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BASF Aroma Ingredients’ Isobionics biotech brand is bringing two new natural ingredients to the flavour market.

Isobionics Natural Beta-Sinensal 20 and Isobionics Natural Alpha-Humulene 90 are both produced using an innovative fermentation process, said to be a first within the flavour industry.

The Natural Beta-Sinensal 20 ingredient has an aldehydic, citrus (tangerine and mandarin) peel taste and odour, with marine and algae notes at a use level of 0.1-10ppm. According to BASF, it helps highlight odour compositions with a fresh effect and taste compositions with a slightly metallic effect.

The ingredient’s main advantage is that it is not extracted from orange oil, opening up the potential for wide use in flavour applications.

It can add juiciness and freshness to a range of fruit flavours from mango to berry, including all citrus flavours, and can enhance the organoleptic properties of orange oil products. Additionally, it can be used in savoury formulations such as fish, meat and tomato flavours.

It can be labelled as natural flavouring preparation in the EU, with FEMA/GRAS number approval expected in June 2025.

Meanwhile, the Natural Alpha-Humulene 90 brings notes of woody cedar, pine, damp wood and sawdust, with a terpineol note at 5-20ppm use level. It offers a dry woody, resinous, piney and patchouli-like odour, with herbal and slight grapefruit hints, and has high purity. It is suitable for non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, particularly well-suited to mango, raspberry, mint and citrus flavours and hop oil applications.

Both new ingredients are pesticide-free, kosher, halal and ISO 22000-certified. They are produced by fermentation of readily available renewable materials, independent of weather and harvest conditions, BASF noted, allowing it to guarantee consistent quality and availability.