Patents reveal natural alternatives to MSG and smoke flavourings; flavourings to combat ingredient supply issues; and sustainable flavouring production methods.
Neha Srivastava, Senior Patent Analyst – Food & Drink and Beauty & Personal Care
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- What you need to know
- Why consider flavourings and flavour enhancers?
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- Consumers value clean, natural and sustainable choices
- Consumers believe naturalness is a premium attribute
- Graph 1: ingredients that would make a snack seem premium, 2023
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PRODUCT INNOVATION TRENDS
- Flavouring substances are the top type of flavouring ingredient in most regions
- Graph 2: top flavouring ingredient groups in food and drink launches that contain a flavouring ingredient, by region, 2020-24
- The food industry uses microbes, mushrooms and fermentation to redefine flavour
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THE PATENT LANDSCAPE
- Patent trends in flavour-enhancing ingredients for food and beverages
- Graph 3: patents related to flavour enhancing ingredients in food and drink, published each year, 2015-25
- Japan dominates in securing patent grants related to flavour-enhancing ingredients
- DSM-Firmenich holds the most granted patents for flavour-enhancing ingredients
- Graph 4: top 10 organisations with granted patent for flavour enhancing ingredients, 2025
- Seek flavourings and enhancers with a natural image
- Smoke flavourings are common in savoury, protein-rich and snack-oriented products
- Graph 5: % of food and drink launches with a smoke flavouring, by sub category, 2020-24
- Innovate smoke flavour solutions with reduced toxins
- Explore natural alternatives to MSG
- Although popular in Asia, the low adoption of MSG in North America and Europe underscores its controversial image
- Graph 6: % of meal & meal centre, snack, soup and processed fish, meat and egg products that contain selected flavour enhancers, by region, 2020-24
- MSG alternatives include ingredients from mushroom and anchovy
- Recent patents reveal algae- and mushroom-based substitutes that effectively replace MSG
- Tackle ingredient supply shortages with flavourings
- Turn the orange shortage challenge into an innovation opportunity
- Innovators combat orange shortages with flavourings that reduce orange use while preserving taste
- Cocoa ingredients are widespread, but in short supply
- Graph 7: % of launches with cocoa and cocoa product ingredients, top categories, 2022-25
- Ingredient companies are innovating chocolate flavourings as alternatives to cocoa bean ingredients
- Recent cocoa alternative innovations are sustainable, with reduced environmental impact
- Opt for biotech-based flavourings and enhancers
- Enzyme-based flavour enhancers can deliver clean and natural flavours
- Precision fermentation holds potential to deliver sustainable and natural flavouring solutions
- Patents reveal the use of precision fermentation to produce flavourings for food and drink
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KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Key takeaways
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APPENDIX
- Research methodology
- Key patent examples for flavour enhancers
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