Communication is Strategic Priority for the Flavor Industry, Says EFFA

Jimena Gómez de la Flor, Communications Director at EFFA said: “We are in a communication era, and consumers want to engage in a dialogue. In the same way that the flavor industry adapts to consumer demands when providing a specific flavor, we would like to meet their expectations with this website and offer a journey through the fascinating world of flavorings.”

 

The response from the industry has so far been good: “We have received many positive comments: that is refreshing, modern, easy to navigate and to read, well-structured and informative, we are very excited!” claims Gómez de la Flor.

 

This is just the beginning for EFFA as the website will be updated and improved with new content on regular basis.
 
What flavor trends are looking to be popular this year? “Vanilla is always a classic flavor that stays young,” Gómez de la Flor, told FoodIngredientsFirst. “We are also seeing a demand for spicy, ethnic and full bodied and also indulgent and sophisticated flavors.”

 

Gómez de la Flor says there has been an interest in natural flavorings for some time. “We want to show and explain that synthetics are equally safe and that they have the same molecular structure,” she says.  “For example, you can get vanillin (the main component of vanilla flavor) from nature and from synthesis, because we just have enough natural vanilla resources for a percentage of the actual demand and both variants have the exact same molecular structure and you can use it in the same kind of products: ice-cream, cookies, yogurt, etc.”

 

Gómez de la Flor went on to highlight the differences in flavor trends for different countries. She said: “Each country and culture have different preferences in flavor. Mediterranean countries have different ingredients in their cuisine than Nordic countries, and taste is intimately related with culture, so you can see different preferences around the world and around Europe.”

 

“That is also the beauty of our industry, knowing how to adapt to the specific expectations of different countries and types of consumers,” she explained.

 

However, it was also noted that EFFA face some flavor challenges:  “Often, the challenge is not in the regulation but in its application. We have a Regulation coming from the EU, and EFFA has also Guidance Documents, but in some cases the national authorities interpret the EU legislation in different ways.”

 

You can view the website here: www.effa.eu