Key Factors Affecting Beverage Flavor Retention and Food Flavor Solutions

For both global food & beverage manufacturers, the flavor of their final products is the key competitiveness to win end consumers’ preference. However during the production process, flavor retention is usually one difficulty. The issues of flavor fading after sterilization, aroma raving out during storage, and the taste changing during transportation occur frequently. As a result, the production is inefficient, production cost gets higher, time is wasted, the loss rate of production raw ingredients increases, and more seriously, the market opportunity is loss. As one flavor factory deeply involves in food and beverage ingredients industry for 15 years, we would like to share you some of our advice hereby.

Flavor Retention

Generally, one of the main factors affect beverage flavor retention is the processing temperature. Although high temperature sterilization is one necessary process in beverage products production like UHT sterilization and pasteurization, high temperature easily volatilizes the volatile components in the food flavor, leading to flavor loss. Taking fruit juice production as an example, the temperature can reach 85℃ to 95℃, which will cause fruit flavor loss up to more than 30%, if the flavor ingredients you choose is not heat-resistant. Then under this circumstance, choosing heat-resistant food grade flavor is very crucial for high-temperature processed beverages.

Flavor Stability

When it is referred to the flavor stability in the food and beverage industry, it usually means pH value of the final products matrix. Different kinds of beverages have different pH values. According to the statistics, the pH value of fruit juices usually is of pH 3.0-4.5, teas drinks are lower, about pH 5.5 - 6.5, dairy drinks are more neutral, the index is of pH 6.5-7.0. For flavors that are easily decompose in acidic environments, like floral flavor, their aroma looses in strong acidic fruit juices, which means flavor deterioration or discoloration occurs. Therefore, it is necessary to choose flavor ingredient with appropriate acidity and heat resistance that match the pH value of your beverages.

Storage Condition

Beverages are usually stored for three to twelve months, storage condition likes temperature, light, and oxygen accelerate the oxidation and volatilization of flavor components. As a result, the appearance, taste, texture, and quality of final beverages products can be influenced. If your final beverages products are stored in a high-temperature and sunny environment, then the flavor will fade fast. Thus for purchase manager, choosing flavor with good oxidation resistance and adding appropriate antioxidants is very crucial to help effectively extend the flavor retention period.

Food Flavor Types

Food grade flavor ingredients are divided into natural flavor and synthetic as well, for which the adding dosages varies. Natural food flavoring is made from natural fruit, flower, or other plants, with a fresh and authentic taste, but its stability is relatively poor and it is easy to volatilize; synthetic food flavors have better stability and longer flavor retention, and can be customized according to needs. The dosage of the flavor should be reasonable: too little will lead to weak flavor, while too much will cause a pungent taste and affect the product quality.

To solve problems mentioned above, we, Tianjia team, provide targeted food flavor solutions:

1. For high-temperature processed beverages `(such as hot-filled juices, dairy teas), we recommend our heat-resistant food grade flavors, which can withstand temperatures up to 130°C without obvious flavor loss.

1. For acidic beverages (such as citrus juices, sour teas), we provide acid-resistant flavors that can maintain stability in pH 2.5-5.0 environments.
2. For long-term storage beverages, we offer flavors with strong oxidation resistance, which can maintain stable flavor for 12 months under normal storage conditions.
3. We also provide customized flavor solutions for food and beverage production based on your specific situations including your formula, processing conditions and storage requirements.

Last but not least, to ensure every batch of final products smoothly launch into market, compliance is important. Thus you should choose flavor ingredients certified by FDA, Interek, ISO9001, ISO22000, SGS to ensure your food and beverage business move forward in your target markets with minimum cost and market risks. If you are troubled by issues we haven’t mentioned hereby and need customized solutions, welcome to contact us to know more details, we are more than one food flavor manufacturer, but also one trustworthy food grade flavor solutions supplier.