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 human taste receptors. Our assays are tests that measure interactions between the taste receptors and potential flavor enhancers and taste modulators. 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 and IMP and, therefore, could be used to identify novel savory flavor enhancers and taste modulators.

SweetScreenHT is a proprietary high-throughput sweet taste receptor-based assay system. We demonstrated that this assay system responded to many different sweet-tasting compounds including carbohydrate sweeteners and high potency artificial sweeteners and, therefore, could be used to identify novel sweet flavor enhancers and taste modulators.

SaltScreenHT and SaltScreen EP are a high-throughput fluorescence-based assay and a lower-throughput electrophysiology-based assay, respectively. We demonstrated each of the SaltScreen systems are responsive to sodium and therefore could be used to identify novel salt flavor enhancers.

BitterScreenHT is a proprietary high-throughput assay system under development that will be used to identify novel bitter flavor taste modulators.

Based on our experience, it takes 12 to 24 months to develop a taste receptor-based assay from the time the receptor is identified.