Bioavailability of CBD Greatly Increased with ANANDA Scientific’s Nano-Enhanced CBD

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Bioavailability of CBD Greatly Increased with ANANDA Scientific’s Nano-Enhanced CBD

Cannabidiol (CBD) from industrial hemp is a multi-functional molecule, and the bioavailability of CBD is greatly increased because of ANANDA.
Scientific studies indicated that it may be a more powerful antioxidant than either Vitamin C or E, and CBD offers the prospect of successfully fighting chronic inflammation and protecting brain cells from reactive oxygen species (1-2).

CBD’s beneficial potential is discussed in numerous published papers. Further, it has promise in stabilizing and even reducing blood sugar levels; as a pain killer; for reducing the risk of artery blockage; in suppressing muscle spasms, seizures, and convulsions; for fighting varied cancers; and more (3-8).

Such promise is accompanied by a major limitation to its usefulness — low bioavailability. Because of this, any beneficial effects from CBD become patchy or erratic due to problems in getting CBD into the body in adequate amounts (9-14).

For a supplement taken by mouth, bioavailability means the proportion of a dose that enters the bloodstream from the small intestine (15-17). Therefore, once in the blood, the supplement can find its way to the target organ or body system, where it then goes to work in supporting health and wellness.

On average, only 5-6% of almost any CBD preparation gets into the bloodstream. As a result, the rest is wasted. Such poor oral bioavailability guarantees variable or unpredictable effects, along with increased costs from having to take larger doses to compensate.

Appropriate formulation strategies that assist in getting into the bloodstream are thus mandatory for CBD to attain its health-giving potential, as well as in a cost-efficient or economical fashion.

ANANDA Scientific’s research & development has yielded a patented CBD technology using GRAS ingredients that resolve CBD’s bioavailability problem. This patented technology is the first of its kind. “GRAS” means that a substance is Generally Recognized As Safe by the US Food and Drug Administration to be used in foods and beverages (18).

Comparison of bioavailability of CBD

Figure 1. ANANDA Scientific’s patented, proprietary technology (nextCBD) involves highly-ordered constructs made from GRAS compounds into which CBD is affixed. Therefore, this technology makes nextCBD very bioavailable when taken by mouth.

Purpose.

This study compares the bioavailability of CBD and ANANDA Scientific’s enhanced CBD in laboratory rats. The bioavailability of substances taken by mouth are comparable between rats and humans (19-28).

Methods.

This demonstration looks at the plasma contents of cannabidiol (CBD) after a single oral dose administered by gavage (through a tube leading down the throat to the stomach; 29) of regular CBD and ANANDA Scientific’s enhanced CBD over a 24-hour period.

In this example, female Sprague-Dawley rats (240-265 gm body weight) were used. The study design and animal usage were reviewed and approved by an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) for compliance with regulations prior to study initiation. Animal welfare for this study with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal Welfare Act (9 CFR Parts 1, 2, and 3) and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (30).

A 50-mg CBD/kg body weight model was examined in animals given ANANDA Scientific’s nano-enhanced pure CBD and a control group for which powdered pure CBD in the same amount was fed. Ten animals were in each group.

Blood samples were taken immediately prior to gavage as well as 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 8.0, 12.0 and 24.0 hours after dosing. Venous blood was collected in an EDTA blood collection tube. Next, plasma was separated from red blood cells by centrifugation at 400 g for 15 min., transferred to a fresh microcentrifuge tube, and stored at −80°C.

CBD was quantified using validated high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectroscopy (LC-MS-MS) in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode.

Findings.

The results verify that ANANDA’s enhanced methods greatly improves bioavailability of CBD. It was significantly more bioavailable than regular CBD at 0.5 and 2 hours.

As a result, far lower dosing is needed for enhanced CBD versus regular CBD. The results also intimate that products containing the regular, non-enhanced CBD found in most products may suffer from low bioavailability and a consequent ineffectiveness.

