Microencapsulated natural flavors FlowActives®: improving taste in formulations with challenging ingredients

Context

A long-standing IPS client specialized in sports nutrition supplements aimed to develop new easy-to-drink formats and direct-use powders, without relying on film-coated tablets or high loads of synthetic masking flavors.
Their formulations often include amino acids, peptides, and functional botanical extracts widely appreciated for their efficacy but known for intense, bitter or sulfur-like taste profiles.

The objective was to improve palatability while maintaining a clean, functional, and premium positioning.

Challenge

The customer needed to address sensory issues without compromising the active value of the formulation. Key goals included:

• reducing bitterness and off-notes from amino acids and botanical extracts
• avoiding excessive use of artificial flavors and sweeteners
• keeping the formulation natural and clean-label
• ensuring aroma stability over time, even under humidity or mild thermal stress
• maintaining good flowability and handling in powder processing

In essence: achieve a pleasant taste experience without diluting the product's technical value.

Solution

IPS proposed the use of FlowActives® microencapsulated natural flavors, developed through a gentle coacervation-based encapsulation system able to:

• immobilize natural flavoring components within a protective biopolymer matrix
• release flavor gradually when in contact with saliva or liquids
• provide greater stability and reduced volatility
• ensure uniform distribution within powder blends
• prevent undesired interactions with sensitive actives

The result was a natural flavor system that:

• harmonizes the taste profile
• educes harsh or unpleasant notes
• maintains formula integrity and clean-label positioning

Results

Thanks to FlowActives®, the customer achieved:

• significantly improved palatability of sports formulations
• enhanced consumer acceptance in daily use
• reduction of artificial masking agents and heavy sweetening
• stable, free-flowing powders supporting smooth production
• products more aligned with modern expectations for natural, functional nutrition

Conclusion

This project demonstrates how FlowActives® microencapsulation can be a strategic tool for enhancing sensory performance, aroma stability, and user experience in challenging sports formulations.

For supplement manufacturers, it opens the way to cleaner, more pleasant, and technically advanced products — even with difficult raw materials.

Contact us to find out how to integrate FlowActives® technology into your development projects.