Product Development Process

Proprietary Taste Receptor-Based Assay Development.

The first step in our product discovery and development process is to develop proprietary assays based on taste receptor science. Our assays are robotic tests that measure interactions between the taste receptors and flavor ingredients. To date, we have developed the following assays:

SavoryScreenHT is a proprietary high-throughput savory taste receptor-based assay system. We demonstrated that this assay system responded to MSG (monosodium glutamate) and IMP (inosine monophosphate), both of which are used as ingredients to provide a savory taste, and, therefore, could be used to identify new novel savory flavors. Our four initial Savory Flavor Ingredients have received regulatory approvals in the U.S. and elsewhere, and Nestlé is currently marketing products that contain one of these ingredients in the Pacific Rim, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa. Two additional Savory Flavor Ingredients were granted GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) regulatory status in 2011, which allows usage in the US and other countries.

SweetScreenHT is a proprietary high-throughput sweet taste receptor-based assay system. We demonstrated that this assay system responded to many different sweet-tasting samples including carbohydrate sweeteners and artificial sweeteners and, therefore, could be used to identify novel sweet flavor ingredients. This approach led to the discovery of S2383, our enhancer of the high-intensity sweetener sucralose, as well as S6973 and S9632, both of which can enhance the taste of sucrose (natural table sugar), allowing a significant reduction of sugar in products. S2383 and S6973 have received GRAS regulatory designations and are currently being commercialized by Firmenich.

SaltScreenHT and SaltScreen EP are a high-throughput fluorescence-based assay and a lower-throughput electrophysiology-based assay, respectively. We are using the SaltScreen systems to help explore the role of a number of proteins that may be involved in salt taste perception.

BitterScreenHT is a proprietary high-throughput assay system used to identify novel bitter flavor taste modulators. Our bitter receptor assays were instrumental in the discovery of S6821 and S7958, two Senomyx bitter blockers that have received GRAS regulatory status. Senomyx collaborators are conducting evaluations with the bitter blockers in several products to determine potential commercial uses.