FLAVOUR

DEVELOPMENT
Givaudan
Industry Leadership in Fragrances and Flavours
group sales of CHF 4,1 billion
 Signature fragrances  Fabric & personal wash  Internal use
 Line extensions  Hair & skin care  Third party sales
 Household & air care
 Oral care
Fragrances
CHF 1,9 billion
Fine Fragrances Consumer Products
20% 65% Ingredients
15%

 Soft drinks, fruit juices   Ready made meals  Ice cream & yoghurt

& instant beverages  Snacks, soups &   Yellow fats (marg.)
sauces  Baked goods & 
 Meat and poultry confectionary
Flavours
CHF 2,2 billion
Beverages
35% Savoury Sweet Goods
35% 30%
 What is Happening in the Food Market?

Pleasure, it is all about luxury and indulgence to feed the

consumers emotional need

Consumers have a strong need for a reward, a special treat

pleasure at home, bringing restaurant quality in

It’s about
your own home.

Socialising is taking an increasing important role in

consumers’ life.

Because consumers  are traveling more, they become more interested in Ethnic products & flavours
 Authenticity Trend … in Snacks 

...what does Authenticity mean for Snacks?

• ‘Real food’ experience
– Culinary dishes, ingredients and taste
– Complex tastes & textures
• Provenance & local relevance
– Specific origin of ingredients & dishes
– Real representation of culture
Alvin Leung
Bo Innovation of 
Hong Kong

The self- proclaimed “demon chef”

draws inspiration from his Chinese
origins as well as the UK, his birth
place and Canada where he grew
up to create provocative yet
delicious dishes. Salted Egg

Chicken Soup

Harmi Hunan Ham

 Jordi Roca
El Cellar de Can Roca of Girona, 
Spain
The Roca’s restaurant,
ranked 4th in the world, is
the showcase for the
brothers’ multi-sensory
emotional approach to
cooking. Their use of colour,
aroma and texture to world
class flavours is unique. Escalibada spheres with anchovies Ventresca of Tuna Fish

Fluffy Veal Terrine with Truffle and Pickles

Onion & Comte Cheese Soup Shrimp with Mantilla
 The World of Taste and Smell
The Senses, a Complex System

SIGHT SMELL TOUCH HEARING TASTE

eyes, vision nose, aroma tongue, ears, audition mouth, odour, aroma
muscles
 The World of Taste and Smell
Taste

• Taste is the perception of dissolved ingredients in the mouth
• 5 basic tastes
– Sweet
– Salt
– Acidic
– Bitter
– Umami
The World of Taste and Smell
Taste – the Tongue

Salt & sour Sweet , umami & bitter
 The World of Taste and Smell
Guess the Flavour of the candy
Close your nose ,
put the candy in your mouth
and try to guess the flavour

Open nose after 15 seconds

 The World of Taste and Smell
Smell

Interaction of Senses

• Smell is the perception of volatile ingredients through the nose
• We can smell and recognize more than 10.000 different smells
• Approximately 350 different smell receptors have been identified
 The World of Taste and Smell
Guess the Flavour of the Combination

 Pineapple

+ =?
 Banana

 Cucumber
 What is a Seasoning?

 A blend of permitted food ingredients which may contain additives, flavourings and 
functional ingredients designed to give a complete taste profile
 What is a Flavour?

 Single or blend of permitted flavour components which may contain additives and 
functional ingredients designed to give a signature taste profile – e.g. Topnote
 What role do Flavours play in Seasonings?

 Add definition and specific signatures to a taste profile. 
 Influence aroma – evoking memories 
 Snack Flavour Creation
What is special about snack flavours

 Snack flavours are consumed as such, so not very concentrated

 They should be dissolved in the mouth upon eating

 They should provide a balanced combination of aroma, taste, mouthfeel and 
colour via volatile and non‐volatile components

 Snacks market is highly cost‐sensitive and competitive, so creativity and flexibility 
are essential
 Release of Flavour and Taste Components
For each category of ingredient, the flavour release depends mainly on: 
 The particle size
– Fine particles have large saliva interface, so dissolve quickly
– Large particles dissolve much slower, lower impact but the taste lasts longer 
 Not only effect on taste but also on colour