Study of the bioavailibility of CBD over time

Contact us today to get started with all your CBD needs.

References

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2. Couch, D.G., H. Maudslay, B. Doleman, J.N. Lund, and S.E. O’Sullivan. 2018. The use of cannabinoids in colitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Inflammatory Bowel Disease 24(4):680-697.

3. Campos, A.C., M.V. Fogaça, A.B. Sonego, and F.S. Guimarães. 2016. Cannabidiol, neuroprotection and neuropsychiatric disorders. Pharmacological Research 112:119-127.


4. Mannucci, C., M. Navarra, F. Calapai, E.V. Spagnolo, F.P. Busardò, R.D. Cas, F.M. Ippolito, G. Calapai. 2008. Neurological aspects of medical use of cannabidiol. CNS & Neurological Disorders Drug Targets 16(5):541-553.

5. McAllister, S.D., L. Soroceanu, and P.Y. Desprez. 2015. The antitumor activity of plant-derived non-psychoactive cannabinoids. Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology 10(2):255-267.

6. Pisanti, S., A.M. Malfitan, E. Ciaglia, A. Lamberti, R. Ranieri, G. Cuomo, M. Abate, G. Faggiana, M.C. Proto, D. Fiore, C. Laezza, and M. Bifulco. 2017. Cannabidiol: state of the art and new challenges for therapeutic applications. Pharmacology & Therapeutics 175:133-150.

7. Robson, P.J. . 2014. Therapeutic potential of cannabinoid medicines. Drug Testing and Analysis 6(1-2):24-30.

8. Russo, E.B. 2008. Cannabinoids in the management of difficult to treat pain. Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management 4(1):245-259.

9. Agurell, S., S. Carlsson, J.E. Lindgren, A. Ohlsson, H. Gillspie, L. Hollister. 1981. Interaction of THC with cannabinol and cannabidiol following oral administration in man. Assay of cannabinol and cannabidiol by mass fragmentography. Experientia 37:1090–1092.

10. Gaston, T.E., and D. Friedman. Pharmacology of cannabinoids in the treatment of epilepsy. Epilepsy & Behavior 70(Pt. B):313-318.

11. , F. 2003. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of cannabinoids. Clinical Pharmacokinetics 42(4):327-360.

12. McGilveray, I.J. 2005. Pharmacokinetics of cannabinoids. Pain Research and Management 10(Suppl. A):15A-22A.

13. Ohisson, A., J.E. Lindgren, S. Andersson, S. Agurell, H. Gillespie, L.E. Hollister. 1986. Single-dose kinetics of deuterium-labeled cannabidiol in man after smoking and intravenous administration. Biomed Environ Mass Spectrometry 13:77–83.

14. Samara, E., M. Bialer, R. Mechoulam. 1988. Pharmacokinetics of cannabidiol in dogs. Drug Metabolism and Disposition 16:469–472.

15. Bhattaram, V.A., U. Graefe, C. Kohlert, and H. Derendorf. 2002. Pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of herbal medicinal products. Phytomedicine 9 (Suppl 3):1-33.

16. El-Kattan, A.F. 2017. Oral Bioavailability Assessment: Basics and Strategies for Drug Discovery and Development (Wiley Series on Pharmaceutical Science and Biotechnology: Practices, Applications and Methods). First Edition. Wiley, New York, 448 p.

17. Hu, M., and X. Li. 2011. Oral Bioavailability: Basic Principles, Advanced Concepts, and Applications. First Edition. Wiley, New York, 568 p. 18. GRAS Substances (SCOGS) Database. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/GRAS/SCOGS

19. Akonur, A.I., C.J. Holmes, and J.k. Leypoldt. 2014. Predicting the peritoneal absorption of icodextrin in rats and humans including the effect of β-amylase activity in dialysate. Peritoneal Dialysis International 35(3)288-296.

