Choose floral, botanical and exotic fruit for 'unexpected' flavour
At this year’s FIE, held in Frankfurt later this month, the supplier will be demonstrating its cucamelon flavour (Melothria scabra), a Mexican miniature watermelon with a lime and cucumber taste, as well as a flavour it calls Petrichor – the scent of rain on dry earth.
Sensient’s botanical collection, Natural Origin, includes herbs such as hop, basil and sage, spices such as cardamom, saffron and pink pepper.
Its floral collection includes cherry blossom, lavender, elderflower, rose, desert flowers, chrysanthemum, orange blossom, geranium, hibiscus and jasmine, which are usually used in combination with other, more familiar flavours, to add depth and complexity.
The flavour house has developed a range of ginger extracts, such as Chinese ginger and Nigerian ginger, that allow manufacturers to diversify their portfolios with flavour variations.
"Nigerian ginger is sweet and spicy with hints of earthy notes while Chinese ginger is lighter and more citrus whilst having the spicy notes," Sensient said.
Chief flavourist at Sensient laboratories for beverages, Philippa Holford, told FoodNavigator: “Within the floral range there’s also a lot versatility in terms of something that is very delicate and fruity like cherry blossom compared to something heavy and animalic like jasmine.
"To create a true realistic flavour that performs well and has good shelf life can be a challenge but we have our own range of extraction technologies and we extract our own florals.”
Director of marketing for sweet and beverage Europe, Barbara Lezzer, said the flavours would help manufacturers develop “new and unexpected taste profiles based on key market and consumer insights”.
The Milwaukee-headquartered company has operations in over 150 countries and reported annual revenues of over $1.38bn in 2016 (€1.18bn).