Micro salt/sugar Coarse grade salt/sugar

Impact

Impact
Time Time
 Release of Flavour and Taste Components
The composition of the particles
 Particles encapsulated in a water soluble matrix release quickly when eaten
 Flavour release from non‐dissolving particles is more complex (influence of the saliva flow, mastication, 
swallowing…); low initial impact but long lasting taste

Encapsulated onion oil Onion powder

Impact
Impact

Time Time
 Snack Flavour Creation
intensity Release of Flavour and Taste Components

Pizza

Cheese
Oregano
Tomato

Crust

time

…. delivers delicious taste
Liquid Flavour/Aroma Part
Extracts, Herb distillates, Spices, Topnotes

Encapsulated Flavour/Aroma Part

Encapsulated extracts, Topnotes

Concentrated Kitchen Processes

Gravy powder, Roast Onion, Smoked Chicken
Bacon, Fish etc.

Kitchen Ingredients
Ground: - Vegetables, Spices, Herbs etc.

Taste components
Salt(s), Sugars, Acids, Umami
(Taste enhancer)
Bulking Agents
Breadcrumbs, Rice Flour,
Whey Powder

Creation of a Snack Flavour
Snack Flavour Creation
Salt
• NaCI
• KCI

Salt is one of the most important

Ingredient in snacks seasonings

Enhancer
Preference driver
Block 1: salt Easy way to measure % seasoning
Snack Flavour Creation
Sweet
• Sugar
• Dextrose
• Lactose
• Artificial sweeteners

Sour
• Lactic acid
• Citric acid
Block 2: sweet and acid components
• Acetic acid
• Succinic acid
Snack Flavour Creation
Taste Enhancers
 MSG
 Ribotides
 Yeast Extracts
 HVP

Block 3: taste enhancers and

yeast extracts
Snack Flavour Creation
Process Flavours Block 4:
process flavours
HVP
Yeast extract
Soy sauce
Enzymatic hydrolyzed bone stock

Amino acids

+ Maillard reaction Meat taste and brown colour

Sugars

Xylose
Glucose
Lactose
Onion extract
Hydrolyzed poly saccharides
Snack Flavour Creation

Spices
 Paprika
 Peppers
Block 5:  Garlic / Onion powder
Spices
Snack Flavour Creation
Top notes
 Specific character
Block 6:
Top notes  Provides aroma and headspace
 Contains molecules and essential oils
 Very strong > low dosage

Impact
Aldehydes
Short chain Acids
Sulphur compounds

Body
Alcohols
Ketones

Afternote
Lactones
Long fatty acids
Long ketones
Snack Flavour Creation

Concept Block 6:
Top notes
 Potato Crisps
 Rich Soya Flavour Block 5: spices
 6%
Block 4: process flavours

Block 3: taste enhancers and yeast extracts

Block 2: sweet and acid components

Block 1: salt
Challenges for Flavour Creation

 Natural vs. Nature Identical / flavouring
 On Pack Claims
 On pack depiction
 Pack Claims
 Provenance

 Growing need for Health & Wellness products
 Sodium (e.g. salt)
 MSG 
 Fat
 Multi / whole grain
Savoury Snacks

Snacks categories :

Potato Chips Dust on

Indirect expanded Dust On

Direct expanded Slurry

Corn / Tortilla chips Dust on / oil spray

Nuts & Seeds Conc. Dust on / Heat Stable

Oven Baked Snacks In dough , Dust on , Heat stable

Flavour Delivery systems in Snacks

Flavouring  Dust-on
systems  Slurry
 Marinating
 In-base
 Batter & Breading Coating
 Double Coating
 Splashes
 Drip-on
 In-Filling
Influence of the Snacks Base on the Flavour Perception
Processing  (extrusion, frying, oven baking…)
 Influence on the taste of the base (roast, baked notes) and on the 
flavour perception (the flavour needs to be heat stable if added in‐ dough or pre‐extrusion)

Ingredients
 Can give a strong aftertaste (peanut>potato>corn>rice)
 Can give a different texture : crispy, sticky…(influence on flavour release and dosage)
 Can modify the flavour perception : salt, fibers… 
 Fat :  amount (low fat product need more creamy/full flavours), type, mixed or not with the 
flavour

Shape of the snacks (flat vs. crinkle‐cut crisps)
Nuts – applications

Application  Plain Nuts

systems
 Coated Nuts (Fried/Baked)