20. Fagerholm, U., M. Johansson, and H. Lennernäs. 1996. Comparison Between Permeability Coefficients in Rat and Human Jejunum. Pharmaceutical Research 13(9):1336-1342.

21. Lawless E., B.T. Griffin B, A. O’Mahony A, and C.M. O’Driscoll. 2015. Exploring the impact of drug properties on the extent of intestinal lymphatic transport – in vitro and in vivo studies. Pharmaceutical Research 32(50:1817-1829.

22. Nagahara, N., Y. Akiyama, K. Higaki, and T. Kimura. 2006. Animal models for predicting potency of oral sustained-release adhesive microspheres in humans. International Journal of Pharmacy 331(1):46-53.

23. Pang, K.S. 2003. Modeling of intestinal drug absorption: roles of transporters and metabolic enzymes. Drug Metabolism and Disposition 31(12):1509-1517.

24. Salphati, L., K. Childers, L. Pan, K. Tsutsui, and L. Takahashi. 2001. Evaluation of a single-pass intestinal-perfusion method in rat for the prediction of absorption in man. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 53(7):1007-1013.

25. Stewart, B,H., O.H. Chan, R.H. Lu, E.L. Reyner, H.L. Schmid, H.W. Hamilton, B.A. Steinbaugh, and M.D. Taylor. 1995. Comparison of intestinal permeabilities determined in multiple in vitro and in situ models: relationship to absorption in humans. Pharmaceutical Research 12(5):693-699.

26. Zenghui Teng , Z., C. Yuan , F. Zhang, M. Huan, W. Cao, K. Li, J. Yang, D. Cao, S. Zhou, and Q. Mei. 2012. Intestinal absorption and first-pass metabolism of polyphenol compounds in rat and their transport dynamics in Caco-2 cells. PLoS One 7(1):e29647.

27. Zakeri-Milania,P., H. Valizadeha, H. Tajerzadehc, Y. Azarmia, Z. Islambolchilara, S. Barzegara, and M. Barzegar-Jalalia. 2007. Predicting human intestinal permeability using single-pass intestinal perfusion in rats. International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 10(3):368-379.

28. Zhang, D., and L._X. Gang. 2012. Preclinical experimental models of drug metabolism and disposition in drug discovery and development. Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2(6):549-561.

29. Andrews, K., and S. McErla. 2012. Oral dosing (gavage) in adult mice and rats. University of British Columbia Animal Care Guidelines, Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) ACC-2012-Tech09.

30. National Research Council and Division on Earth and Life Studies. 2011. Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. Eighth Edition. National Academies Press, Washington, D.C., 246 p.

Challenges and Solutions to Flavoring CBD Products

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Challenges and Solutions to Flavoring CBD Products

During the last few years, there’s been challenges in getting CBD products into marketing, and more importantly, good flavoring of CBD. In 2018, most CBD products were tinctures, vapes, softgels or capsules, gummies, dog chews, equine pellets, or in the skincare and cosmetics form.

Back in September 2019, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) moved to insert language into a congressional spending report that calls on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to clear a path for the lawful marketing of hemp-derived CBD products.

In draft language shared by the U.S. Hemp Roundtable on Tuesday, the senator is asking FDA to “issue a policy of enforcement discretion with regard to certain products containing CBD” within 120 days. Industry stakeholders say this will clarify rules so that banks are more willing to service CBD companies.

Oil versus powder flavoring CBD

Hydrophobic vs. Oil-based Products

Starting out, all CBD products were hydrophobic/oil-based products. CBD was initially available in two main forms- curde or purified oil extract, or oil soluble powder. These oil-based products were the easiest to make, and required the least amount of effort.  All of the previous applications for CBS were the path of least resistance. With the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, there was a flood of companies looking to be the first to market. The target audience for CBD products were all true CBD believers. Taste was less important than the medicinal properties of it.

