In this deep dive, we delve into the intricacies of artificial flavors, shedding light on their production, benefits and safety considerations.

According to the International Taste Institute, taste drives 88% of F&B consumer purchase intent, making it the most important attribute for food and beverage products’ success and overshadowing other considerations like price, health and convenience. Yet taste, as the palate perceives it, is not merely a combination of aroma and flavor.

Today’s consumer landscape is diversifying, and in turn, there’s been a shift in consumer expectations around international and regional flavors. 

Prepared Foods talks Mexican food and flavor trends with Gustavo Arellano, a Los Angeles Times columnist who covers “Southern California everything and a bunch of the West and beyond.” 

Prepared Foods talks beverage flavor trends with Jared Smith, vice president of business development at Stratus Group Duo LLC, a Los Angeles firm developing and marketing functional, convenient beverages.

Nearly every Old World cuisine holds the keys to building flavor, not only through indigenous ingredients but also through its cooking techniques. While batch production often necessitates shortcuts, it is possible to lose sight of the fundamentals that make culinary creation worthwhile.