At Attar Kannauj Vijay Groups, we offer a free “Matching” service that’s a favorite among both new and loyal customers. This service is especially popular because it allows us to provide competitive pricing compared to other flavor houses, without compromising the flavor’s quality or altering the final product in any way.
You might wonder how we achieve such precise flavor replication—our process combines scientific expertise with the extensive experience of our flavorists. Continue reading to learn more about how our matching process works! Step 1 : To begin, we ask the customer to provide a small sample of the product they’d like us to replicate—usually around 50 grams, whether it’s in liquid or powder form. This sample is necessary for our analysis.
Along with the sample, we request a copy of the specifications and a rough target price. If full specifications can’t be shared due to confidentiality, a partial ingredient list will suffice, indicating the carrier to use and noting any ingredients like yeast extract or coloring.
Step 2:
The sample sent in by the customer is injected into our Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, or GCMS for short. Inside the GCMS, there are lots of coils which ‘pull apart’ the flavour and break it down into what aroma chemicals are present. This process takes up to 2 hours to analyse the flavour. Step 3:
Our flavorists then conduct organoleptic testing on the new formula, making slight adjustments to the levels of aroma chemicals to achieve the perfect balance and a close match to the original. This is where the real artistry comes in! For instance, using a raw material at even 0.01% above the ideal level can significantly change the flavor profile.
While it may take up to 20 trials to achieve the desired balance, our skilled flavorists usually perfect it within five attempts. Once our expert flavorist in Kannauj is confident that the match is precise, they convene a tasting panel made up of our skilled noses and tasters to perform a triangle test.
Each panelist receives three small cups of solution, prepared with 0.1% flavor in 99.9% water, labeled A, B, and C. Panelists must smell and taste each cup to identify which two samples are the same and which one is different. Each participant has a unique combination, such as Person 1 receiving A and B as the target flavor and C as the match, while Person 2 may have A and C as the match with B as the target flavor. This setup prevents them from comparing answers and influencing each other.
The test results are then gathered, and ideally, all panelists are unable to detect the different sample. This outcome shows that our matched flavor is nearly indistinguishable from the original, confirming the success of the replication. Step 4: Once we achieve an 75-80% or higher success rate in the triangle test, we proceed with FTIR analysis, comparing the target sample (labeled as the "standard") with the trial batch. The FTIR produces two graphs that reveal how closely the trial matches the standard.
In the example shown, the graphs illustrate a watermelon flavor standard (bottom graph) compared to the trial (top graph), with both graphs showing a very similar shape, indicating a close match.
The FTIR also provides a score out of 1000. At Attar kannauj (Vijay Groups) we consider a score above 970 to indicate a match since the difference is too minor to be detected organoleptically. In this case, the watermelon flavor scored 975, which the customer approved. They now order this product regularly, benefiting from enhanced service, shorter lead times, and considerable cost savings.
Following FTIR testing, we conduct a final applications test to ensure satisfaction. This step verifies that the flavors behave consistently in different applications, ensuring that no volatiles alter or burn off due to cooking temperatures, pH, or mixing with other ingredients.
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