Closure Adds 'Flavor' to bottled water

NutriSystem, a leading marketer of weight management products, recommends that users of its products drink at last eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily to help flush out toxins produced when body chemistry changes as weight is lost.

To make the challenge a little easier, the company sells a water bottle fitted with a closure infused with a new product produced by ScentSational Technologies that gives water added to the bottle taste, even though no flavorants are added.

The aroma of a particular flavor can affect the sense of taste. CompelAroma technology encapsulates substances within the structure of a plastic package that emits an aroma during heating, after opening, etc.

For NutriSystem, CompelAroma is added to the closure of the water bottle as it is injection molded. The closure emits an aroma (currently lemon, peach or berry) that in effect deceives the taste buds into believing the water is flavored, enhancing the consumer’s enjoyment of water without adding calories, sweeteners or preservatives.

ScentSational also works with packaging manufacturers to incorporate FDA-approved food grade flavors directly into packaging materials at the time of manufacturing. The encapsulated flavors and associated aromas become integral parts of the package itself, and can be released at an appropriate stage in the development of the brand-building strategy—on the shelf,  when opening or during cooking.

When microwaving, for example, CompelAroma enhanced microwaveable containers broadcast dramatically increased levels of desirable aromas. Flavors can also be slowly and uniformly released into the product during its packaged life.