Synergy Flavors, a leading supplier of improved taste to the nutrition industry, has commissioned a new research program at North Carolina State University (NCSU) to study the sensory profiles of a range of protein ingredients. The intent of the study is to identify and isolate characterizing flavor components, providing Synergy with a guide map to engineer flavors specifically for use in nutritional products.
Professor Mary Anne Drake of the Food, Bioprocessing, and Nutrition Sciences faculty at NCSU explains: “The addition of proteins can contribute to flavor challenges in finished product applications. By identifying the specific volatile components that contribute to these flavor challenges, our study will help complement Synergy’s analytical toolkit. Flavors can then be more specifically engineered to work with individual protein sources.”
Paulette Lanzoff, Synergy USA’s Technical VP commented: “Working with my colleagues, both in Carbery’s protein research group as well as in NCSU’s analytical and sensory labs, we believe we will be able to further optimize the taste of best selling flavors like chocolate and vanilla in protein-based health and wellness products. What’s more, the detailed insight provided by connecting analytical and sensory approaches will allow us to develop a range of great tasting creative flavors for use across the whole nutrition product sector.”
The US’s functional foods market is forecast to grow at an annual rate of 5.3 per cent between 2005 and 2010(1) . Synergy's technical know-how and innovative flare for flavor masking in nutritional products has allowed its customers to use flavors such as berries, citrus and tropical fruits to make a range of better tasting functional foods.
Synergy’s parent company, the Carbery Group, is also partaking in the study. The findings will provide Carbery with a precise understanding of sensory profiles in whey protein ingredients, so that it can evolve its processes and continue to provide the highest quality ingredients.
Synergy Flavors
Synergy is the Carbery Group’s flavor ingredient business. With extensive experience in many sectors of the food, beverage, and nutritional products industries, Synergy provides integrated products and services for the creation of delicious tastes. To a global customer base, the company offers a wide range of flavorings, from Vanlab branded vanillas to Saporesse branded savory ingredients, as well as a wide range of creative sweet flavors. Synergy has production, R&D, and technical facilities in the United State, Europe, Asia, and South America. Synergy offers local access to its expertise and provides a strong portfolio of customized and cost-effective flavors to all its markets.
North Carolina University: Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences
The North Carolina University: Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences Faculty identifies, develops and applies the appropriate concepts, theories, and emerging methodologies from the fundamental disciplines of chemistry, engineering, microbiology, food and bioprocessing, nutrition, and sensory science, to the investigation of critical issues in food & biological systems, components, products, and processes. The Faculty interprets, adapts and extends research information to the North Carolina, national, and international food and bioprocessing industries. The department is also the primary location of the southeast dairy foods research center, one of five national centers in the US focused on dairy products and ingredient research.
Professor MaryAnne Drake is the Director of the Sensory Analysis and Flavor Chemistry team. Her research program is primarily focused on dairy products and how flavor varies with processing and storage. Descriptive analysis, consumer testing, and preference mapping are all used. Instrumental flavor analysis techniques including gas chromatography/olfactometry and gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy are also used to relate sensory properties to the chemical components of foods.
(1) Datamonitor 2007