R&D RADIO: Natural Flavors and Taste Modulation with Lauren Senne of Imbibe

In this episode of R&D RADIO, host and food scientist Adam Yee sits down with Lauren Senne, Senior Manager of Applications and Taste Modulation at Imbibe, a drink consultancy in Chicago, to break down the real difference between characterizing flavors and taste modulation. Lauren has spent over a decade at Imbibe and more than 13 years in the flavor industry, and is a certified flavor chemist through the Society of Flavor Chemists, a certification process that takes a minimum of seven years and, realistically, closer to a decade to complete.Adam and Lauren dig into how bitter blockers actually work at the receptor level, why describing something as simple as "cherry" or "vanilla" can mean wildly different things to different clients, and what really happens to a product's mouthfeel and flavor balance when sugar gets pulled from a formula. They also get into why flavor houses guard their formulations as trade secrets and the clean-label trends reshaping the beverage world right now.Listen in as they discuss:What flavor actually is, and the difference between characterizing flavor and taste modulationThe rigorous, decade-long path to becoming a certified flavor chemist through the Society of Flavor ChemistsWhat the certification exam actually tests, including identifying chemicals by smell aloneHow flavorists learn the natural chemical building blocks behind fruit, spice, and other flavor profilesWhy aligning on something as simple as "cherry" or "vanilla" can be surprisingly difficult with clientsUsing reference products and live tastings to get everyone in the room aligned on a flavor directionHow bitter blockers work by binding to bitter receptors so your brain can't perceive the bitterness at allWhy most of Imbibe's taste modulation work is exclusively naturalWhere CPG founders commonly get stuck: stacking too many functional ingredients and creating unexpected off-notesWhat happens to mouthfeel and sweetness curve when sugar is removed and replaced with stevia or monk fruitBeverage trends Lauren is watching: clean label, protein and fiber combinations, and clear protein sodasEpisode Links:Lauren Senne - Senior Manager, Applications and Taste Modulation, Imbibe LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-senne-12102558Website: imbibeinc.comDon't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.Show Links:Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to "Transcript" at the top)Join the Startup CPG Slack community (35K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Adam's LinkedInQuestions or comments about the episode? Email [email protected] music by Super Fantastics