It’s 4:47 p.m. in the pilot lab. Your prototype is finally singing: bright fruit top, clean sweetness, a little body to make it feel “real.” Then someone says the sentence every formulator dreads: “We need to add the magnesium.”

If you’ve ever sipped a “better-for-you” drink that smelled great but felt thin or chalky, you’ve met the problem: the flavor was fine, but the mouthfeel told a different story. What we casually call “flavor” is really taste, smell, and texture working together – and texture is often doing the quiet heavy lifting.

Overcoming Flavor Fatigue: From Overload to Nuance. In a world where every snack, beverage, and functional product vies for attention with bold, intense, and often maximalist flavors, it’s no surprise that consumers are experiencing flavor fatigue. This phenomenon, characterized by a diminished appreciation for overly complex or overpowering tastes, is prompting a shift towards more subtle, balanced, and thoughtfully layered flavor experiences.