As we move into the next generation of CBD products, we’re seeing more variety in the forms that CBD is offered in such as isolate, powdered, crystal, oil, and more. This variety in forms allows greater control over potency and purity. We’re moving from purely “Medicinal” products to more “Lifestyle” product categories. Some new lifestyle products we’re seeing are RTD Beverages, Shots, Infusions, Sleep Aides, Teas, and Lotions. We’re also seeing food products like mints, candies, gum, and chews.

Flavoring CBD graphEarly adopters with flavoring CBDWater Soluble CBD

Unlike the first generation of oil-based products, new water soluble CBD helps reduce stability problems and increases bioavailability. More refined CBD means less variation in consistency. A lower potency with water soluble products makes it easier to flavor these products.

Growing the category from just the “True Believers” and “Innovators” to begin to serve the “Early Adopters” requires a shift in product development. However, there’s a few hurdles in order to move past that initial 2.5% of the market. Kristen Nichols, from MJBiz Magazine, said, “There’s more to crafting a winning CBD beverage than figuring out how to get the cannabinoid into liquid, though. The bigger challenge is making a beverage people want to drink. Consumers want a tasty beverage that competes against fruit juices or heavily sweetened energy drinks, not something that tastes like medicine.”

Guide to terpines and flavoring CBD

Terpenes

This is where terpenes enter the picture. Terpenes are aromatic oils found in many plants. These  include cannabis varieties that can have distinctive flavors like citrus, berry, mint, piney, nutty, grassy and bitter. Over 100 different terpenes have been identified in the cannabis plant, and every strain tends toward a unique terpene type and composition. There are many factors that influence the taste profile of cannabinoids, including climate, weather, age and maturation, fertilizers, and soil type. Luckily, terpenes can be removed from CBD, but it’s easier to work with them than against them. For example, caryophyllene has a spicy, woody, pepper aroma. Some sample flavors that work with peppery terpenes are peppermint candy, mango chili pepper, cinnamon clove, and hot tamale.

When working with flavors and CBD, formulation will be specific to the strain, source, and delivery method. What you are tasting in CBD products… isn’t pure CBD. It’s the associated terpenes, compounds, chemicals and carriers of that particular ingredient source. As production and processing of CBD improves, the flavor profiles of the CBD of tomorrow won’t be the same as the CBD of today.

Flavoring CBD is important to create a good product

If you have unwanted taste in your CBD, an effective way to block unwanted taste attribute is to confuse the tongue with both different and like sensations. Bitter blockers can be sweet, sour, salt, bitter, or umami. Stevia and monk fruit or malic acic can also mask the taste. It’s important to consider the concentration of your CBD. Flavoring a 10% CBD solution is 90% easier than flavoring an 80% CBD solution. In order to flavor a solution, you must consider dilutions, carriers, delivery method, and emulsions. You must also consider water soluble ingredients that you choose to add to your CBD.

In Conclusion

There’s lots of aspects that go into making a good CBD product. With so many changes happening in the industry, Sensapure can be a great resource to help perfect your product. Send your approved CBD ingredient to our flavor lab to use as the source of your CBD product. Its use in a base product can make a significant difference in determining the best flavor solution. Give us a call to schedule a consult today.

Food Industry Regulation: In-Depth with Labels

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Food Industry Regulation: In-Depth with Labels

Food is all about flavor. It’s an important characteristic of the food we eat every day. You know how fresh foods taste when you make them at home? Fresh bread right from the oven, fresh squeezed orange juice, warm and buttery popcorn. But you can’t always get those fresh flavors, which is where processed foods come in. However, the preservation methods that give processed foods shelf life tend to reduce flavor. So food manufacturers turn to add natural flavors to enhance or maintain the flavor of the food after it’s processed. With that in mind, how do you classify these flavors on labels?

