Are Natural Flavours & Ingredients more Healthy than their Artificial Counterparts? There are no significant differences between artificial & natural chemicals besides their production methods, isotope ratios & price. Natural ingredients, by definition, need to be derived from a natural product such as plants, botanicals, fruits etc…, while artificial chemicals are synthesized from petrochemicals. They have the same aroma, taste, physical & chemical properties as well as impacts on human health.
Why do Natural Ingredients & Flavour Systems Cost more than their Artificial Equivalents? Besides being more expensive to extract, natural ingredients are dependent on weather, crop yields, socio-political situations & basic supply & demand. Artificial ingredients will mainly use petrochemicals (because of their carbon chains), which is currently more readily available.
How can the Flavour Profile of a Food or Ingredient best be Described? The main tool when working with flavouring ingredients is to use descriptors. These are words that can basically describe specific parts of a flavour/taste profile. As an example, the strawberries were slightly unripe, thus has a bit of green character. Please look at our descriptors page, which has over 500 different descriptors.
Can Flavours &/or Flavour Ingredients be Dangerous? The most important factors to take into account when talking about toxicity is exposure time & concentration. For example, some toxic chemicals are found in foods we commonly eat, however the concentrations are so small that they are not harmful for typical human consumption. Most chemicals found in cleaning products, cosmetics, processed food, the environment etc…can be toxic at the right levels, but they are simply not relative to each application. The dose makes the poison and over-consumption of anything can become toxic. Flavour ingredients are used in amounts that are safe for human consumption.
How Much Flavour should be added to an Application? The amount of flavour added to an application depends on the nature of the application and the strength of the flavour. Applications with relatively simple formulations (such as juices or sodas) require less flavour than more complex formulations (such as enriched protein products or baked goods). If the dosage is not defined, begin low (around 0.1% by weight) and increase the dosage until the desired taste is achieved. Contact Novotaste’s R&D department if further help or information is needed regarding dosing of flavours.
How does Product Processing Affect Flavour Application? Certain processes could affect the stability of flavours and the net flavour result. For example, some processes, such as pasteurization, baking, frying, freezing, and boiling or most processes involving heating, can affect the strength or effectiveness of the final flavour in the product. This can result in the flavour: producing off-notes, altering the texture and stability of the product, coming out too weak, or coming out too strong in the final application. It is important that the processing be made clear when making a sample request so that Novotaste’s R&D team can supply you with the most stable flavour for the process and application.
Should I use Water or Oil Soluble Flavours? The solubility of the flavour will depend on the application. Water soluble flavours work best in applications that blend easily in water (such as juices, sodas, popsicles, and soups). Oil soluble flavours work best in applications that do not blend easily with water, nor have added emulsifiers (such as cooking oils, certain high fat baked goods, certain high fat chocolate, and sausages). If you are not sure what will work best in your application, contact Novotaste’s R&D team and one of their food scientists would be happy to recommend a flavour system.
Are Samples Available Upon Request? Yes. Contact us for sample requests.
What is a Flavour Profile? Flavour profile is a way to describe how a flavour is perceived mainly in taste and, to a certain extent, by smell. There are thousands of descriptors used to illustrate the flavour profile. An example of some flavours and their descriptors could be:
Vanilla Flavour: sweet, smooth, vanilla bean like, creamy. | Sausage Flavour: meaty, fatty, grilled, mild spice.
When requesting a flavour, the descriptors aid the flavour lab in supplying the ideal flavour for your needs.
What Kind of Flavours does Novotaste Make? Novotaste has a very diverse flavour library. We supply any kind of flavour, be it sweet or savoury and everything in between.
I have a Flavour that I like, can it be Matched? Yes. If a flavour already exists with a desirable flavour profile, please send the Novotaste R&D laboratory a sample for matching.
Can Flavours be Customized? Yes. If a flavour is required that is uncommon or even if a certain profile of an existing flavour is required, Novotaste’s flavour laboratory will customize the flavour for you.
What do I do If I do not find the Flavour I want on the Website? Simply contact us and we will either customize the flavour for you or inform you if it does already exist in our flavour library.
How do Flavours need to be Stored? Details on storage, as well as other relevant technical information, vary depending on the flavour. This information can be found on the specification sheet (available upon request).
How does the Flavour need to be Labeled? In most cases the flavour is labeled simply as either “Natural Type Flavour”, “Artificial Flavour”, or “Natural and Artificial Flavour”. The specification sheet provides all ingredients to declare.
