603: Mastering the marvel of mouthfeel

Between 70 and 85% of new food products fail in their first year. And the reason often isn't the nutrition, it's the mouthfeel.

When manufacturers remove sugar, fat or calories to make food healthier, they risk destroying the very sensory experience that makes consumers reach for that product again. 

And consumers, it turns out, are unreliable witnesses to their own preferences, saying they want something "lighter" while consistently choosing products that are thick, smooth and dense. 

Bridging that gap between what consumers say and what they actually want is one of the most underestimated challenges in food innovation.

In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, made in partnership with Tate & Lyle, we explore the science, strategy and commercial implications of mouthfeel.

Professor Charles Spence from Oxford University's Cross Modal Research Laboratory opens with a masterclass on multisensory perception, explaining how retronasal aroma accounts for as much as 95% of what we think we're tasting, and how simply amplifying the sound of a crisp can make it seem fresher and crispier without changing a single ingredient.

We unpack the science behind mouthfeel, how social media listening is revealing new mouthfeel trends, and how all of that information is being turned into real R&D solutions.

Tate & Lyle
Supported by its 160-year history of ingredient innovation, Tate Lyle partners with customers to provide consumers with healthier and tastier choices when they eat and drink. Millions of people around the world consume products containing its ingredients every day. Through its expertise in sweetening, fortification, and texture, Tate & Lyle develops ingredient solutions that reduce sugar, calories, and fat, add fibre and protein, and provide texture and stability in categories including beverages, dairy, bakery, snacks, soups, sauces, and dressings. Tate & Lyle has more than 3,500 employees working in around 57 locations across 39 countries. Science, Solutions, Society is its brand promise and how Tate & Lyle will achieve its purpose of Transforming Lives Through the Science of Food. By living its purpose, Tate & Lyle works to successfully grow its business and have a positive impact on society. The company lives its purpose in three ways: by supporting healthy living, building thriving communities and caring for our planet.