Consumers are getting smarter and savvier when it comes to their food. Regulations for labels constantly change. Both closely examine labels and the requirements for foods to claim certain tags. Consumers also tend to develop more brand loyalty when they feel confident in a food’s ingredient claims. Ensuring you understand the terminology used in specific labels helps classify what your product’s flavor is called on a label. Take a look at our breakdown below to see where your product falls in the category of flavor labeling.

Here’s a list of descriptions of a few key flavor labeling terms used (using Strawberry as an example):

Natural Strawberry Flavor:

Flavors labeled “natural” must only have natural ingredients from the flavor you claim on the label. In this example, the flavors only come from real Strawberries.  This means the essential oil, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, or any product of enzymolysis, is derived from a strawberry.

Natural Strawberry (With Other Natural Flavors):

For this label, a flavor contains all natural flavor ingredients, but the flavors are derived from Strawberry as well as other natural flavors. In this instance, Natural Strawberry might be flavored with compounds derived from other berries such as Apple, Raspberry, Blueberry, Pear, etc.

Strawberry Type Flavor:

“Type” appears on labels when you create a flavor from natural ingredients without using the actual label’s flavor. For example, a Strawberry Type flavor is made entirely from natural flavor combinations like Apple, Raspberry, and Pear, but no Strawberry. It’s important to remember this flavor is still derived from all natural ingredients.

Artificial Strawberry Flavor:

You use this particular flavor label when you combine artificial “Strawberry” compounds with other synthetic ingredients.  Artificial flavors are made from non-food sources while natural flavors come from foods or other edible things. The flavor source can contain another natural flavor besides Strawberry, but if the label says “artificial” in it, it includes synthetic “Strawberry” ingredients as well.

Natural and Artificial Strawberry Flavor:

Like it’s name suggests, Natural and Artificial Strawberry flavor contains flavors that naturally come from Strawberry plus other artificial ingredients. The natural flavors come from Strawberry or Strawberry derivatives, or other flavors from a natural source.

Where does your product fit in the list of terminology? Do you have any questions about the flavors in your product? Or want to make any adjustments? Our world-class flavor library and top-rated flavor chemists are ready to help. Call us today to get started.

New Go-To Flavors in our Flavor Library

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New Go-To Flavors in Our Flavor Library

Sensapure Flavors Announces New Go-To Library with Transparent Pricing.

With a new line of tested, proven flavor keys in both Natural and N&A formulas, Sensapure Flavors broke ground in the flavor industry by putting the wholesale price of each flavor right on the label. This flavor library of approximately 50 key flavors is being sent out to current Sensapure customers this week.

Sensapure’s Flavor Library is so varied in it’s flavors and combinations, there’s almost always something to match your needs.

While it may sound intuitive, putting the actual price of the flavor on the label is a breakthrough for the industry. The benefit for product development teams to see pricing – while they are working on new formulations, results in faster, better outcomes. This saves time and money.

Where We Started

Jeff Reynolds, Founder of Sensapure explains, “Senspaure started as the in-house flavor department of a large, national-brand nutraceutical manufacturing company. Our Flavor and Applications Lab inside that company had a flavor library of well over 500 flavors to work with. Each one in nearly identical white jars with part numbers and descriptors printed on the label… but no pricing. As our product development teams worked on flavoring and functional formulation projects, and were searching for just the right flavoring keys for each new project; quite often they didn’t have quick access to pricing. It was frustrating for these teams to solve a tricky application problem with available flavor keys, only to find out that the costs of those selected flavors pushed the project over budget.”

The new Go-To Flavor line from Sensapure solves that problem. Not only is the cost of each flavor printed right on the bottle, but each of the flavors is engineered to work with the tricky applications facing companies in the sports nutrition, active lifestyle space. From plant-based protein products, to energy drinks, to more complicated matrices of multiple active ingredients, Sensapure’s Go-To Flavors provide transparent solutions to the most challenging flavor projects.

“At Sensapure, we are delighted to be able to offer this line of Go-To Flavors that will help product development teams create winning formulas faster and get those winning products to market on time and on budget.”

