Where Flavor Meets Feeling: Inside the World of Mood Intelligence

Consumers increasingly expect more from the foods and beverages they choose. Beyond taste, they’re seeking products that energize their mornings, calm their evenings or simply help them feel better in the moment. 

This shift is driving a new frontier in product design: Mood Intelligence — the ability to craft flavors that connect with people on an emotional or cognitive level. 

At IFF, this work lives at the intersection of neuroscience, sensory science and creative formulation. But just as importantly, it also relies on the intuition and artistry of flavorists who translate insights into experiences. 

One of those experts is Daniil La Paglia, IFF Flavorist, who specializes in beverage flavor creation and mood-linked formulation. 

For Daniil, designing flavors tied to emotion isn’t just technical work. It’s a creative process — one that often feels closer to curating a sensory story rather than building a traditional flavor. 

“In beverages especially, there’s a lot of freedom,” he explains. “You can create something truly special. It’s a bit like fine fragrance — building a composition where every element contributes to the overall feeling.” 

Consumers increasingly expect more from the foods and beverages they choose. Beyond taste, they’re seeking products that energize their mornings, calm their evenings or simply help them feel better in the moment. 

This shift is driving a new frontier in product design: Mood Intelligence — the ability to craft flavors that connect with people on an emotional or cognitive level. 

At IFF, this work lives at the intersection of neuroscience, sensory science and creative formulation. But just as importantly, it also relies on the intuition and artistry of flavorists who translate insights into experiences. 

One of those experts is Daniil La Paglia, Associate Flavorist, who specializes in beverage flavor creation and mood-linked formulation. 

For Daniil, designing flavors tied to emotion isn’t just technical work. It’s a creative process — one that often feels closer to curating a sensory story rather than building a traditional flavor. 

“In beverages especially, there’s a lot of freedom,” he explains. “You can create something truly special. It’s a bit like fine fragrance — building a composition where every element contributes to the overall feeling.” 

Designing Flavor with Feeling in Mind 

Mood-linked flavor development begins with a simple idea: certain ingredients and aromatic materials have long been associated with emotional or cognitive responses. 

Botanicals, extracts, essential oils and natural molecules can subtly influence how a product is experienced — helping evoke feelings or cognitive states like energy, relaxation, happiness, focus and beyond. 

But according to Daniil, achieving that effect isn’t as simple as adding one ingredient or flavor note. 

“It’s rarely about a single material,” he says. “Usually, it’s a combination of ingredients working together. When you weave those materials into the composition, something new can emerge — a synergy that amplifies the emotional effect.” 

For example, a fruit flavor like peach, designed to evoke brightness or positivity, might incorporate carefully balanced citrusy or botanical elements that enhance the overall sensory experience without overpowering the core flavor profile. 

The result could still taste like peach — but with a subtle lift that makes the experience feel more vibrant or energizing. 

That nuance is critical. The goal isn’t to change the identity of a flavor, but to shape how it’s perceived emotionally or cognitively.

Starting From Scratch vs. Enhancing What Exists 

Mood Intelligence solutions can take many forms. In some cases, a brand may simply want to enhance an existing flavor with subtle notes that influence emotional perception. 

But much of Daniil’s work happens earlier in the process — when a customer is seeking something entirely new. 

“When we start from scratch, we’re thinking about the whole composition from the very beginning,” he says. “It’s not about adding a top note at the end. It’s about designing the entire flavor around the effect we want to create.” 

That approach requires a deep understanding of how flavors interact and how their interplay shapes the overall experience. 

Instead of tweaking an existing profile, the flavorist builds a new composition from the ground up, carefully selecting materials that contribute both to taste and to the intended emotional outcome. 

This philosophy allows for a much richer and more intentional design process.

A Palette of Possibilities  

One of the reasons IFF can pursue these sophisticated formulations is the breadth and quality of materials available to its flavorists. 

IFF maintains an extensive library of botanicals, extracts and natural molecules — some of which are exclusive or uniquely sourced. 

This expansive palette allows flavorists to experiment freely and build complex compositions with precision. 

“Having access to such a wide variety of high-quality ingredients gives us incredible creative freedom,” Daniil says. “We’re not limited in what we can explore.” 

That freedom is particularly powerful in beverages, where flavor systems can be layered in nuanced ways and where consumers increasingly expect premium sensory experiences. 

The Balance of Science and Art 

While the creative side of flavor design is essential, Mood Intelligence is grounded in rigorous research and testing. 

Consumer insights, neuroscience and sensory evaluation all play roles in validating whether a flavor truly evokes the intended emotional response. 

But Daniil notes that even with extensive data, the creative process remains deeply human. 

“Emotions are complex,” he says. “Two flavorists could try to create something that evokes joy and arrive at completely different compositions. Both could work well — but in different ways.” 

That combination of structured insight and artistic interpretation is what makes the field so dynamic. 

Flavorists must interpret scientific signals while trusting their sensory instincts, crafting experiences that resonate emotionally or cognitively with consumers. 

Growing Interest from Brands

As wellness, mindfulness and emotional well-being become more central to consumer lifestyles, interest in mood-linked product design is expanding across the food and beverage industry. 

Brands are exploring how flavor can contribute to moments of focus, relaxation, indulgence or uplift throughout the day. 

For product developers, Mood Intelligence offers a new layer of differentiation — one that transforms flavor from a purely sensory feature into part of the product’s emotional and resonant value. 

And for flavorists like Daniil, it represents an exciting evolution in their craft. 

“Flavor has always had the power to trigger memories and emotions,” he says. “Now we’re exploring that connection more intentionally. That opens up a lot of possibilities.” 

Designed for People 

At the heart of Mood Intelligence is a simple belief: that flavor can do more than delight — it can take care of people. Instead of focusing solely on taste preferences, product developers can now consider how flavors enhance consumers’ emotions or cognitive states. 

In practice, this opens a new creative approach — one that, as Daniil’s work illustrates, feels closer to artistry than formulation. It’s where materials become notes, compositions become experiences and every sip has the potential to enhance a consumer’s mood.  

By combining science, creativity, and insight, we help brands create products that feel intuitive, uplifting, and emotionally attuned to the moments that matter.

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This is business-to-business information intended for food and supplement producers and is not intended for the final consumer. This information is based on our own research and development work and is, to the best of our knowledge, reliable. However, nothing herein shall constitute a guarantee or warranty with respect to products of IFF or its affiliates or information contained herein and IFF does not assume any liability or risk involved in the use of its products or the information contained herein, as conditions of use are beyond our control. Statements concerning possible use of products of IFF or its affiliates are not to be construed as recommendations for any use which would violate any patent rights, regulations or statutory restrictions. Manufacturers should check local regulatory status of any claims according to the intended use of their product.