Using Oleoresins in Product Development
A naturally occurring mixture that includes both oils and resins, Oleoresins are liquid ingredients that are used in a wide range of flavor and fragrance applications. They are used in a vast number of different ways. For example, they play a significant role in creating the colors for many food and beverage products; they are used in the preparations of jellies, jams, and other gelatin products; they are used in the preparation of medicines; and they are used for the creation of a variety of cosmetics, including but not limited to soaps, shampoos, and lotions.
Another of their applications is in the recreation of plant and spice flavors, as their high concentration makes them a simple way of adding flavor to a variety of products. For example, they can be used to recreate the flavor of black pepper to pump up the heat in a product. Or, for example, when creating a mojito flavor, oleoresins can be a fantastic way to recreate the flavor of mint while retaining the clear appearance of the product, as mint leaves would not allow the product to retain its solubility. These are all important factors to bear in mind in product design, and oleoresins play an important role in the recreation of flavors in product development for many different reasons.
Some of the factors that make oleoresins especially popular in the production of goods include the ease with which they can be shipped and stored as well as their extremely long shelf life as compared to other similar flavor and fragrance ingredients. New applications for oleoresins – for example, in the booming aromatherapy industry – have increased their popularity in recent years. For many in the flavor and fragrance industry, now is the time to begin focusing on the broad applications of oleoresins.
While they may be a “classic” flavor and fragrance ingredient – ones that have been around for much longer than others – they remain one of the most in-demand because of these properties. The fact that they can easily be certified as organic is yet another factor that has led to their increased usage in recent years, as compared to other synthetic components and ingredients. It’s fairly simple to see why flavor and fragrance designers may very well benefit from reintegrating oleoresins into the creation of everything from food and beverage products to cosmetics, home cleaning products, medicinal products, and much more.