Jeff Reynolds, Founder of Sensapure

To add Sensapure’s new Go-To Flavors with Transparent Pricing to your applications library, contact Jared Bateman at Sensapure today and request your free sample flavor library. 

Now Available in Natural and N&A Flavor Formulas

Becoming a Flavor Chemist

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Becoming a Flavor Chemist

It’s no secret that flavor chemistry is an invaluable art to the food and nutraceuticals industry. But few understand the complex formula to officially becoming a flavor chemist in today’s ever-changing professional climate. It requires a level of dedication and expertise even more specific and exclusive than that of a rocket scientist.

Flavor Taste Testing

Value of a Virtuoso Flavor Chemist

According to the Society Of Flavor Chemists’ records, the first meetings were held in 1959 NYC in Little Italy’s restaurants. When the professional society was first created, there were only 14 recorded members. Today, there are only a few hundred in the entire US. Needless to say, becoming a flavor chemist is a commitment of time and passion in which few follow through.

Although almost everyone has tasted a product created by a flavor chemist, few interact with one on a personal basis. “You have to really want to be a flavor chemist to be a flavor chemist,” joked Mariano Gascon. He’s one of Sensapure’s Flavors flavor chemists, and he isn’t kidding. Becoming a flavor chemist doesn’t require education beyond a bachelor’s degree in food science, chemistry, or related disciplines. But it does require an extensive amount of training and testing.

A seven-year apprenticeship period approved by the Society Of Flavor Chemists is just the beginning of the journey. Once candidates pass their post apprenticeship review, they must complete an additional approved five-year apprenticeship.

Flavor chemists approved by the society are rare and in high in demand throughout the industry. This is because the robust program is completed by so few. Flavor houses that employ flavor chemists stand out against the rest for two main reasons. The competitive nature of recruiting them is one reason, as well as the difficulty of keeping them. The value they bring, however, is incomparable.

The Chemistry of Consumer Loyalty

While the food industry has evolved dramatically over the past 50 years, flavor chemists have remained a critical aspect in bridging the gap between food manufacturers and the desires of a consumer. By providing an intimate understanding of the relationship an individual has with a product from the moment they first encounter it to the very last taste, flavor chemists are critical in maintaining consumer loyalty. However, that’s not to say that the flavor industry hasn’t evolved with the technology that replaced human production lines with machine ones.

In fact, due to new and improved instrumentation such as computers, liquid chromatography, and updates in profiling technology, flavor chemists have been able to accelerate their abilities to improve products and formulas in order to achieve better, more cost-effective and attainable solutions for both food manufacturers and consumers alike.

Bright Beverage

Flavor Industry Evolution

Evolution in the flavor industry doesn’t stop there. As the media continues to advance the pace of trend reach and demand for what’s current, the role of a flavor chemist is extending far beyond chemistry and insight. While becoming a flavor chemist requires a specific set of skills and accreditations, it also requires something less tangible; creativity.

Gascon says that flavor chemists call themselves “artists,” for a reason. In his journey to become a flavor chemist, he also attended culinary school. Gascon says that qualitative aspects of becoming a chef are similar to becoming a flavor chemist, “Chefs and flavor chemists interpret things differently,” he said, “but they both contain the essence of creativity.”

Although Gascon practices his creativity both in the lab and in the kitchen, he believes that the most important aspect of becoming a flavor chemist is gaining the competency to precisely identify with the consumer. “When I’m writing a formula I think about what the consumer is tasting in the beginning middle and end,” he says.

This ability to instinctively curate a consumer’s individual experience with one flavor profile out of thousands of chemicals is just one of the things that set flavor chemists apart from the rest of the players in the industry.

Flavor Chemist

Standard of Excellence

Gascon says that while there is no ‘typical day’ in the life of a flavor chemist, there is certainly the common denominator of sensory mastery. Flavor chemist apprentices must be able to memorize and identify many hundreds of different chemicals — by smell — in order to pass the rigorous tests required; defining them as experts in all things organoleptic.

