As the citrus industry grapples with unprecedented challenges, from citrus greening disease to climate change, the availability and pricing of citrus essential oils and juices are at an all-time high, disrupting flavor profiles that consumers know and love.
Manufacturers are seeking innovative ways to maintain product quality while managing costs. In this interview, senior technical director and chief global flavorist Zareena Valappil from ADM discusses how their CitrusFlex solutionsa offer a lifeline to brands navigating these obstacles.
Senior technical director and chief global flavorist Zareena Valappil at ADM.courtesy
Perfumer & Flavorist+ [P&F+]: What are some of the challenges the industry faces when working with citrus-based formulations in the current market climate?
Zareena Valappil [ZV]: Citrus flavors depend on citrus essential oils for authenticity and a balanced profile. Unfortunately, the quality, availability and price of all types of citrus ingredients have been impacted from citrus greening, changes in the global climate, competition for real estate by other potentially more profitable crops (in relation to citrus), and geopolitical environments. With the scarcity of healthy citrus fruits, orange juice and citrus oil supply and quality are suffering, with pricing at the highest it’s ever been.
With these challenges to face, manufacturers are faced with taking drastic measures to continue business as usual. For consumer packaged goods companies whose products rely on citrus raw materials, they are challenged with balancing the scales of taste and price. The combination of scarcity of citrus juice and citrus oils has companies looking for solutions to maintain margins even as they maintain taste – trying to remain profitable even while delivering the same great profiles that consumers expect from tried and true brands and products.
P&F+: How do CitrusFlex solutions help manufacturers with these challenges?
ZV: Let’s first address the orange juice situation. When orange juice is reduced in a product formulation, the overall experience loses not only flavor but also the sweetness, acidity, mouthfeel and color of the missing juice. CitrusFlex juice replacement solutions can add back the full sensory characteristics of orange juice, supported by flavor modulation technologies for a juicy mouthfeel. ADM takes a holistic approach with a full pantry of solutions ranging from all types of natural sweeteners, naturally derived colors, and TasteSpark™ mouthfeel flavor modulation technology – all these can be combined into a juice compound solution which can help ease and simplify the sourcing and manufacturing process for brands.
Citrus essential oils are composed of both volatile and non-volatile components. Terpenes make up approximately 95% of the volatile components, while the other 5% of components are the characterizing components which drive the flavor profile of the citrus oil. Examples of the characterizing components are fractions such as aldehydes like octanal and decanal, and sesquiterpenes like nootkatone. Our CitrusFlex optimizers mimic the exact composition of the citrus oils, utilizing terpenes as a foundation and adding the aldehyde and sesquiterpene molecules from non-citrus natural sources, to build a complete profile but reducing dependency on citrus oils. As the largest processor of citrus essential oils, ADM maintains a strong position in terpenes along with having in-house capabilities for aroma chemicals which are two key strengths to help deliver the missing components when reducing citrus oils in flavor formulations. With this approach, we develop true-to-fruit profiles of citrus, mimicking the taste and function of a natural citrus oil.
P&F+: What type of formulations are best suited for incorporating CitrusFlex solutions? Can you share any of your creations with the technology?
ZV: CitrusFlex juice replacer technology can be used in both lower juice containing beverages (in the range of 5-20% juice) where flavor modulation can help build back the flavor and taste, but can also be used in higher juice containing beverages (50-100% juice), for price stability while maintaining sensory profile. Filler juices that have lower cost and stable supply can partially replace orange juice but need to be supported by CitrusFlex flavor solutions to help maintain authenticity.
CitrusFlex flavor optimizer solutions apply to any citrus-flavored product to reduce the amount of citrus oil used in the flavor formulation. This technology is not solely limited to beverages and can be used in food applications such as confections (functional or traditional), sauces, marinades, and seasonings. Beyond 100% citrus oil replacement, it is also possible to do a 50/50 blend of the CitrusFlex optimizer with an FTNF, depending on regulatory and product requirements.
P&F+: Looking ahead, how do you see the citrus market evolving, both in terms of raw material availability and flavor trends?
ZV: In terms of trends, we continue to see consumers around the world increasingly influenced to adopt a globalized taste palette, with travel and social media fueling the desire for exploration. Trends in global travel to Asian destinations have driven greater interest in citrus varietals that originate in that part of the world. Beyond the rise of Yuzu as an emerging mainstream flavor, other citrus fruits that will see a boost are profiles such as Assam Lemon, Honey Citron, Calamansi, Finger Lime and China Sugar Mandarin.
We also expect to see more interest in citrus fruits that originate in the Mediterranean as growers look at this part of the world as an alternative to traditional sourcing regions that are more affected by climate change and greening. We will also see the shift of citrus growers switching varieties of trees, from lemons where there is sufficient supply to oranges to balance out global shortages. In general, it takes seven years for a citrus tree to bear fruit – and in the meantime, CitrusFlex solutions can help stabilize manufacturers until larger industry solutions are found.
P&F+: Do you foresee new technologies or innovations, beyond CitrusFlex, reshaping the citrus flavor industry in the near future?
ZV: In response to the volatility of the orange fruit market, we see growers starting to move towards giving more acreage to mandarin varieties which seem to be more robust or resilient to greening than other citrus varieties. With that, mandarin varieties will become more mainstream and perhaps mandarin juice could be used to replace a percentage of orange juice in formulation to help extend supply while still keeping true to similar citrus sensory qualities. Of course, it all depends on regulations and if there will be a change to the standard of identity of orange juice.
The emergence of new mandarin varieties bode well to further broaden consumer palettes (both overtly or imperceptibly) to new taste experiences that combine citrus fruits in unexpected ways to surprise and delight consumers.
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