Across the food industry, solutions are needed to overcome challenges associated with environmental changes, while also keeping what’s best for the planet in mind. This holds especially true for the citrus arena.
As the planet becomes hotter and drier, the citrus-producing regions of the world are struggling with unpredictable crops of core fruits, including orange, lemon, grapefruit, mandarin and lime. At the same time, citrus greening disease has spread rapidly, lessening the yields of already-challenged harvests in Brazil, Florida, Mexico and beyond. This persistent downward trend in forecasted volumes of many citrus crops – and thus the raw materials needed to create flavors from natural sources – is impacting global supply and procurement costs.
Even so, consumer demand for citrus flavors remains high in everything from sports drinks to savory cuisines and from baked goods to frozen yogurt. This puts significant pressure on the food and beverage industry to find reliable alternative solutions while continuing to provide authentic citrus flavors and sensory experiences.
Technical Solutions
People consume citrus flavors every day and – unlike some other taste profiles – there are well-established expectations for a citrus-based sensory experience that is consistent across applications. For example, the taste of cherry can vary widely between energy drinks, confectionery, nutrition bars, pies and dairy products; but the fresh taste of an orange is so elemental that consumers expect a similar zesty, true-to-fruit flavor in every bite and sip. Achieving these authentic tastes in food and drink is largely dependent on the use of natural citrus raw materials such as citrus oil and citrus juice.
When there are fluctuations and shortages in the citrus market, flavorists and product developers are challenged to find alternative solutions. It is possible to re-create a sensory profile comparable to what exists in nature without being constrained by the fluctuations of global citrus supply. Flavor chemists may develop highly concentrated blends of aromatic compounds to recreate the taste of grapefruit or lemon-lime. However, capturing the true sensory experience of a citrus fruit relies on the combination of volatile and non-volatile compounds, including terpenes, carbonyls and sesquiterpenes.
Outside of the lab, it’s important for companies to diversify their supply, sourcing from citrus groves in North America through Central and South America to Europe, South Africa and Asia. Having a supply partner that can strategically manage risk and leverage long-standing procurement partnerships and volumes helps ensure raw material stability and enables price competitiveness. A fully traceable supply also helps brands address the growing consumer demand for transparency, while ensuring best growing practices are in place to help preserve the planet for future generations.
Asian Citrus Psyllid (Diaphorina citri) on Key Lime citrus plant in Key Largo, Florida.Adobe Stock
Consumer Preferences
While affordability is top of mind, consumers are highly sensitive to changes in taste profile, which is a key driver of repeat purchase and brand loyalty. From citrus peel oils to essence oils or water phases, a diverse raw material palette for flavorists helps cover regions and tonalities, as well as the qualities of perceived freshness and authenticity to meet consumers’ expectations.
This is necessary to support the variety of taste profiles that are currently trending with consumers. Whether in North America, where consumers seek bold and vibrant citrus flavor experiences, or in Europe, where consumers lean into bright and uplifting citrus notes, delivering authenticity in both recognizable and more novel citrus profiles is crucial to encouraging trial and repeat purchasea.
· The Classics: Traditional juicy flavors provide familiarity and comfort. These quintessential favorites include orange, lemon and lime, bringing sweet-tart refreshment to beverages, baked goods, frozen treats and more.
· Exotic Varietals: A sense of adventure and global exploration are expanding consumers’ palates. Exciting citrus flavors such as bergamot orange, calamansi, Persian lime and pink grapefruit are sure to be popular in 2025.
· Taste Sensations: Among the basic tastes, bitterness is stepping into the limelight. Emerging flavors with higher levels of naringin and limonin compounds include grapefruit, bitter orange and finger lime. Hops are another flavor to watch, delivering a delightfully bitter yet citrusy profile in alcoholic and alcohol-free beverages.
aADM Outside Voice℠
Outside of the lab, it’s important for companies to diversify their supply, sourcing from citrus groves in North America through Central and South America to Europe, South Africa and Asia.Adobe Stock
What’s Next for Citrus
Despite the unknowns and inconsistencies of the global marketplace, the industry is not giving up on citrus.
Although there is no known cure for citrus greening, some practices have been shown to be effective at managing the disease. Certain pesticides can have a positive impact on treating the disease effects, although growers need to pay heed to country regulations and other restrictions that can and do vary, affecting the regions to which they can import/export compliant crops.
Additionally, because of a recent oversupply of lemons grown in Argentina, some of those groves are now being replaced with orange trees to help relieve the pressure on the latter’s supply. While it will be another four to five years before the new plantings reach fruit-bearing age, the Argentinian investment in orange crops will offer a future source of supply.
Last, but not least, there are continued scientific innovations underway that are ushering in a new era of citrus possibilities. At the University of Florida, the United States Department of Agriculture, Brazil’s Fundecitrus and other institutions around the world, research is ongoing to find a treatment or cure for citrus greening disease. Scientists are also experimenting with developing new hybrids or citrus varieties that can resist infection.
With each of these advancements, in addition to ongoing consumer demand for naturally derived citrus flavors, it’s clear these fruits are worth preserving and natural citrus flavors are here to stay.