Their olfactory mastery and chemistry memorization skills continue to be a part of their careers on a daily basis. Flavor chemists don’t only need to know the chemicals well enough to make good flavors, but also to combine their properties into a blend that meets the specific needs of each client. When working with flavor chemists, clients experience a unique level of collaboration and artistry that they will surely never forget.

If you are interested in learning more about how flavor chemist expertise can enhance the value of your business, contact Sensapure Flavors for a consultation.

About Sensapure Flavors:

Sensapure Flavors is a flavor house that services the nutrition and supplement industry with exciting flavor technology and unmatched applications experience. Born in a manufacturing company that understands the ever-changing needs of the nutraceutical industry, Sensapure combines new flavor technologies with deep product application experience.

Contact Us Today!

Sensapure Flavors

1945 S. Fremont Drive

Salt Lake City, UT 84104

801-456-4284

Sensapure Flavors

Research and Technology Development

545 West Lambert Road, Bldg. D

Brea, CA. 92821

657-341-2200

 

Achieving Cost-Effective World Class Flavor Creation

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Achieving Cost-Effective World Class Flavor Creation

Flavor creation is both art and science. While most in the industry recognize the number of variables involved in flavor creation. There are even more moving pieces when it comes to understanding a flavor budget.

Sensapure Flavor’s director of business development, Matt Doxey, says that misunderstanding flavor budget elements comes with a high price. “A lot of brands simply don’t know what a flavor should cost, and that can result in overpaying for a complete flavor system.” Doxey stresses that understanding a flavor’s budget is crucial to achieving cost-effective production. It demands high levels of trust and communication between flavor houses and brands.

Although achieving a cost-effective flavor system isn’t easy, it is always worth the effort. Let’s discuss the important variables of understanding cost effective flavors, the hidden cost of naturals, and how redefining mixology can often decrease flavor costs significantly.

Sensapure Flavor's Lab
Sensapure Flavor’s Lab

Understanding Flavor Creation and Budgets

There’s several components to consider when looking at a flavor budget: serving size, sweetener use, color use, natural vs. artificial ingredient/chemical use. As a general rule, natural flavors and sweeteners are more expensive. Serving size is relative to the quantity of product base (active ingredients) and what the base tastes like before flavoring. While red colors aren’t more costly than blues, the cost of colors can rise when utilizing natural colors.

The strength of active ingredients’ flavor in the product base is also a factor in the flavor budget. This is where the costs begin to vary the most among different flavor houses.

Five Flavor Ingredients or Fifty-five

Clients often have one or two words in mind when looking to flavor their product bases. “We want a ‘Fresh Berry’ flavor,” they say. Flavor chemists, on the other hand, have thousands of different chemicals in mind while creating a flavor. The words “Chocolate,” or “Blue Raspberry,” can result in a myriad of different formulations when consulting a flavor house. Like artists with blank canvases and a pallet of colors, possibilities are endless for flavor chemists with blank product bases.

Flavor chemists are trained to layer natural and/or artificial ingredients and chemicals to create complex and intriguing flavors. As the flavor system becomes more complicated, more chemicals are introduced, thus raising the cost of the final flavor. When you factor in aftertaste, texture, and mouthfeel, a flavor masterpiece is difficult to commercialize (too darned expensive). Often times, a brand will work through a dozen iterations of a flavor. After adding finishing touches, they’ll realize the added costs of those elements push the cost over the target budget.

Cost Effective Flavoring
Cost Effective Flavoring

The Hidden Costs of Naturals

Consumers are becoming more health conscious and demanding greater transparency in their food and supplement intakes. Brands are meeting customer’s needs by flavoring products with natural ingredients, natural sweeteners, and natural colors. Doxey says if there’s a hidden cost that brands come across when consulting with a flavor house, “It’s typically related to the rise in demand for naturals.” Replacing an artificial sweetener with a natural sweetener like Stevia or Monk Fruit brings up flavor cost. This is why brands and consumers pay premium for natural flavors or non-GMO labels on products.

