Sensory science unlocks the secret ingredient to food innovation

One of the best parts of being a journalist is getting the opportunity to immerse myself in a story. For example, I’ve worked alongside famous Italian chefs to craft authentic Neapolitan pizzas from scratch. I’ve also stomped freshly harvested tomatoes to make some of the most delicious sauce I’ve ever tasted.

Most recently, I toured the Cargill Food Innovation Center/Minneapolis Research & Development Center and tested my skills in sensory science. The daylong trip also included several intimate workshops where I learned more about how Cargill develops consumer and customer insights, as well as gained more knowledge about the company’s sugar reduction, bakery, sodium and oil solutions.   

The Minneapolis food innovation center is one of several outposts across the globe; additional locations are situated in the likes of Beijing; Shanghai; Deventer, Netherlands; and Colaco, Chile. Food scientists at each center conduct original research projects, which are shared throughout the network. They also collaborate on other projects, such as extensive research the company has conducted on stevia.

With sugar reduction/alternative sweeteners being such a hot industry topic (we’ve recently covered it here, here, here, here and here), the focus is evolving them to the point that they taste, feel and even smell like the traditional offering. That’s where sensory science comes in, and I certainly had a blast stepping into the shoes of the professionals for a crash-course lesson.

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Food and beverage developers are increasingly recognizing the importance of utilizing sensory science. Cargill’s experts must train for at least six months, then conduct their meticulous work in a controlled environment that includes a soundproof room, according to Abby Bauer, a senior sensory scientist for the company.   

For my assignment, I was ushered into a room with partitioned workstations that were not quite as large as cubicles. At my station was a small computer and three miniature jars of chocolate frosting labeled only by numbers. I was directed by Bauer to follow the instructions on the computer: After opening the first jar, I was supposed to look at it closely and rate its appearance from 1 to 5. Next, I was asked to write a brief explanation about that rating. For example, what words I’d use to describe its appearance and why I chose that rating. I was also asked to rate its aroma and taste, with brief explanations to follow. I followed the same procedure with the second and third jars.

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My descriptions of the ratings were vivid, ranging from “It’s too syrupy sweet” to “There’s no flavor at all” to “This is just right with the perfect balance of silky sweetness and decadent chocolate mouthfeel.” I kept eating the latter, which turned out to be Cargill’s EverSweet stevia product that’s made through fermentation with a special yeast and contains Reb M and Reb D.

During this exercise, I truly felt like Goldilocks from the children’s fable as she devoured those poor bears’ honey stash. In my case, of course, I was invited to the table.

Honestly, the experience was similar to the many wine-tasting events I have attended, where we were instructed to observe the vino’s hue as we swirled it and held the glass up to the light. Then we were asked to sniff, swish and taste the different varieties. What was different, of course, was that the latter was heavily influenced by its livelier background, whereas the former was in that controlled environment. That gave me an opportunity to really concentrate on the variables.

Finally, we moved on to a chocolate milk challenge (Cargill conducts a lot of chocolate-focused product development). Over the years, there has been much controversy over the amount of added sugar in chocolate milk in U.S. schools. Dramatically changing the formulation would probably cause food fights in school cafeterias across the country, so companies must tread lightly on this subject.

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Cargill’s solution was simple: Replace sugar with EverSweet. Smaro Kokkinidou, principal food scientist, and Regina Draper, R&D category manager, dairy, led a tasting of three different chocolate milk products: traditional with added sugar, one with reduced sugar and the third contained EverSweet.

I applied what I had learned during the sensory training – look, sniff, taste – and leaned into the third offering, which maintained a mild sweetness that did not leave a bitter aftertaste. It was just right for my palate, while the others were too sweet. Its rich essence also enhanced the chocolate notes, giving it a full-bodied experience. It was pure decadence without the calories.

That sensory science primer truly paid off.