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Flavour specialists ITS has unveiled a new portfolio of natural smoke-free smoked flavours designed to help cheese manufacturers maintain authentic smoky profiles ahead of incoming EU legislation that will restrict traditional smoke flavourings from July 2026.

The new rules will ban the use of eight traditional smoke condensates across most food categories – including cheese – posing a challenge for processors creating varieties such as smoked cheddar, gouda and applewood-style cheeses.

ITS latest innovation offers regulatory-compliant solutions, allowing producers to maintain the taste and aroma without formulation changes or product withdrawals.

The flavours are clean label-friendly, easy to integrate and engineered to mimic the woody, nutty, spicy and caramelised characteristics typically associated with smoked cheese.

The range includes several flavour profiles to suit different cheese styles:

• Hickory Style Smoke Flavouring (13471) – savoury, bitter, phenolic, meaty

• Smoke Type Flavouring – charred, woody, sweet, caramel

• Smoke-Style Flavouring (13660) – woody, nutty, savoury

• Applewood Style Smoke Flavouring (13668) – charred, sweet, mild

• Smoke-Style Flavouring (14055) – spicy, charred, strong, meaty

• Applewood Smoke Type Flavouring (14175) – appley, fruity, sharp, nutty

• Beechwood Type Smoke-Free (14603) – mild, earthy, woody, charred

Meg Eade, dairy innovations specialist at ITS, said: “Smoked cheeses are more than just a product, as in many countries they’re a tradition and part of a cultural identity. Whether it’s a tangy smoked gouda or a robust smoked cheddar, these flavours are crucial to many cheeses. With the upcoming ban, it’s important to find compliant alternatives, such as natural flavours, that don’t compromise on taste.”

The launch positions ITS as one of the first flavour suppliers to proactively address the regulatory shift, providing manufacturers with ready-to-use solutions well ahead of the 2026 deadline.