The latest news, trends, analysis, interviews and podcasts from the global food and beverage industry

Formulators seeking to reduce ingredients such as sugar, salt or fat can now using a patented Encapsulated Aroma Release technology from ScentSational Technologies.

New research from INRA in Dijon, France, which investigated the interaction between aroma and saltiness, indicates that "when a consumer expects a certain flavour, the perception of saltiness is enhanced; and that change in taste perception comes through aroma".

In addition, the researchers concluded that "aroma-induced taste enhancement could be used to compensate for the taste of fat and sugar content in foods formulated along healthier lines – for example, butter or cream aroma could enhance the perception of creaminess."

ScentSational has long demonstrated these facts in its consumer research into the efficacy of its CompelAroma technology that encapsulates flavour molecules in plastic, which helps to keep them fresh and stable.

“Once flavours are added directly to food and beverage ingredients, they mix chemically, resulting in loss of aroma profile and degradation due to oxidation and other atmospheric conditions,” said Steven M Landau, chief technology officer, ScentSational Technologies. “Encapsulated Aroma Release locks those flavours in the packaging material, which helps them stay stable significantly longer than when added directly to the contents.”

ScentSational’s CompelAroma Encapsulated Aroma Release technology adds FDA-approved food grade flavours within the structure of rigid or flexible, plastic packaging components at the time of manufacturing, ready for release at point of purchase, package opening, product preparation or consumption.