The food sector is leveraging innovation to surprise with textures and flavors never seen before.

A soft drink with classic gummy flavors like marshmallow, blackberry, or fried egg, a beer made with quince core, calçot-flavored chips, nougat with dark beer, or Tijuana-flavored snacks are some examples of textures and flavors that have been appearing on the market recently. Behind them, there's a wealth of innovation from food sector companies seeking to focus on health, sustainability, and transparency.

In the field of food engineering, innovation in textures and flavors is a very active and multidisciplinary field. "Advanced technologies such as nanotechnology are being used to develop more stable emulsions, allowing food texture to be maintained for longer. Functional additives, such as carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), are also used in ice creams and gels, which help preserve the desired structure and delay processes such as crystallization," explains Antonio Morata, coordinator of the Master's Degree in Food Engineering Applied to Health at the School of Agricultural, Food and Biosystems Engineering (ETSIAAB) of the UPM.

For her part, Carmen López, coordinator of the Food Engineering Degree at the school, highlights that emerging physical techniques are also being applied, such as high-pressure homogenization, ultrasound, or pulsed electric fields (PEFs), "which allow the structure of foods to be modified to achieve softer, more homogeneous textures or even to tenderize meat products in a controlled manner. Another very promising line of research is 3D food printing, which allows the design of completely new structures, such as vegan meat products with complex textures and simulated fat inclusions."

As for flavors and colors, the company focuses on natural ingredients such as anthocyanins, betalains, carotenes, and phycocyanins extracted from algae, "which replace synthetic colorants, considered potentially more toxic in the long term. Nanotechnology is also applied here to encapsulate or disperse these compounds more efficiently, improving their stability and controlled release," he adds.

Both professors point out that the technologies used in these innovations are highly varied. "Non-thermal emerging techniques stand out, such as pressurization, ultrahomogenization, ultrasound, and pulsed electric fields, which allow the properties of foods to be modified without applying heat, better preserving their nutritional and sensory qualities," they cite as an example. The truth is that these innovations allow for the development of safer foods with a longer shelf life and improved sensory characteristics: more attractive and innovative flavors, aromas, colors, and textures. "Furthermore, many of these technologies allow for a reduction in the use of additives, which responds to the growing demand for more natural and less processed products," says Antonio Morata.

Technology also helps companies launch new flavors and textures successfully, or at least provide data that allows them to measure consumer acceptance of their products in advance . Tastings continue to be conducted, but there are now tools that provide other types of information that are highly valued in the sector. This is the case with sensory analysis software as a service (SaaS), designed to predict consumer tastes with the aim of ensuring the success of new products. Designed by the Galician startup Sensesbit, it was recently awarded the ftalks Startups Awards. "We help consumers tell us what flavors and textures should be like, and this way, companies will be successful when they enter the market," explains Maruxa Quiroga, CEO of Sensebits. They have developed a tool that digitizes all the information "and provides recommendations to achieve the flavor and texture that consumers are asking for," she adds. "For example, it tells you to increase or decrease the salt, or the crunch, etc."

Quiroga points out that 80% of products released onto the market fail, which is why having these types of tools is so important for the food industry . "Product tastings are always done, but the next step, to give it rigor, is where technology makes sense. There are algorithms, automated AI, to make decisions based on the data," he explains. And it's not only effective for selling more, but it also helps companies comply with ever-changing legislation. "They can request a reduction in sugar content, and Sensesbit helps reduce that sugar while maintaining sensoriality," he gives as an example. It also contributes to reformulating the product and improving its nutritional value. It's software that companies can install and use in their own facilities.

The CEO of the Galician startup considers Spain an innovative country in the food industry, although there are countries that are more so. "The beverage, snack, and dairy sectors are the most innovative," she emphasizes. Companies in this sector typically have their own innovation department . "Since flavor is so important, this is strategic and ultimately affects the entire company, even the sales department," Quiroga points out.

The Valencian company Grefusa has been innovating with Tijuana-flavored products for 20 years and has just launched Tijuana Mix, combining different snacks and nuts with the iconic flavor. "The development of new products always starts with a focus on the consumer and seeking to surprise and entertain with each proposal," says Pilar Vanaclocha, Grefusa's R&D Director. "It also stems from the nonconformity and curiosity that are part of our DNA: taking on new challenges and daring is one of our key Grefu values," she adds. They have a highly committed R&D team, made up of eight people and with an annual budget of over one million euros. "This team works closely with areas such as marketing and quality to achieve the best possible product," she points out.

Each innovation begins with a creative phase, where they analyze ideas, trends, and consumer habits, and then move on to "more structured processes where we validate them on a technical, sensorial, and industrial feasibility level." In the specific case of the Tijuana Mix, it has been especially challenging, "as it requires adjusting the size, flavor, texture, and color of each ingredient to achieve a balanced and unique blend while maintaining the essence of the Tijuana flavor."

This new product aims to offer what today's consumers want: "a mild spice, variety, shared enjoyment, while maintaining the essence of the flavor that defined an era," adds the R&D director. She believes that actively listening to consumers is essential in the innovation process , and "we have several cases with products like Lentil Seeds that have arisen directly from consumer requests."

A few years ago, the Spanish beverage company Eneryeti Company decided to launch a candy-flavored soft drink: Freshyeti. A total of six varieties (blackberry, lollipop, tongue-tipped, banana, tutti frutti, and marshmallow) have recently been added to three new ones (filled licorice, fried egg, and cherry lollipop) while also rebranding to Candyfresh. "It's pure bottled nostalgia. We've reinterpreted traditional flavors from a fresher, more balanced perspective. We wanted a drink that would be fun, surprising, and connect. And that can only be achieved when you create it with authenticity," says Elena Ortega Rojas, creative director of Eneryeti Company.

There are many examples of innovative flavors and textures to be found in the market. Last April, the Santa Teresa company announced the development of the first craft beer made with quince kernels, combining innovation and sustainability. The project, developed in collaboration with Cervezas Raíz Cuadrada, the Catholic University of Ávila, and the Provincial Council, has resulted in "a natural beer, unfiltered and unpasteurized, 100% natural and with a unique texture, color, and flavor."

El Almendro nougats introduce new flavors and textures every Christmas. This is the case with their "finiiisimos" range of nougats, which include the traditional nougat, a thin, hard nougat tablet with a light, crunchy texture. Last Christmas, they teamed up with Estrella Galicia to launch a nougat with dark beer , "a unique recipe that achieves the perfect balance for the most exclusive palates," explained Delaviuda Confectionery Group. Another new product is El Almendro and Donettes, which combines crunchy sponge cake and creamy dark chocolate.

Within the snack category, chips are a snack that is being launched on the market with new flavors like truffle, cava, or fried egg. Or even calçot. There are tastes, flavors, and the market seems determined to satisfy all palates. Technology is a good ally in achieving this.