International Taste Solutions (ITS) has developed Vegan Boost – a new range of natural flavor enhancers that replicate the indulgent characteristics of traditional bakery products in dairy- and egg-free alternatives. 

The launch, which taps into the growing consumer interest in plant-based diets, is timed to coincide with Veganuary.

“Consumer demand for plant-based products is rising, but until now the bakery sector has been a little behind the curve,” comments Carl Smith, head of innovations at ITS.

“Our bakery customers know we are easy to work with and they asked us for help in enhancing the flavor of their vegan cakes and bakery ranges,” he notes.

“We set about creating a straightforward alternative to the options currently available from the larger flavor houses. Vegan Boost offers no-nonsense flavors, and it provides an easy-to-use solution that is proven to work.”

Authentically mimicking buttery notes
There are several ingredients bakers can use to rebuild the structural properties of a product when dairy and egg ingredients have been removed, some of which may create off-notes, explains ITS. 

Available in liquid and powder formats, Vegan Boost offers an all-in-one solution to improve the sensory quality of a range of plant-based cake and patisserie products by accentuating buttery and creamy flavors.

To assess Vegan Boost across different bakery products, ITS produced a cupcake and a brioche in-house and presented these to a team of panelists.A higher strength version of the solution, Vegan Boost Extra, is also available if more intense flavors are required.

Innova Market Insight has recently pegged “Plant-based: The Canvas for Innovation” as its second Top Ten Trend of 2022, signaling an uptick in creative offerings and culinary-inspired offerings. 

Performance assessment of Vegan Boost
To assess Vegan Boost across different bakery products, ITS produced a cupcake and a brioche in-house and presented these to a team of panelists. 

The group compared the organoleptic characteristics ­– such as “buttery,” “richness,” “indulgent” and “creamy” – of a vegan versus a non-vegan version of the recipes.

The vegan cupcake fell short on many of the sensory elements, according to analysts. But when ITS’ flavor experts added Vegan Boost to the plant-based recipe, it enhanced the buttery qualities and delivered more fatty notes to amplify the cupcake’s perceived indulgence.

To create the vegan brioche, ITS replaced the milk, butter and eggs with almond milk, olive oil, vegan butter and a small amount of lemon juice. 

The vegan brioche performed poorly, but when Vegan Boost Extra was added, the panelists said that the enhanced dairy and egg-free brioche was richer, with “significantly improved creaminess and buttery characteristics.”

Going bravely into plant-based exploration
ITS markets its solution with the slogan “A Braver Flavor.” “We stand with anyone who wants to do something new, something different or something braver,” remarks Smith. 

“And we believe Vegan Boost thrusts the plant-based bakery sector into a new era of innovation.”

Also in the vegan bakery space, emulsifier specialist Palsgaard recently developed two new functional solutions for non-dairy whipping cream used in cakes and fillings. The ingredients are touted for their low-fat and shelf life extension properties, alongside significant cost reductions.

In a recent Special Report, FoodIngredientsFirst took a deep dive into the plant-based trends for the next 12 months, with the expert insights of CP Kelco, ADM, Almond Board of California, Puratos, Kalsec and GNT.