ABSTRACT
Formulated functional beverages differ from traditional beverages in that they are produced using ingredients with scientically proven physiological and health benets. These products are often based on patents, industry trade secrets, or other type of proprietary knowledge. As with any food product, the ultimate goal is to make a product with an acceptable avor prole that is characterized by the immediate impact of an identifying avor (e.g., vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry), rapid development of a balanced and full-bodied avor, compatible mouthfeel and texture, lack of off avors, and a minimal (short) aftertaste. It is important that when consumers rst open or taste a product, their rst impression is that of the intended, desirable avor. Functional beverages face many of the same avor challenges encountered with pharmaceuticals due to the inherent off avors associated with the ingredients used in their formulation. Products highly fortied with vitamins, minerals, and intensely bitter functional ingredients present a particularly difcult challenge.