 Dry Roast Nuts

 Marinated Nuts

 Chocolate Nuts
Flavour requirements Nut applications

Flavouring  Plain Nuts

systems  Dust-on
 Coated Nuts
 Dust-on
 Slurry
 Dry Roast Nuts
 DRP Dust-on
 Marinated Nuts
 Liquid/Powder
 Typical Post Frying/Roasting 
Seasoning Systems
1. Sprinkle Over‐Belt
2. Seasoning Drum 
i. Batch flavouring drums/pan
ii. In line or split in‐line drums
3. Brush System Seasoning
4. Electrostatic Seasoning 
 1‐ Sprinkle Over Belt Systems
• Roasted Nuts exit on fryer belt

• Rotary roller or vibratory tray

• Agitation

• Positioned ex fryer

– Directly after fryer or remote
• Typically salt only but can be used 
for seasonings 
 2 ‐ Drum Seasoning
• Two main types of system
i. Batch Drum System
• Batched Product Weight

• Batched Seasoning Weight

• Seasoning

• Mixing
ii. Inline Drum Systems

Differing designs of fins and scrolls 
depending on application and 
requirements
Feed Depositors into the Drum
 3 ‐ “Brush” Systems
• Nut products at required feed rate fed into inlet 
port
• Flavour and flavour/oil feed metered at required 
rate into the barrel
• Gentle Brushed Rotation
– Irregular Shapes
• VIDEO ‐ NutAlmonds_Seasoning_Coating.AVI
 4 ‐ Electrostatics
Negative static charge 
applied
Product positively charged 
causing wrap around effect
Spinning Disk flavouring systems

• Low fat snacks
– High viscosity slurries 
• Fragile products 
– Over belt flavouring
– Top and bottom spray
– Aqueous solutions / dispersions
Seasoning Performance on Production Lines

 Dust-on Flavouring that would

not stick to the snack base.
 Line optimalization
 The particle set and crystal shape
needed to be looked at closer.
Adhesion
Amount of flavour sticking to the base

Adhesion signature - optimum point

for this specific seasoning/base model

Amount of flavour applied to the drum

Adhesion

What can be done to optimize adhesion in the development process?
 Develop a seasoning to a specific base
 Understand the optimum base adhesion signature
 Concentrate the seasoning to reduce % fall-off
 Can introduce flow problems
 Challenges minimum levels required for consistency of application
levels in plant
 Deliver the seasoning to the base in the most efficient/effective way
 Improve the seasoning/base interface
 Spray oil onto the base prior to applying the seasoning
 Snack Flavour Functionality
Adhesion

What major variables affect the optimum adhesion point?

Seasoning
– Flow characteristics
– Granularity
– Particle size distribution
Base
– Surface area
– Surface texture
– Surface oil content

Surface  Potato Crisp
Snack Flavour Functionality
Adhesion through Oil Layer
 Adhesion is significantly improved as soons as oil is present on the surface
 Oil also acts as a binding agent improving particle cohesion…this is why adding more oil
always helps!

Surface tension force

100
90
Suction force Oil layer
80
for capillarity
Increasing fall-off

70
60
Multiple layers
50
40
Single layer
30
20
10
0
0 10 20 30 40

Increasing oil on surface

Snack Flavour Functionality
Snack Surface Assessment
Flavour application for snacks is influence by
 Smoothness of the snacks surface •
 Particle size

How the particles interact with the snack surface….

Poor Adhesion Good Adhesion
Snack Flavour Functionality
Snack Surface Assessment
Flavour application for snacks is influence by
 Smoothness of the snacks surface
 Particle size

How the particles interact with the snack surface….

Poor Adhesion Good Adhesion
Flow & Anti‐caking
Ingredients which provide
means of controlling flow

 Limit the amount of hygroscopic

ingredients where possible
 The liking for sweet & sour
flavours presents functionality
challenges
 Free flow agents
 Oil
Problem Possible cause / solution
• Air pollution ( dust ) • Wrong ratio/ type oil-free flowing
• Clogging agent, too small particles
• Ingredients too moist
• Abrasive effects on transporting
screw • Coarse salt
• Ingredients too shear-sensitive
• Lumps in applicator
• Too coarse
• Bad transport on vibrator
• Too fatty seasoning
• Adhesion
• Too large / wrongly shaped
particles