How to Create a Great Citrus Flavor

Citrus is one of the most popular flavors used in beverages. Around a third of new beverage launches feature citrus flavors, according to Innova Market Insights data.

However, citrus is susceptible to deterioration from the environment, making it challenging to formulate and preserve this flavor. Fortunately, there are solutions available to prolong citrus flavor life and enhance product performance.

Sweet

Citrus fruit is a great source of soluble fiber, which reduces the amount of bad cholesterol in your body. It also provides essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that can keep you healthy.

The sweet flavor of citrus fruits comes from the combination of sugar and citric acid. As the citrus ripens, the sweetness can change.

Researchers have analyzed the chemical compounds that cause sweetness in different types of oranges, clementines, and grapefruits. They used targeted and untargeted metabolomics analyses to identify the compounds that are responsible for the fruit’s sweetness.

They found that some of the compounds they identified were derived from natural sources, while others are synthetic. The results of the study indicate that developing cultivars containing high levels of certain natural sweeteners may lead to a new marketing value for citrus fruits.

Moreover, the findings indicate that specific natural sweeteners are not only useful for reducing the sugar content of citrus fruits but can also help improve their palatability. By selecting citrus cultivars that yield high levels of these compounds, citrus breeders will be able to develop fruits with reduced sugar content without compromising their overall sweetness level and palatability.

Citrus is a popular flavor profile that can add a unique flavor to many products. It is commonly used in soft drinks, juices and energy drinks, alcoholic beverages, ready-to-drink teas, water-based ice creams, and dairy and non-dairy yoghurts. It also pairs well with floral flavors, which is another trending taste profile this year.

Sour

Citrus is a very popular flavor in beverages around the world, and there are many different types, tastes and profiles of citrus. It can be hard for consumers to narrow their preferences down to one single flavor, especially when the options are so numerous and diverse.

It is not uncommon to find sour citrus flavors in many non-alcoholic drinks, such as soft drinks and energy drinks. A 2021 Mintel report confirmed that a growing trend is to incorporate lemon, orange and lemonade into soft drinks.

According to the report, this is a result of consumers’ preference for “fresher” fruit flavors over those with overt sweetness. As such, retailers can take advantage of this trend by incorporating tart and juicy citrus flavors into their products.

The sour flavor of citrus comes from the presence of a substance called citric acid, which is an organic acid that is found in many fruits and vegetables. It is an essential molecule in the body’s pH balance and has many beneficial effects.

In addition, sour citrus fruits contain more hydrogen ions than sweet ones, which lower the fruit’s PH and give it a tangy taste. This is the main reason why sour citrus varieties are more acidic than their sweeter counterparts.

In the citrus flavor market, manufacturers are focusing on innovation and product development. The industry is also experiencing a growth in demand for flavors with functional health benefits. In order to capture the growing demand for citrus flavors, major players are collaborating with other companies in the industry and expanding their manufacturing facilities. These strategies are likely to lead to substantial revenue generation in the future.

Acidic

Citric acid, the chemical that gives lemons their tart flavor, is a common ingredient in many foods and medicines. The acid can also be found in many cleaning products and cosmetics, though its naturally occurring form is not the same as the one used by manufacturers.

A new study reveals the genes behind the acidic taste of citrus, finding that it depends on compartments within plant cells called vacuoles. These sour-tasting areas are more acidic Citrus flavor than the rest of the cell, largely because they contain a higher concentration of hydrogen ions.

Sour fruits, like lemons and limes, contain more hydrogen ions in their pulp than sweeter-tasting varieties, giving them a lower pH and tangy flavor. In addition, citric acid in sour-tasting fruits is more active than in sweeter ones.

Researchers discovered that citric acid expression in sour fruit juice vesicles is controlled by two genes, CitPH1 and CitPH5, which act as vacuolar proton pumps. Essentially, the genes promote acidification by creating a steep pH gradient across the vacuole’s membrane.

This is an interesting discovery, especially since it could allow plant breeders to develop sweeter versions of sour-tasting fruits. It’s been known for a while that citric acid is responsible for the acidity in sour citrus, but it was unclear how the acidified vacuoles worked.

This research provides a new target for plant breeding, said the study’s lead author, David Bryce, of the University of California at Riverside. “This is an incredibly exciting study and a big step in understanding how the sour flavor of citrus comes about,” he said. This information will help scientists breed more sour-tasting citrus and other types of fruits. It will also be useful for food producers who need to control the acidity of their products.

Floral

The fresh, bright and invigorating fragrance of citrus has a wide variety of applications, ranging from teas to savory dishes. While the flavor is most commonly associated with lemon and lime, several herbs and flowers have an attractive citrus fragrance as well.

For example, ginger flower is a popular herb with a pleasing citrus aroma that works well as a spice or as a fragrant accent in herbal teas. In addition, e Buddha’s hand citron offers a bright citrus note that pairs well with breakfast items.

Similarly, pickled fruits can be used in many applications to create a tart and refreshing experience for consumers. These pickled fruits can be combined with other flavors to bring out the sweetness in certain foods.

Another way to bring a fruity floral taste into food is through extracts, syrups and actual flower petals. Often these are dried and used in herbal teas, but they can also be added to desserts or beverages.

According to Mintel, 21% of consumers want to see more floral flavors in their menus. Nostalgic sweet flavors are also on the rise, with retailers promoting products like cinnamon bun-flavored muffins and cheesecake-flavored bread and muffins.

In addition, a number of companies have developed citrus-based flavors to meet consumer demands for more vibrant and refreshing products. One company that is expanding in this area is Archer Daniels Midland Co., Chicago, which recently acquired Florida Chemical Co., a citrus-based flavor materials and essential oils supplier.

Adding floral flavors to foods and drinks is a trend that is expected to grow in popularity over the next few years. According to Technavio, the global floral flavors market is expected to grow at a CAGR of almost 10% during the period 2018-2022.

Citrus tonalities

A key factor in creating a good citrus flavor is the tonality. The different citrus tonalities can either add a sweet, sour or acidic aspect to the overall flavor of the citrus.

Citrus tonalities are a great way to create an authentic, unique and consumer-preferred product. They are a versatile ingredient in beverages, baked goods and sweets.

Lemon, the most commonly recognized citrus tonality, is an excellent choice for a wide range of products. Its floral scent and subtle acidic – sweet taste makes it an ideal tonality for beverages and culinary delights.

Other citrus tonalities include tangerine, mandarin and grapefruit. These tonalities are perfect for a variety of beverages including juices, soft drinks and on-trend Citrus flavor products such as functional lifestyle beverages and hard seltzers.

Frutarom has developed a broad portfolio of natural and FTNF (from named fruit) citrus tonalities that excite consumers today. These tonalities display excellent stability and can be incorporated singly or in combination into non-alcoholic beverages including flavoured water, carbonated soft drinks, juices and juice drinks as well as alcoholic drinks.

The genus Citrus is comprised of over 40 citrus fruits and is considered one of the fastest growing flavor categories in the beverage industry. The genus is responsible for a number of important varieties such as oranges, lemons and grapefruit.

The genus is primarily grown on an international basis. It is a major component of many animal feedstuffs used for meat production. Its fruits are mainly consumed fresh or in processed forms, such as juices. After the juice is extracted, a residue is left consisting of peel (flavedo and albedo), pulp (juice sac residue) and rag (membranes and cores). These components are the source materials for citrus by-product feedstuffs.