profile of the food matrix, mask undesired vegetable notes, enrich with umami taste, donate roasted meaty notes, she explains further. 

Givaudan Global Product Manager Savoury, Sylvain Jouet, echoes the fact that natural flavors play an important role in the creation of great tasting plant-based meat alternatives. She highlights how currently there are dozens of different types of plant proteins being used in product development, usually coming from many suppliers and often used in various combinations. 

“Off-notes need to be addressed. Givaudan has conducted extensive sensory evaluations on thousands of ingredients and subsequently developed maskers for many of these proteins,” Jouet tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

“These tools can be used in natural flavor formulations that are well-suited for a customer’s application and that taste great. Another good example of the importance of natural flavor used in meat alternatives is with high moisture texturized vegetable protein. Givaudan has carried our extensive work to understand how to make high moisture TVP and how to flavor it without negatively affecting the texture of the product or the performance of the flavor. 

“We help customers create a long-lasting, delicious flavored product that maintains its meaty texture and mouthfeel,” Jouet adds.

Meanwhile, Global Marketing Manager Sweet & Natural, Flavour Division, Givaudan, Sri Nagarajan, also explains how several trends are driving natural flavors. “On the beverage front, for ever-popular citrus flavors, consumers seeking hydration are gravitating towards naturality, functionality and natural flavors,” she tells FoodIngredientsFirst.” There is a big shift toward dairy alternatives with a clear preference for natural alternatives like plant, nut and algal sources. This covers a wide range of applications from alternative milk to yogurt and ice cream, as well as cold brews and coffees made with alternative milk.”

“For savory applications, natural flavors are also very relevant, particularly in Europe, the Middle East and North America. The trend for naturality is also beginning to gain popularity in the Asia Pacific region and Latin America. Natural flavors are key in salt reduction, and MSG replacement as well, in line with guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO), which urges product reformulation to reduce excessive use of sugar, salt and fat,” Nagarajan adds. 

On sugar reduction, Garcia Perrin of Kerry explains how it's a critical point within beverage applications because “taxes are in place all around the world and consumers who want to have a healthier life.”

On other key trends within the beverage category, she notes that overall fruity flavors remain a key success with an increase in more surprising and adventurous taste such as savory anise, artichoke or cactus in refreshing beverages. “Tropical fruits expand beyond the traditional mango and pineapple with some recent products featuring curuba or mangosteen. When we look at the hot beverages area, we have noticed that indulgence is very important with chocolate notes expanding beyond the traditional dark, white and milk by embracing Ruby chocolate.”

French flavor and fragrance manufacturer Mane has developed a 3D sweetness modulation called Sense Capture MS Genuine, which the company says is “inspired by nature.” Sense Capture MS Genuine is the latest generation of natural flavoring solutions for sweetness modulation. Researchers at the company have identified the challenges their clients face when they seek to develop low-sugar products that the consumer enjoys. It is the sweet intensity, the release dynamic and also the quality of the sweet taste that matters, the company notes. 

The Sense Capture MS Genuine solutions make it possible to support a reduction in the amount of sugar being used but also to reproduce the change in perception of sweetness over time, the characteristic mouthfeel of sugar and to obtain a better quality of sweet taste. The 3D sweetness modulation masks off-notes, such as bitterness, astringency and the metallic taste caused by using intense sweeteners. 

Mega-merger
International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) and DuPont announced plans to merge IFF with DuPont’s Nutrition & Biosciences (N&B) business last December – a mega-merger in the flavors space, although the move is seen as “pivotal moment” for IFF’s ambitions to expand beyond flavors. 

The deal values the combined company at US$45.4 billion, reflecting a value of US$26.2 billion for the N&B business. In an exclusive interview, Andreas Fibig, Chairman and CEO of IFF, details the company’s strategy behind the monumental deal.

“Internally, we see that people are very excited about the merger because they see how the product and technology portfolios fit together, what’s in the R&D pipeline and what we could invest in to solve the challenges of our customers,” he states. 

In an example of how the portfolio synergies could work together on a trending product, a concept for a plant-based burger is highlighted. Under the creation of a new supply side behemoth, N&B’s legacy business would be supplying plant-based protein, texturants and binders. IFF’s portfolio would offer natural antioxidants, flavors, taste modulation solutions, delivery systems as well as natural colors and grill marks. In short, it would be a product created from comprehensive synergies, allowing for complementary reach to shared end-markets.

All eyes will be on what might be coming next from this landmark deal. 

What is on the horizon for natural flavorings?
Lallemand sees an increasing demand for developing animal-free natural meat flavoring in connection with the plant-based market expansion. The company is, therefore, exploring further opportunities offered by the Bakon range. There’s a possibility to extend the product line with different wood essences and flavor intensity.

Givaudan expects an increase in the use of natural functional ingredients, including botanical infusions. Floral ingredients, in particular, are trending in the Asia Pacific region as well as the rest of the world, according to Nagarajan. “Our recently-launched line of floral infusions from Naturex, [part of Givaudan], is a great illustration of this trend. Designed around the theme of relaxation, these natural botanical ingredients include chamomile, hibiscus, elderflower and lavender.” 

Going forward, Kerry says one of the key focus areas in the industry in natural flavor is the new EU law, published May 2018 (2018/848), which states that flavorings for organic foods and beverages will need to now be at least 95 percent Natural X Flavourings (95/5 formula structure), with those meeting the new standard able to be described as “suitable for organic.” 

“The new law is a significant challenge for F&B manufacturers who want to declare organic but do not currently have access to an organic-suitable solution,” Garcia Perrin highlights.

By Gaynor Selby