Crafting a delicious and successful product isn’t easy and optimizing your product base is essential for achieving the best results.
It doesn’t matter how great a concept or innovative ingredient is on paper; it’s about nailing the execution all the way from the drawing board to the dinner table.
This only gets more complicated when we start formulating functional and plant-based products, making optimizing your product base even more critical.
With so many novel ingredients and other variables, the product you have on paper and the one that makes it to the plate may look and taste quite different.
I’ve talked extensively about how deeply understanding the composition of your base, such as the unique characteristics of your starches, proteins, etc., really is the key to building a winning product.
For a company like Edlong, it helps us to guide you in optimizing your base and catering our flavors and solutions tailored to your specific product’s needs.
However, figuring out what’s going on doesn’t only have to be “damage control” and finding ways to counteract and mitigate unwanted aspects of your formulation and processing.
Learning how to react to and embrace surprising and unexpected aspects of your development is an equally important part of the process.
Trust the Process…ing: Optimizing Your Product Base
While we often focus on the harshness of processing and how it can negatively affect the taste of a product, the truth is it’s not all bad.
The Maillard reaction (my-YAR) is probably the best example of this.
At some point in our lives, most of us have noticed the difference between a steak with a great sear and one without it, or the crispy deliciousness of roasted or sauteed veggies versus the bitter green notes of their raw counterparts.
This is all thanks to the chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars, which create large molecules called melanoidins, responsible for the browning effect and that distinct flavor.
The Maillard reaction is considered a cascade reaction, which means that every little step along the way builds upon itself. This can create everything from chocolatey to nutty notes or the very classic sweet brown caramel notes.
In addition to providing fantastic flavor, these melanoidin molecules contain an incredible amount of functionality.
Much like dairy, they can act as natural mouthfeel enhancers and help to mask or eliminate certain lingering off-notes.
This is where understanding and optimizing your base really pays dividends.
Maybe your product tasted one way before processing, but afterward, characteristics are modified or reduced to highlight different notes in a way you never would have predicted.
Knowing how to react and approach this is crucial for consistent results.
Are the changes going to be strong enough to redirect and drive the profile where you want it to go? Or will it be just enough to give the product a little bit of depth?
Having an experienced partner like Edlong can help guide you through these decisions. With extensive knowledge of just about every conceivable plant protein, starch, fat, and sweetener matrix, we can help you weigh your options and guide you on how to best optimize your current formulation for the most favorable end result.
For example, certain starches might have a binding affinity for these molecules when it comes to the more volatile compounds we associate with aroma. In other words, they are very good at absorbing them and not letting go. So if, before processing, you have this wonderful-tasting product using one of these starches, each 10℃ increase in your base temperature will speed any reaction that may occur up two-fold, impacting your final product. Even if you have a refrigerated product, the same chemical reaction will continue, albeit at a slower rate.
Changing the type or quantity of your starches could be necessary to maintain or emphasize the positive effects of your processing. The same goes for other ingredients like proteins and sweeteners when optimizing your product base.
Differentiation: From Unwanted to Pleasantly Unexpected
Not altogether separate from processing is the ability to understand and react to the natural characteristics of the ingredients in your base.
These can include those inherent to your formulation before and after processing.
Again, rather than fighting against what might be considered off-notes, your product might be better served by leaning into them and finding a profile that compliments them.
I’ve given an example before of taking sulfuric off-notes and pairing them with a profile where they would be right at home, like a creme brule or an egg nog, but it doesn’t have to stop there.
These can be excellent opportunities to pivot and provide something unique and unexpected.
Let’s take a plant-based cheese that not only has a sulfuric note but also some that are fruity. Rather than covering up, why not make a pairing? A fruit and cheese pairing is classic, but why not take a step further and try something like guava and cheese? Though common in certain LATAM markets, this delicious combination would be novel and exciting in others.
By leaning into the little nuances and uniqueness of your base, you can create bold offerings and differentiate your product. Not to mention opening yourself up to newer, younger demographics and entirely new market segments that wouldn’t be as interested in a standard offering.
Optimizing product base isn’t always a problem to be solved. Sometimes, understanding the “what” is a more important piece of the puzzle than the “why”, and with a partner like Edlong helping you figure out the “how” a picture better than you expected finally comes into view.
About the Author: Peter Kern, Junior Flavorist
My over 15 years as a scientist and 7+ years as a flavorist with experience in reaction chemistry, savory, sweet, alcohol, and dairy has allowed me to innovate novel technologies, processes, and flavors that help provide solutions to long-standing challenges in our industry. I love working hand-in-hand with my team and our customers to help them bring their visions to life and have always believed meaningful collaboration is the key to success and the engine that drives progress.
Topics: Dairy flavorsMasking & mouthfeel
Resource Type: Article
Resource Region: US
