by ANDREW LEMIEUX
People are more demanding and adventurous than ever when it comes to food. The foodie movement is all about finding the most creative and savory dishes. There’s also a trend of looking for wholesome and natural foods. Functional flavors are where these two trends converge, providing you with healthy, natural foods that also enhance taste.
What Are Functional Flavors?
Functional flavors are ingredients that enhance both the nutritional value and the taste of food. Many foods today contain artificial flavor enhancers. They add flavor, but they are either empty calories or even detrimental to your health. A functional flavor is one that’s formulated to contribute to both nutrition and flavor.
Types of Flavor Enhancers
Flavor enhancement can be categorized into several types. Some flavors are included to mask unwanted tastes. Others are put in to provide additional flavor.
- Blocking bitterness. Many foods and supplements have a bitter taste that many find unpleasant. Bitter blockers let you use bitter ingredients while making the flavor more palatable.
- Enhancing sweetness. Most people crave sweets, but simply adding sugar or common sugar substitutes isn’t ideal. Natural sweetness enhancers provide the right flavor without the extra calories.
- Fat replacers. Many people are trying to cut down on fats but still enjoy the rich taste of fatty foods.
- Masking agents. To cover up unpleasant tastes. Many vitamins and supplements use this type of ingredient.
Flavor Enhancing Ingredients
Here are some examples of ingredients commonly used to enhance or mask flavors.
Fruit flavors, including citrus, berries, and tropical fruits.- Vanilla
- Caramel
- Nuts
- Spices
- Floral
- Herbal
Who Can Benefit From Functional Flavors?
The strategic application of flavors can be beneficial for many individuals and businesses.
Chefs, Caterers, and Restaurant Owners
When making meals for today’s sophisticated diners, you have to be creative. Customers are always on the lookout for new variations on old standards, as well as discovering great new recipes. With functional flavors, you can set yourself apart and put your spin on everything, from soups to entrees to desserts.
Nutritional Supplement Companies
Products such as vitamins, minerals, protein supplements, and herbs comprise a significant industry. One challenge is that most of these items don’t taste very good. Some are extremely unpleasant to most customers. Adding sweeteners, bitter blockers, or masking agents makes them much more palatable.
Beverage Companies
People want drinks that are both tasty and don’t conflict with their dietary restrictions. Many customers avoid beverages that contain excessive sugar or artificial sweeteners. There are numerous ways beverage companies can benefit from functional flavors.
- Alcoholic beverages, including wine, beer, liqueurs, hard seltzer, and other popular drinks that are commonly flavored.
- Energy and sports drinks.
- Flavored coffee and coffee substitutes.
- Health beverages. Healthy drinks with a bitter or sour taste include kefir, kombucha, and other fermented ingredients, such as apple cider vinegar.
- Cold beverages such as soda, juices, and flavored drinks.
Creators of Baked Goods and Sweets
Sweets and desserts, including candy, cookies, cakes, and muffins.
Bread, bagels, rolls, and wraps.
Dry mixes such as pancake and waffle mixes. Many new products are emerging in these areas, such as paleo and gluten-free options, which can be challenging to combine with pleasing flavors.
Make the Most of Flavors
Healthy foods and supplements are frequently bitter or sour. Using the right flavors can be the difference between gaining loyal customers and turning people away. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind.
- Don’t overuse flavors. Even small changes can make a big difference in flavors. You don’t want to overdo it and make flavors overpowering or too sweet.
- Test and tweak. Pay close attention to customer feedback. Conduct taste tests to determine what people prefer.
- Educate customers. You don’t have to share your secret recipes. You should, however, keep your customers informed about your efforts to bring them the most creative and nutritious flavors.
- Offer options. People now have many dietary restrictions. For example, there are vegan, gluten-free, low-sodium, sugar-free, and many other diets. Using different flavorings can help you create various product varieties to cater to these preferences.
Stay on the Forefront of the Food Industry With Functional Flavors
People’s eating habits are quickly evolving. Everyone now has numerous options for sourcing exotic ingredients or ordering online. This is an opportunity for any business in the food, beverage, or supplement industry that wants to stand out and create products that are both healthy and delicious.
