IFF Launches New Proprietary Mint Flavors

The flavors can be used both in new products and as cost-effective extenders, reducing raw material costs and providing insulation against the volatile mint market.

10/03/09 International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) has created a new line of attractively priced, proprietary mint flavors that deliver the consumer-preferred profiles of popular piperita oils such as Far West, Willamette, Yakima and Madras mints.

"Mint prices are increasing significantly due to reduced acreage coupled with rising manufacturing costs,” said Catherine Hogan, IFF Global Category Manager – Sweet & Dairy. “At the same time, the demand for mint is rising in categories like oral hygiene and chewing gum. The challenge to our customers is to deliver high-quality mint profiles while keeping overall product costs in check," she noted.

To address the challenges presented by this scenario, IFF channeled its global team of creative and technical experts to develop this new collection of superior mint flavor solutions.  Researchers traveled to the prime mint-growing region in the U.S., gathered the highest-quality samples available and, using the IFF Generessence analytical techniques on fresh mint oils and fractions, identified more than 325 different compounds in the process.  New proprietary ingredients discovered from these analyses were developed and used in the creation of the new line. 

Using its trained sensory panels, IFF found the collection to be effective at delivering preferred profiles that consumers want and expect from mint.  The flavors can be used both in new products and as cost-effective extenders, reducing raw material costs and providing insulation against the volatile mint market. 

"Manufacturers can benefit from IFF's technical leadership in mint, with new high-quality flavors that offer a price advantage, stability and development consistency for new products and existing products alike," Hogan said.

IFF's new range of mint flavors is available globally and is customizable to meet local tastes or to create signature flavors.