Across the food industry, mouthfeel has emerged as a critical differentiator – its importance cannot be overstated. Yet, it’s complex, and the formulation process can often feel frustratingly imprecise.
How do we know what a consumer wants from a food or beverage product? Easy – we ask them. No need to guess if they prefer something crunchy rather than chewy; we can go direct and find out. On the surface, it should be that simple: discover what they like, then make products that match.
The reality, though, is more complicated. We rely on a shared understanding of descriptions and adjectives that doesn’t always exist. This language gap – the ambiguity between what a consumer says, what they really mean and what we understand – is one of the biggest barriers in mouthfeel science…
Across the food industry, mouthfeel has emerged as a critical differentiator – its importance cannot be overstated. Yet, it’s complex, and the formulation process can often feel frustratingly imprecise.
How do we know what a consumer wants from a food or beverage product? Easy – we ask them. No need to guess if they prefer something crunchy rather than chewy; we can go direct and find out. On the surface, it should be that simple: discover what they like, then make products that match.
The reality, though, is more complicated. We rely on a shared understanding of descriptions and adjectives that doesn’t always exist. This language gap – the ambiguity between what a consumer says, what they really mean and what we understand – is one of the biggest barriers in mouthfeel science.
Take, for example, the word ‘creamy’. We all know what* *we mean when consider something to be creamy – but what does it actually mean? Is it about thickness, or can something thin still be described as creamy? Is it smoothness, density, wetness, slipperiness? Or is creaminess more about behaviour – how a product heaps on a spoon?
The truth is, it can be all of these or none of them. Different people, and different cultures, have different interpretations. And when we gather data, our own interpretations layer on top.
For a long time, this simply has been accepted as part of the process: guided guesswork, with rounds of trial and error. “Creamy like this?” “Hmmm, no not quite.” But it’s slow, costly, and not always effective.
Tate & Lyle believes there’s a better way. One that speeds up development, gets more accurate results and discovers untapped opportunities.
With this approach and tools, Tate & Lyle can truly speak your language.
A sensational step forward
Introducing Tate & Lyle Sensation™ – a scientific tool that connects consumer insights into sensory language, and delivers better solutions.
But it’s more than that - Tate & Lyle Sensation is a proprietary tool for mouthfeel formulation that quickly and accurately delivers solutions for consumer-preferred food and beverage products. By linking consumer desires to sensory attributes and then to the solution toolkit, it takes the guesswork out of development and ensures every product delivers optimum taste with unforgettable mouthfeel.
It’s a unique way to decode consumer language, translating how people naturally describe their experiences into a scientific lexicon of sensory descriptors. This enables scientists to design solutions that deliver precisely on what consumers mean.
It works in three stages.
- Insight The team map what consumers in a given geography and category want in terms of mouthfeel – for example, North American yoghurt consumption differs by occasion, with consumers desiring different attributes at breakfast versus in the afternoon.
- **Translate **Tate & Lyle translates consumer language around desired mouthfeel into scientific sensory lexicon.
- Solution A unique toolkit of solutions is defined and offered to deliver the most loved sensory attributes in the category.
The difference in consumer insight is striking. Instead of a broad consumer statement like, “I want it to be creamy”, the tool refines this into the sensory lexicon and identifies precise attributes – for example, a yoghurt that looks thick and mounded, and feels smooth, lightly firm, not too sticky, and feels cohesive in the mouth.
To put this simply:
Tate & Lyle Sensation is a tool to deliver faster, more accurate formulation cycles with technical precision and consumer-preferred mouthfeel – streamlining the creation of products that stand out and succeed in the marketplace.
Delicious formulation benefits
But Tate & Lyle Sensation is more than a solution – it’s a superior way to tackle any formulation challenge.
Accuracy speaks for itself: by removing guesswork, the right solutions can be delivered with confidence. And with fewer rounds of reformulation, the whole process becomes faster. This means not only savings in investment, but also getting to market quicker in a world where being first to shelf can be the difference between success and a missed opportunity.
And of course, getting mouthfeel right goes beyond science – it means better taste, texture, appearance, and even sound, creating truly memorable eating experiences. It’s about knowing exactly what you want to achieve, and having the portfolio and expertise to make it happen.
That’s why a partner like Tate & Lyle, with deep scientific capabilities and an unrivalled portfolio of ingredients is essential, and Tate & Lyle Sensation has been refined to deliver success and support in markets worldwide.
For example, understanding what creamy indulgence means in different regions and then creating yoghurts with the right mouthfeel, clean labels, lower calories, or even entirely plant-based.
This tool is tried and tested, so you can be confident in the results. And now it’s ready for European brands to take advantage of, helping create meaningful competitive advantage.
Best-in-category formulations – delivered faster than ever.
Spreading the word: Consumer-first innovation
The food industry is under pressure: 85% of consumers worry about food costs and are actively trying to reduce their bill.¹ At the same time, there is an increasing desire for reduced calories. And, above all, they want the mouthfeel to be right: indulgent, creamy, tangy.
Tate & Lyle Sensation is consumer-first innovation that’s been proven to work. This is evident from work with customers in the US with yoghurt, and in Europe with mayonnaise and emulsified sauces.
Using Tate & Lyle Sensation, the scientists established measurable parameters to gauge consumer responses to different recipes. By mapping what people wanted against how they felt about different emulsifiers, reduced fat content, or additional starches, Tate & Lyle identified the best possible formulation swiftly – without multiple rounds of trial and error.
The result? A range of marketable recipes with a 30% cost reduction, each delivering a truly enjoyable sensory experience and providing flexibility to explore different positioning options in the market.
The only recipe you need
At Tate & Lyle, unrivalled expertise in mouthfeel and texture is combined with food scientists who specialise in R&D, applications and sensory science. Alongside an industry-leading portfolio of starches, fibres, hydrocolloids and functional flours and proteins, Tate & Lyle now has the secret to unlocking consumer needs quickly, turning insight into action.
Tate & Lyle Sensation can transform your formulation process, helping you create new products, drive growth, and reach new consumers. Tate & Lyle is always ready to face new challenges.
**References **
More from Tate & Lyle
Clean label reformulation: Protecting taste, texture and trust
Paid for and content provided by Tate & Lyle
As demand for clean label rises, how can brands reformulate F&B applications without jeopardising texture, taste and mouthfeel?
Spotlight On: Winning in reformulation starts with mouthfeel
Paid for and in partnership with Tate & Lyle
Mastering mouthfeel is a complex but essential part of formulation. Find out in our Spotlight On Broadcast how formulators can get it right.
Mouthfeel matters: A tasty quest for cleaner labels
Paid for and content provided by Tate & Lyle
Achieving desired mouthfeel, while meeting demand for cleaner labels, is a challenge. How can brands reformulate whilst delivering the full sensory experience that the consumers demand?
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