HealthTech Bio Actives (HTBA) is launching its updated OptiTaste taste modulation platform at IFT First 2025 in Chicago, US (July 14-16). The range includes sweetness, balance, and masking solutions designed to help formulators tackle common sensory challenges using citrus-derived flavonoids.

Prototypes available at the booth will include a salted caramel smart energy popcorn featuring caffeine and MecobalActive vitamin B12, as well as mocktails using natural flavor and naringin-based solutions. The company is targeting product developers who are looking to reduce sugar, refine mouthfeel, and address off-notes. 

“Our goal is to create unforgettable taste experiences inspired by nature while championing true ingredient transparency,” says Paula Morrison, director of Applications at HTBA. “We’ve developed these solutions based on over four decades of citrus flavonoid expertise.”

The OptiTaste platform includes inputs certified as upcycled and supports product developers in reducing added sugar, enhancing flavor top notes, and masking undesirable attributes like bitterness or astringency. The company also emphasizes its vertically integrated supply model and European manufacturing base.

HTBA’s showcase reflects recent infrastructure investments, including a new production facility in Murcia, Spain, and a €25 million (US$27 million) modernization initiative to expand its food and beverage innovation capacity.

“We’re excited to introduce our new taste modulation platform to the US market,” says Tom D’Hoore, chief commercial officer at HTBA. “It marks a significant milestone in our effort to support clean label taste solutions globally.”

Visitors can join the company’s happy hour sessions from 4–5pm on July 14 and 15 to sample product prototypes and engage with formulation experts.