Esarom debuts new wild berry aromas

Foraging is all the rage. Collecting edibles from the forest and fields – wild herbs, mushrooms, nuts, seeds and wild fruits. What before was an important and vital source of nutrition for many people has become more of a hobby these days. It can also reflect a life philosophy: unadulterated nature, back to the basics, a regard for the use of our resources.

The interest in “wild food” is immense: wild herbs, fir tree cones, and spruce tips are finding their way to the plates of gourmets. Wild berries are the fruity side of foraging and are notable for many reasons. Lingonberries, blackberries, blueberries and the like impress with their variety of flavours: from super-sweet to tart and earthy, peppery notes, crisp-leathery or juicy and fresh. They are brimming with many nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and they come in a fireworks display of colours from radiant raspberry red to bold blue­-berry blue.
The Austrian company Esarom, a specialist in flavourings for mass-produced food and beverages, has focused intensively on these native superfruits and has declared wild berries the trend flavour for 2017. “Raspberry aromas are often like bonbons, and strawberries are more like marmalade,” explains Isolde Tomann, flavourist and head of aroma creation at Esarom. “The natural flavour profile of the fruits is the highlight in our new range of wild berry aromas. The blueberries, for example, feature a distinct forest-like note. The lingonberries are intentionally tart and distinguish themselves from the rather sweet cranberry aromas.”
Capturing and concentrating the flavourful variety of berries offers numerous opportunities for food and beverage makers to provide consumers with tasty moments of indulgence with trendy products.     •