With the recent growth of food-tech and the introduction of novelty products from plant-based chicken to cultivated beef to insect foods, as well as the growing use of functional ingredients like vitamins, probiotics and proteins in food products, there is thus a growing need for flavor masking in these food products to appeal to consumer tastes and preferences. Often these products are sold at a premium due to the high cost of producing them, as such to commercialise them will be a challenge if there were no effort made to mask the off-note or unpleasant taste of these products.
A recent report by The Insights Partners has valued the global Flavor Masking industry at US$134.32 million in 2022 with a CAGR of 5.9% from 2022 to 2030. By the year 2030, this industry is projected to reach US$212 million.
Flavor Masking in this report comprised of ingredients or additives used to mask undesirable flavors in various food and beverage products from bakery to snacks, dairy desserts, meat and dairy alternatives, seafood products and RTE meals amongst others. The meat substitute category is projected to record the fastest CAGR growth within the flavor masking industry as it is mostly produced using soy, pea and beans, and producers often seek to mask the unpleasant ‘beany’ taste. Manufacturers also often use additives to mask off-notes of sugar substitutes like stevia or to remove metallic taste in certain food and beverage products.
Insights Partners highlighted various techniques in flavor masking from microencapsulation, nanotechnology, polymer coating, organoleptic methods, hot melt extrusion and spray drying. Manufacturers are increasingly using nanotechnology to make flavor masking ingredients as the technology aids in enhancing solubility and stability of flavors as well as providing controlled release properties. There is also increasing demand for organic or natural additives as more consumers prefer clean-label food products.
The report also categorized flavor masking ingredients by type and these include Sweet, Salt, Fat, Bitter, and Others. The Bitter segment has the highest market share in 2022 accounting for 42.7% followed by Sweet and Salt (see Chart 1.0)
Sweet or Salt masking agents/ingredients are employed to modulate a sweet or salty flavor in products which lack these flavors or to reduce excessive saltiness or sweetness in certain products. For the Salt category, they are often utilised in wide range of food items from sauces to snacks and processed meat. Manufacturers are able to create products with reduced sodium content without sacrificing the salty taste by using the masking agents. For the Sweet category, they are used mainly in low-calorie desserts, sugar-free beverages and confectionery products.
Fat flavor masking agents are critical in the food industry as they assist manufacturers to give fatty flavor to certain food products which contain no or low-fat. This allows industry players to create healthier, tastier low-fat alternatives without compromising taste.
Bitter flavor masking agents are essential to mitigate or mask bitter tastes in various products. These agents are essential to retain the required bitter flavor of coffee, dark chocolates, and certain vegetables. They help ensure a palatable and enjoyable taste experience by reducing the extra bitterness and preventing it from overwhelming the overall flavor profile of the product.
Finally, the Others category include various ingredients that mask undesirable flavors like extreme sourness, beany, chalky, metallic or soapy notes in certain food products.
In terms of market share by product application, the beverage segment is the largest market for flavor masking ingredients contributing 27% share followed by dairy and frozen desserts (20.65%) and bakery/confectionery segment (15.14%) in 2022. (See Chart 2.0)
