Over the past decades, consumers, retailers, and regulators have grown increasingly aware of the detrimental health effects associated with immoderate sugar, sodium, and fat intake. They can cause obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Government bodies and health institutions are advocating a reduction of these foods. This has resulted in a strong global push for food and beverage manufacturers to reformulate their products. The overall shift towards health benefits has also brought a trend towards fortification and enrichment. It aims at achieving good-for-you products. Consumers often deem them more attractive. While consumers desire good-for-you products, taste continues to drive their preferences. In this context, taste perception forms a complex process. It involves many multisensory interactions. Any change in the food or beverage matrix influences these interactions. Often, this results in a taste gap that ultimately affects consumer preference. For instance: Sugar, salt, and fat reduction may lead to a loss of sweetness or saltiness perception, mouthfeel and body, a decrease in overall taste intensity, as well as revealing bitterness, or astringency The use of ingredient replacers like sweeteners results in different taste dynamics during the time of consumption and the addition of off-notes The fortification with nutrients and the addition of proteins, including plant-based proteins, may lead to off-notes such as bitterness and astringency.
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