Improved fruit flavors to taste more like the real thing

The flavors and fine ingredients company Frutarom says it developed the new flavors for its customers looking to offer consumers "more satisfying perceptions of fresh fruit".

The company is also planning to expand this new fruit line to include other flavors such as raspberry, blueberry and pomegranate and where possible, produce organic certified products, according to Bill Graham, vice president and general manager of the flavor division at Frutarom.

He told FoodNavigator-USA.com: "With today's market consumer are always looking for real, natural tasting products.

"We felt that the development of these two flavors gives a real, fresh, natural tasting perception of a true natural fruit.

"Strawberry in the US has always been one of the more popular fruit flavors.

Pear we thought was a little bit different and offers some thing that is not mainstream.

"Although it has become more popular - you find it in some of the alcoholic beverages and some other products.

"We are looking to take these and potentially make it more value added and make it more organic."

Graham said that both flavors were updated and improved versions of previous Frutarom pear and strawberry products.

The newly developed Natural Pear Flavor WONF FN3714 is described as sweet and aromatic with "pulpy" notes.

This is expected to suit beverages, gelato and fruit fillings.

The improved Natural Organic Strawberry Flavor F918096 is described as aromatic with "jammy" notes.

It is intended for beverages, sorbets, yogurts and fruit fillings.

Graham said that natural fruit flavors tend to cost more than artificial flavors, but they are more concentrated.

Frutarom claims that in beverage applications for both flavors, the starting usage is 0.20 percent whereas other cited applications call for 0.25 percent starting usages.

Also, Graham said: "You get more for your money from a flavor because it is stronger than the natural fruit and it is much more stable."

Natural products make up a growing trend in the beverage industry as consumers are seeking out products that do not contain artificial preservatives and other additives.

According to Mintel, 'All Natural' was the fourth most frequent claim made on beverage products launched in the US in 2007, appearing on some 542 products listed in Mintel's Global New Products Database.

Frutarom employs about 1,200 people and develops, manufactures and markets an extensive variety of high quality flavors and natural fine ingredients for customers in the food, beverage and functional food industries among others.