A new sensory study has identified a potential benefit with using a whole-food matrix ingredient compared with isolated ingredient systems.
The study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, evaluated the taste chemistry of Chardonnay grape marc — the whole-fruit source material behind Sonomaceuticals' WellVine — to investigate the compounds responsible for taste, mouthfeel and overall formulation behaviour.
Chardonnay grape marc is a whole-fruit ingredient containing naturally occurring fibre, polyphenols, organic acids and plant compounds retained within the original food matrix.
Often used in dietary supplements, functional foods, snacks and beverages as a prebiotic fibre, the ingredient is upcycled from the skins, seeds and solids left behind after Chardonnay grapes are pressed.
In the new study, researchers identified 39 taste-active compounds within the ingredient, though only a smaller subset significantly influenced the overall taste profile.
They found the flavour profile was characterised by mild natural sweetness, bright acidity, a smooth, velvety astringency and very low bitterness
Low bitterness is particularly useful in a functional ingredient — bitterness remains one of the largest obstacles in functional product development, with fibre systems, extracts and ingredients often introducing off-notes, bitterness and a drying mouthfeel.
Thus, brands face increased development complexity, possibly having to add sweeteners or other ingredients to mask off-notes, increasing both the cost of goods and the time to market.
"In functional foods, taste is often the difference between first purchase and repeat purchase," said Scott Forsberg, CEO of WellVine.
This study helps explain why Chardonnay marc behaves differently in formulation systems. The whole-fruit matrix appears to moderate harsh sensory characteristics in a way isolated ingredients often do not.
One key finding from the study was that the sensory experience was more influenced by how compounds interacted within the food matrix than by the individual compounds themselves.
"Many functional ingredients require extensive correction systems once they enter finished products," said Forsberg.
This research suggests whole-fruit ingredient structures, such as WellVine, may offer a more integrated sensory experience from the start with functional health benefits.
Sonomaceuticals said in its statement that this distinction between whole-food and isolated-ingredient systems may have important implications for formulators working with polyphenol-rich systems, fibre-forward products, cocoa and chocolate applications, functional beverages, wellness powders and clean-label product platforms.
The firm added that WellVine Chardonnay marc could help formulators by reducing taste-masking requirements, with its balanced profile making it particularly relevant in systems where bitterness typically becomes limiting.