Kerry gets ahead of organic EU regulations with new flavor modulator range

27 May 2020 --- Kerry has unveiled a new, “suitable for organic” natural X flavoring modulation technology, designed to be compliant with the extensive, updated EU regulations for organic F&B products set to take effect on January 1, 2021. The new regulation will require flavorings for organic food and beverages to have at least a 95/5 structure – meaning 100 percent natural with at least 95 percent consisting of ingredients derived from named sources.

“These incoming regulations will affect all organic and traditional food and beverage manufacturers who want to reduce or remove sugar and use an organic claim without compromising on taste to do so,” explains Jem Greenwell, General Manager Taste, Europe & Russia at Kerry. 

“The Kerry Global Taste Innovation team was successful in overcoming the significant challenge presented by the new regulatory requirement by developing this highly performing and cost-effective range of natural flavorings,” he adds.

The new EU law, published May 2018 (2018/848), states that flavorings for organic foods and beverages will need to now be at least 95 percent Natural X Flavorings (95/5 formula structure), with those meeting the new standard able to be described as “suitable for organic.” The new law is a substantial challenge for food and beverage manufacturers who want to declare organic but do not currently have access to an organic-suitable solution for sugar reduction, as well as for flavor manufacturers who need to design 95/5-type modulators.

The TasteSense Sweet Suitable for Organic product range was created to address the evolving consumer and regulatory demand for more natural flavorings and reduced calories in food and beverages, facilitating sugar reduction of up to 30 percent specifically in beverages (soft and alcoholic) and dairy products, and allowing for an overall taste and profile improvement in low-zero sugar products.

The product line delivers a clean sweetness profile, improves the mouthfeel of sugar- or juice-reduced food and beverage products, and masks acidity and astringency. Labelingof every item of this new range can be described as “Natural X Flavoring”, with variations on the “X” denomination according to the agricultural source (lemon, strawberry, etc.) that makes up the required 95 percent of the aromatic part of the flavor formula.

In addition, some options of the TasteSense Sweet Suitable for Organic portfolio are also stevia derivatives-free, addressing the growing preference in a number of EU markets for natural flavorings with modifying properties (FMP) solutions that are not derived from stevia, but instead use alternative botanical sources as precursors.

This new range complements and integrates the broad range of “Natural X Flavoring and Extracts” available in Kerry’s Taste portfolio, which offer clean label varieties of fruit tonalities, brown flavors and botanicals. All of these features will be now required in organic food and beverages, a large step beyond the previous usage of simply “Natural Flavorings”.

Organic food production is expected to branch out into new and indulgent categories in the coming years. With this success, quality control must remain tight, as cases of labeling fraudulence have been reported in some markets. In a recent Special Report, FoodIngredientsFirst spoke with key suppliers on their strategies to deal with higher costs, inconsistent yields and quality control to meet the rising demand for organic ingredients.

Edited by Benjamin Ferrer