Wixon's flavor team has a unique ability to meet customer needs, thanks to the range and depth of the team's education and experience. Wixon flavorists and flavor technicians have distinct but allied degrees in such areas as biochemical engineering, microbiology, chemistry, biology, and nutrition.

"These diverse viewpoints give us different perspectives when it comes to designing and formulating flavors for particular applications," noted Mariano Gascon-Figueroa, director of Wixon's flavor laboratory.

One of the key components of Wixon's four-laboratory Technical Center, the flavor lab develops original flavors for internal use as well as to meet customer requests. Staff members are also expert in answering customer requests to duplicate specific flavors or replicate finished products.

All projects are supervised by Mariano. A Mexico City-educated flavor technologist, he earned his biochemical engineering degree with a food science major from the National Polytechnic Institute. For the past 10 years, he has concentrated on creating and duplicating tropical flavors as well as flavors for beverages and dairy foods for the Central and South American markets.

Working with Mariano are Mindy Edwards, a flavorist with an educational background in nutrition, and Carla Piotrowski, Applications Lab technologist. Carla studied microbiology and chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and received her B.S. degree in biology from the University of Kentucky. She held several positions as a research technician prior to joining Wixon last year.

Newest member of the team is flavorist Julie Anne Grover who received a bachelor of science degree in chemistry in 1996 from Carroll College in Waukesha, Wis. Presently working toward her M.B.A. degree at Cardinal Stritch College in Milwaukee, she has had extensive chemical lab and quality control experience since 1995.

"Because there are many flavor houses in the United States, we have to present new ideas — new flavor systems — not just new flavors in order to compete successfully," Mariano maintained.

Systems meet unique needs

"One of our areas of expertise is developing flavor systems that work better in specific applications," he continued.

A case in point is a sweetness-masking agent Wixon recently completed. Some products call for a high sugar content necessary for functionality — either to achieve viscosity or to prevent yeast/mold growth, he explained. Yet the high sugar ratio can dilute the potency of the flavor. Rather than increasing manufacturing cost by adding more flavor, the masking agent allows the flavor to dominate. And, in some cases when it is desirable, the agent also enhances the acidity of a product.

"So our role is more than developing new flavors when we produce a system that creates a distinctive product in the market. These are still flavors, but they go beyond making a product taste better," he added.

Flavor develops in process

Another new flavor line for Wixon is devising precursor systems in which flavor develops during the production process rather than as an added ingredient. For example, Mariano noted, a product such as a puffed cereal can lose flavor during exposure to elevated temperatures of 350 - 400°F and the high pressure of the extrusion process. Such conditions cause the volatiles and top notes to "flash off" with a resulting loss of taste. In a precursor system, flavors actually develop through the high temperatures of extrusion or deep-frying, he explained.

"When we are devising such flavor solutions, our various academic training and our career experiences give us a wider problem-solving perspective — we come at solutions from different angles.

"Rather than viewing a flavor as just a chemical combination or an ingredient, we approach it from how it is going to work in the customer's application. We also work closely with the customer to assure that this flavor will suit whatever requirements the customer has," Mariano added.

"In this way, we add a further dimension to our products and we are of greater value to our customers. It's also how we distinguish Wixon from other flavor houses!"