Givaudan identifies Reb-A bitter taste receptor

Givaudan, the world’s leading flavours and fragrances company, has identified and applied for patents related to its discovery of the bitter taste receptor triggered by Rebaudioside-A (also known as Reb-A), the new Stevia-derived ‘natural high intensity sweetener’ recently pronounced safe by the US FDA.  Understanding how bitterness is activated in the mouth with Reb-A has enabled Givaudan to discover and develop flavour ingredients that specifically block this mechanism.

Food and beverage company product developers normally encounter significant taste problems with Reb-A’s lingering and off-notes. Effectively masking these, along with flavour profile enhancement, is key to successful consumer product development of sweetened foods and beverages that contain Reb-A.

“The combination of our masking and enhancing TasteSolutions™ technology puts Givaudan in the industry leadership position to enable customers to solve these product development challenges,” says Mike Size, Givaudan’s global head of beverages. Givaudan has developed expertise which allows it to offer natural masking solutions that work across a range of customer applications.

Dr Bob Eilerman, Head of Science and Technology for Givaudan Flavours notes that “product developers at food and beverage companies will benefit from this breakthrough ingredient technology to make Reb-A sweetened products taste significantly better than was previously possible. These unique materials are incorporated in flavours designed specifically to work in Reb-A sweetened products.” Use of Givaudan’s flavour masking technology enhances the overall taste performance of the sweetener while reducing or eliminating the inherent sensory defects.

Givaudan has utilized advances in taste research, sensory science and receptor-guided ingredient discovery to address the bitterness associated with Reb A. Screening of a diverse chemical library has led to a portfolio of more than 20 new, best in class flavour ingredients effective against Reb A bitterness. Over the last two years, Givaudan obtained regulatory approval for six new natural ingredients for intense sweetener taste improvement.

In addition to basic ingredient research, Givaudan has developed an in-depth sensory understanding of bitterness blocking requirements for a range of high-intensity sweeteners through an expert tasting panel of people sensitive to Reb-A off-notes. This is essential to Givaudan’s ongoing testing and proprietary ingredient development programme.

The company has already realized a number of commercial successes with customers for natural masking ingredients, including Reb-A, and has achieved double-digit volume growth across its sweetener enhancement and bitterness masking portfolio.

Givaudan customers have made successful market launches of carbonated soft drinks, iced teas, flavoured waters, juice drinks and sports and functional beverages using this new technology. “Our next generation sweetness solutions are designed to give customers a performance edge in their food and beverage products. This is backed by our continual investment in customizable sweetness enhancement and masking solutions,” says Mike Size.

For further information please contact
Shelby Rohwedder, Coburn Communications
T +1 212 536 9836
E shelby.rohwedder@coburnww.com

Toni Gill
T +44 1869 353807
E toni.gill@razor-pr.com