Symrise ProtiScan fine-tunes plant-based protein flavors for balanced applications

23 Feb 2022 --- Symrise has developed a system called ProtiScan, which analyzes and characterizes diverse protein sources to help customers balance off-notes and achieve the optimal flavor release. The platform links this knowledge about plant-based proteins – ranging from sensory to consumer-driven data – with the technical properties of the protein sources.

Overall, these functionalities aid the development of predictive models, which lead to better-performing taste solutions.

“Taste forms the key component for the success of products using alternative, plant-based proteins,” notes Lars Grohmann, master technologist at the Symrise Research Center. 

“Protiscan provides crucial targeted intelligence that Symrise can offer manufacturers looking to understand and satisfy the changing attitudes that are driving a plant-forward future,” he remarks.

This will allow manufacturers to accelerate their product development process.

Multidimensional screening of volatile substances
Protiscan characterizes raw material profiles through the rapid, highly sensitive, multidimensional screening of volatile substances. 

Highly selective detectors pinpoint the taste-giving components in a given protein source so that Protiscan can identify, quantify and cluster its key properties.

Protiscan characterizes raw material profiles through the rapid, highly sensitive, multidimensional screening of volatile substances.Symrise leverages headspace technology – a technique developed in the 1980s to capture the odor compounds present in the air surrounding various objects – combined with fully automated processes.

Ultimately, this system can help address the challenge of creating appealing taste profiles while satisfying the discerning expectations of vegans, vegetarians and those looking to embrace a more plant-based lifestyle.

“The market for meat and dairy alternatives is rapidly growing. The broad variety of plant protein sources, raw materials, technical and sensory characteristics requires a 360° understanding to develop tasty products,” notes the company.

This year, Innova Market Insights Pegged “Plant-Based: The Canvas for Innovation” as its second Top Ten Trend for 2022, as a continuation of last year’s “Plant-Forward”, highlighting this F&B category’s mainstay appeal.

Among the most recent ingredient launches in this space, Givaudan unveiled its patent-pending PrimeLock+, a vegan-friendly integrated solution that mimics animal fat cells in plant-based product development.

Rise of digitized plant-based formulation tools
The ballooning demand for plant-based food options means that formulators must act quickly in tailoring the right product. While ingredient suppliers conventionally take a guiding role throughout this process, smart platforms that aid in product creation provide further support.

For instance, Planteneers’ Plantbaser digital platform has been designed to quickly turn a plant-based food or beverage concept into a finished product in two weeks. Using the configurator, manufacturers can define the criteria for the product they want, building from Planteneers’ extensive solutions portfolio and configured to their requirements. 

Similarly, Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing launched its Aroma Kiosk – a digital sensory tool designed to gather valuable consumer insights on flavors and products in real-time – shortly after introducing its Advanced Tools for Modeling (ATOM), which uses artificial intelligence to optimize food and flavor formulation through co-creation with customers.

By Benjamin Ferrer