Givaudan claims to have broken completely new ground in the gum market through the use of patented technology enabling it to 'layer' different flavours into a single piece of chewing gum and release them at different stages as it is chewed.
Its new Qpearl Release flavour range had the potential to revolutionise the gum market, claimed Fabio Campanile, head of research and development for flavour delivery technology.
He added: "Previously, you could only blend flavours, like cherry and orange, and taste them at the same time - never in sequence, as separate waves of flavour. We have developed ways to precisely control the timing of flavour release upon different release triggers typically encountered during chewing gum consumption, by changing the material properties of the flavour encapsulating matrix.
"In fact, we can combine any sequence of shorter and longer flavour releases, creating a whole repertoire of flavour sensations in a single piece of gum." Technology preventing de-stabilising oxygen molecules from entering the product also meant that flavours would last far longer, said senior product manager, Ernst van den Berg: "With gum, you often sense a concentrated burst of flavour at the start and then the brain gets used to the degree of flavour and does not perceive it to be so strong.
"Now we can control the flavour impact so that you get a second or a third burst of flavour as the chewing process continues, reawakening the intense sensation."
The launch coincides with the roll out of new ImpaQ cooling flavours without a bitter taste, said van den Berg. The flavours, which built on Givaudan's research into taste receptor stimuli, gave ice cream, dairy drinks, chewing gum and confectionery a refreshing cool sensation, he said.