Closing the Gap Between Protein-Rich Innovation and Great Taste

Consumers are weaving protein into their daily routines like never before—through breakfast cereals, snack bars, cookies, and now even sparkling ready-to-drink beverages. But with this surge in demand comes a complex challenge for formulators: delivering consistently great taste and mouthfeel across diverse formats and protein sources. Whether it's plant-based, dairy, or hybrid systems, the pressure is on to make high-protein products not just nutritious, but truly enjoyable.

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The promise of a healthy, protein-packed product can quickly turn into disappointment if the taste and texture aren’t right. Chalky mouthfeel, bitter notes, and unpleasant lingering aftertastes are common formulation hurdles that can stop a product from succeeding. How do you deliver the functional benefits of protein without compromising on the sensory experience?

At dsm-firmenich, we believe that taste is the ultimate driver of success. That’s where our targeted protein masking solutions make all the difference.

Understanding the Challenge: Every Protein is Different

The first step to solving a problem is understanding it. Not all proteins are created equal, and each source comes with a unique profile of undesirable tastes and textures. Mapping these differences is where better taste innovation begins.

Plant-Based Proteins: The plant-based market is booming, built on everything from single-source proteins like pea and soy to complex blends. However, these often bring cardboard, vegetal, earthy, or hay-like off-notes that can be difficult to manage.

Whey-Based Proteins: As one of the most popular choices for snacks and ready-to-mix beverages, whey is a complete protein that supports muscle growth. Its challenges often lie in animalic, cheesy, or sour notes that need to be harmonized.

Collagen-Based Proteins: Fueled by the "beauty-from-within" trend, collagen is increasingly popular. While known for its digestibility, it can introduce beefy or animalic tastes that are undesirable in many applications.

Other Functional Ingredients: It’s not just the protein. Added vitamins, minerals, caffeine, and high-intensity sweeteners can introduce their own bitterness and metallic notes that disrupt the final flavor profile.

Successfully navigating these challenges requires a deep understanding of taste science and a toolbox of targeted solutions.

The Solution: A Toolbox for Perfected Taste

To empower formulators, we've developed a comprehensive portfolio of masking solutions designed to tackle protein's biggest flaws. These technologies work by neutralizing off-notes, masking bitterness, balancing mouthfeel, and adding back a sense of indulgence.

Our toolbox is built on two key platforms:

ModulaSENSE®: This range of taste-optimizing flavors is crafted to mask the specific aromatic off-notes found in proteins and other nutritional ingredients. It helps harmonize the overall taste and texture, while also increasing the perception of sweetness and creaminess. This allows for sugar reduction without sacrificing the consumer's experience.

Dynarome®: This proprietary flavor technology focuses on improving mouthfeel. It is specifically designed to reduce the astringency and chalkiness commonly found in high-protein formulations, delivering a richer, smoother, and more indulgent eating experience.

By using these tools, you can transform a product from a simple nutrition checkbox into a taste experience that consumers genuinely look forward to.

How It Works in Practice

Imagine you are developing a high-protein chocolate-flavored shake. The plant-protein blend you're using is perfect for the nutritional panel but leaves a dry, astringent mouthfeel and a lingering vegetal aftertaste.

This is where our technical experts come in. We partner with you to understand your specific base and goals. By applying the right ModulaSENSE® solution, we can neutralize the vegetal off-notes. Then, by incorporating Dynarome®, we can build back the rich, creamy mouthfeel consumers associate with a decadent chocolate shake. The result is a product that delivers on its health promise without any compromises in taste or texture.

This end-to-end support—combining market intelligence, sensory insights, and technical expertise—ensures that your high-protein products aren't just possible, they're perfected.

Transform Your Protein Products Today

Consumers shouldn't have to choose between what tastes good, what feels good, and what's good for them. With the right tools, you can create protein-enriched products that deliver on all three fronts. It's time to move your products from functional to flavorful.

Ready to solve your toughest taste challenges? We’ve prepared a Protein Masking Toolbox with our best solutions, but supplies are limited. Request yours today to get started.