Novel Approaches Mimicking the Sensory Attributes of Alcohol

Private company seeks innovative compounds and approaches to replicate alcohol's multisensory impact in non-alcoholic beverages, focusing on specific sensory effects like sharpness, warming, tingling, numbing, and mouthfeel enhancement.

Overview

• Partnership models include sponsored research and co-development opportunities
• Access to beverage industry expertise and commercialization pathways
• Collaboration with company team specializing in non-alcoholic beverage development
• Focus on "identifying and characterizing compounds that can selectively reproduce individual sensory attributes of alcohol" 

Priority Areas

• Compounds mimicking alcohol's sensory perception: sharpness, warmth, tingling, numbing, freshness, and/or mouthfeel
• Sharpness replication: organic acids, short-chain esters
• Tingling/numbing ingredients: TRPA1/TRPV1 receptor actives
• Volatility mimics: Ingredients that mimic/provide the physical effect of volatility similar to alcohol
• Texture enhancement: polyols, viscosity modifiers
• Anti-lingering solutions: tongue-coating modifiers
• Sensory testing models: tongue or trigeminal system models
• Fermentation technologies: non-alcoholic fermentation of botanicals and characterization of metabolites and/or byproducts
• Novel botanicals: with trigeminal effects (e.g., numbing, tingling, pungency)

Eligibility & Requirements

• Must have preliminary data or a strong scientific rationale supporting the understanding and/or replication of one or more sensory attributes of alcohol
• Ingredient solutions must demonstrate potential for application in beverage systems without significant off-notes
• Technology Readiness Levels 1-5 accepted (Basic principles through validated in relevant environment)
• Preferred: Naturally sourced ingredients or compounds
• Preferred: Ingredients not protected by active patents, allowing freedom to operate
• Preferred: "Clear regulatory pathway or approval for use in foods/beverages in the EU" 

Please note: Full RFP is attached in the "More Information" section of this page. Faculty and researchers interested in applying for these opportunities based on technologies developed or disclosed at Vanderbilt must submit their proposals through the CTTC.