Sensient Flavors (Indianapolis, IN) announced its 2011 flavor trends predictions. Created by filtering larger trends—such as health and wellness, sensory and personalization—down and translating them directly into flavors, the trends help serve up opportunities for up-and-coming flavors within the industry, according to Sensient director of food solutions Emil Shemer.
The predictions include flavors of:
- aguaje—a nutritious Peruvian fruit with vividly orange flesh and a sweet taste that is similar to that of a carrot;
- aerbere—a mixture of cayenne pepper, allspice, cardamom, cloves, fenugreek, ginger, black pepper and salt spice with Ethiopian origins;
- borojo—an energy-boosting fruit with sweet and sour tastes commonly grown in Colombia and Ecuador;
- Ceylon cinnamon—featuring citrus overtones and less sweet than cassia cinnamon, this complex flavor is often used in England and Mexico;
- cherimoya—a tropical fruity flavor native to Ecuador, Colombia and Peru, the fruit also includes notes of green and even a slight cream;
- grains of paradise—dried seeds with a complex flavor mixing citrus, earthy, heat, herb and woody notes to reflect its African origins;
- hibiscus—offering a tart, tangy berry taste, the flower’s flavor is well-known in South America and the Caribbean;
- pandan—grown in tropical regions in Asia, this plant is sweet in both flavor and aroma;
- yacon—the Peruvian vegetable features a one-of-a-kind flavor both earthy and fruity that could be compared to the taste of an apple;
- and yumberry—a Chinese fruit, known there as the Yang Mei, that features a sweet, tart flavor.