Rise in demand for consumers and brand transparency is another reason flavor houses are getting away with raising costs. Standards for flavor costs within the industry are relative regardless. But up and coming trends in flavors and ingredients come with even more blurred lines. If brands are at risk of overpaying for an artificial fruit punch, the risk rapidly expands when it comes to an all natural coconut matcha flavor.

It’s important to understand that every flavor is unique. Some raw ingredients are more difficult to source than others due to location, availability, and rising prices of natural ingredients. Layered (multiple sensory) flavors or fringe flavors come with added costs no matter where flavors are made. But understanding a flavor budget minimizes risks of hidden costs in your final product.

Flavor Chemistry Lab
Flavor Chemistry Lab

Flavor Chemistry vs. Mixology

When looking to minimize the costs of a flavor, “mixology” and “flavor chemistry” must work hand-in-hand. Sensapure CEO, Jeff Reynolds said, “If flavor creation is both an art and a science, the balance and partnership between both functions is central in perfecting a cost-effective flavor system.” Mixology is a term used by lots of folks in lots of different ways. In product/applications development, this describes existing compounds (flavors, sweeteners, masking agents, active ingredients) “Mixing” to create new solutions.

Essentially, the mixology “toolbox” consists of the flavors and ingredients each brand, manufacturer or flavor house has on hand. With only mixology, flavor houses will “keep mixing” additional ingredients to achieve the goal, thus increasing final product cost. “Almost anyone can make something taste good for any amount of money,” Doxey says, “A lot of times people add more sweetener or more chemicals to cover up actives, which raises prices significantly.”

Flavor Chemistry

Utilizing flavor chemistry alongside mixology allows companies to simplify, minimize, and eliminate redundancies in the formulation. However, they can still create a flavor system that works well with actives such as caffeine and amino acids.

Doxey explains that mixology plus flavor chemistry is not about adding more to the flavor profile and thus increasing the budget. It’s about changing chemicals until the flavor profile is exactly right.

“The right combination of art (mixology) and science (flavor chemistry), can arrive at the specific formulation in order to enhance desired notes from the flavor while masking unwanted tastes of active ingredients,” said Reynolds. Doxey added, “Good flavor chemists are able to work with applications mixology to create a flavor with complexity while still meeting a clients needs economically.”

Flavor Forumlas
Flavor Forumlas

What To Consider in Flavor Creation

Each flavor house has a different viewpoint on how to meet the needs of their clients. However, not all have a good pulse of what a product should cost based on market parameters. It’s important to consider cost transparency within your contract and to work with a flavor partner who is upfront about costs from the beginning. Although some exotic and natural flavors can be costly, there shouldn’t be too many hidden costs throughout the process once when you identify the specific requirements and what you are looking for in your flavor profile.

While every company seeks to create cost-effective solutions, it’s critical to make sure that your flavor partner doesn’t sacrifice quality to cut costs. When properly designed, a great flavor doesn’t have to break the bank, and the amazing taste will have your customer coming back for more.

About Sensapure Flavors

Sensapure Flavors is a flavor house that services the nutrition and supplement industry with exciting flavor technology and unmatched applications experience. Born in a manufacturing company that understands the ever-changing needs of the nutraceutical industry, Sensapure combines new flavor technologies with deep product application experience.

Contact Us Today!

Sensapure Flavors
1945 S. Fremont Drive
Salt Lake City, UT 84104

801-456-4284

Sensapure Flavors
Research and Technology Development
545 West Lambert Road, Bldg. D
Brea, CA. 92821

657-341-2200

1945 S. Fremont Drive
Salt Lake City, UT 84104

© 2018 Sensapure Flavors, All Rights Reserved

(801) 456-4284
[email protected]