IFF Provides Fresh Orange Juice Flavour

A team of flavorists and application specialists at IFF’s Hilversum Creative Center in the Netherlands used sophisticated techniques to analyze both fresh-squeezed juice and the volatile “add-back” compounds generated in juice-processing plants.

29/06/07 International Flavors & Fragrances, a leading creator of flavors and fragrances, has reproduced the elusive taste of fresh-squeezed orange juice. Its latest additions to the Generessence line of flavors are water-soluble solutions that can be used in a wide range of beverage applications. These proprietary new orange flavors are now available in the U.S.

The subtle nuances of the volatile components and the base of natural sugars are in perfect harmony in fresh-squeezed juice. “Until now, trying to recreate the same profile in products like sparkling and still water has presented special obstacles,” explains IFF Senior Flavorist Henk Reiber. “Limitations in solubility and in orange-flavor raw materials can leave a thin or bitter taste, while the lack of sugars and acids in water-based beverages drives the flavor profile even further away from the sweet, juicy orange flavor that consumers crave.”

Like other Generessence flavors, the orange is created from components found only in the fruit itself. A team of flavorists and application specialists at IFF’s Hilversum Creative Center in the Netherlands used sophisticated techniques to analyze both fresh-squeezed juice and the volatile “add-back” compounds generated in juice-processing plants.

“The most challenging aspect,” says Reiber, “was balancing each and every flavor nuance. Because water-soluble orange-juice flavor has a delicate yet complex taste perception, every little off-note is easily detectable. Unlike juices, there are no masking elements in water.” The information generated by the in-depth analysis allowed the flavorists to capture the authentic fresh-squeezed orange flavor by combining a minimum amount of orange oil with other natural flavor ingredients.

Steve Boushell, Vice President Global Natural Products, says that the U.S. release of Generessence Orange offers significant marketplace advantages. “Because these products are less dependent on citrus oils, they insulate our customers from the fluctuations in ingredient quality and availability that do occur in nature.”

With the North American release of Generessence Orange, the flavors are now available in every region where IFF does business. These flavors are considered Global Natural, FEMA GRAS and Kosher.