Functional foods and beverages are exciting products to develop and flavor. However, there are certainly challenges involved when creating a product that offers true health functionality and delivers superior appearance and great taste at the same time. In the end, consumer acceptability of look and taste are the key success factors for any food and beverage-especially in the competitive environment of functional foods.

Flavor trends in functional products differ based on overall flavor trends in specific food or beverage categories. Trends in flavors for healthy foods are also dependant on the types of nutraceuticals, vitamins or minerals used in the product. In the most successful products, flavors work in concert with other enhancement to provide the best overall product.

It is important to think about the overall product concept and marketing story well before deciding on specific flavor alternatives. Most important, the marketer or developer should identify the specific functional components to be used along with their use levels. Flavor selection will vary based on the overall concept and product objectives, so it is vital to work with flavor experts and product development partners to achieve the highest quality results.

Fruit flavors are the most favored for functional beverages. In these drinks, a "true to fruit" profile is essential. Consumers expect healthy products to taste natural and fresh, and the flavors should truly complement the functional ingredients used in the product.

Citrus flavors and astringent berry flavors work especially well with antioxidant fortifications. These flavors blend nicely with the acidity that is inherent in vitamin C and other antioxidant ingredients. Another alternative is to pair a citrus flavor with a less acidic, milder fruit to create a tropical-type flavor blend.

In functional beverages marketed to children, strawberry-banana and strawberry-kiwi flavors are very much on-trend. Kids prefer the sweet-sour profile of these combinations, as well as the familiarity of fruits they know. Flavor blends incorporating tropical fruit are also popular with children. Tropical fruit flavors are also a good fit for functional confectionery products.

There is currently a strong trend in the confectionery segment toward the development of products with a healthy halo. Numerous combinations with exotic fruits, vitamins, herbs and plant extracts from all over the world are now offering the added health benefits demanded by consumers.

For the manufacture of functional confectionery, the use of compounds is particularly recommended. In addition to fruit or vegetable juice, they may also contain the required food coloring raw materials, flavors, vitamins, minerals, herbs and other functional ingredients. Highly concentrated compounds produced specifically for use in confectionery products areadded at the end of the cooking process.

Flavoring these compounds can be especially challenging because, again, the flavors used must work synergistically with the functional components. The right flavor choice depends on the type of juice(s) used, in addition to the levels of herbs, vitamins and minerals. Many times, the flavor profile is dependant on the functional pieces of the compound.

One of the most significant trends in flavoring functional foods, especially beverages and confectionery products, is the use of flavors that are associated with health and function. Exotic fruits with health benefits are becoming mainstream due to changing demographics, including the growing ethnic population in the U.S., as well as the aging baby boomer population.

With the dramatic increase of the U.S. ethnic population, food and beverage manufacturers are constantly trying to infuse popular tropical and exotic flavors into their product lines. This is also the case for functional food and beverage products. In fact, many of the fruits themselves have functional properties, and the flavors of these fruits lend themselves well to incorporation with other nutraceutical components. Examples include açai, acerola, mangosteen, goji, jabotacaba and passionfruit.

As the baby boomers near 60 years of age, they will continue to seek out good-for-you products-both those that contribute to overall good health, and those that enhance outward appearance. Boomers' growing familiarity with exotic fruits and ingredients has grown as a result of this quest.

Cosmeceutical foods and beverages-those that contain nutraceutical ingredients and provide direct anti-aging or other appearance-enhancing benefits-are an up-and-coming trend greatly influenced by the baby boomer demographic. These products lend themselves to new and different flavor combinations encompassing both traditional fruit flavors and juices, as well as herbal and floral varieties.

Cosmeceutical ingredients include those that act as antioxidants, those that contribute to cell and tissue formation, and those that are multi-functional. Antioxidant ingredients that play a role in outer appearance enhancement include lutein, lycopene, polyphenols, and vitamins A and E.

Vitamin A is a cosmeceutical antioxidant, which protects the skin from ultraviolet (UV) radiation, reducing oxidative stress and positively effecting the production of collagen, thus promoting skin elasticity. Vitamin C is also involved in the synthesis of collagen and protects the skin from UVA exposure to prevent premature skin aging. Vitamin E encourages skin cell growth by improving circulation and promoting healing. Polyphenols protect the skin from UV damage and prevent oxidative stress and tissue damage.

When working with these ingredients for cosmeceutical and other functional products, it is important the developer choose flavors that not only fit the marketing story and benefits of the ingredients and the product itself, but that also work well with the entire ingredient system. Vitamins A and E may pose challenges in a production setting due to solubility issues. The manufacturer must be well versed on the proper handling of emulsions and nanoemulsions. In addition, the other ingredients and flavors in the product must work synergistically to achieve a stable, quality, efficacious product.

Functional ingredients that promote cell and tissue formation are also on-trend. Skin loses approximately 1% of its collagen and elastic tissue per year after age 25. The skin also becomes thinner as a result of aging. Ingredients such as biotin, aloe vera and collagen work to form new cells and tissues, and fight the signs of aging from within.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a multi-functional cosmeceutical ingredient that scavenges free radicals and is essential for body cells, tissues and organs. It has been shown to decrease the activity of certain enzymes that degrade collagen and elastin production. Although it is a very useful and efficacious ingredient for many health concerns, CoQ10 is highly sensitive to heat and light, and must be packaged and processed accordingly.

All of the previously mentioned ingredients work well with light, fruity flavors blended with herbal or floral notes. Familiar tropical fruits such as mango, pomegranate, and passionfruit work especially well blended with ginger, aloe vera, and other beneficial extracts. In addition, delicate female-skewed flavors like vanilla-lavender and berry rose add a level of fantasy appeal, as well as taste benefit, to the end product. Other cosmeceutical flavors include lavender-lemonade and other citrus fruit blends, which are more geared toward teens.

When developing functional flavor concepts, flavor developers can incorporate nutraceutical ingredients within the context of the flavor or flavor system itself. This can sometimes help with manufacturing issues, and add additional interest and a point of difference to the product. As an example, a flavorist may include aloe vera, ginger, and green tea into an herbal tea flavor.

As marketers continue to demand new formats and concepts for functional foods and beverages, new flavor varieties in these products will emerge. Flavor trends are very much living, breathing and evolving. Producing the overall concept (the look, feel, and taste of the product) acceptable to consumers is the real source of innovation in product development and marketing. Also, incorporating functional ingredients around specific health platforms, such as cosmeceuticals, will continue to be a market driver. This approach offers mainstream consumers enough information so they can eat and drink for functional health and appearance results without having to get their hands around ingredient information they may not understand.

In the future, we will continue to see health platforms emerge focusing on even more specific organs and functions. Brain health, circulatory health, immunity, eye health, and digestive well-being will emerge as important elements in conceptualizing new functional products, as they are of vital significance to the changing demographic landscape in the U.S. In the same vein, flavor trends will mirror these demographic preferences and the demands of new product concepts.

As products become more customized to specific health goals and market niches, today's most popular flavors will not necessarily change completely, but will be slightly tweaked and customized to appeal to the desires of more specific target markets.

About the author: Jessica Jones-Dille is an industry trend analyst with WILD Flavors, Inc., Erlanger, KY. She can be reached at 859-342-3548; E-mail: jjones-dille@wildflavors.com; Website: www.wildflavors.com.