Holland & Barrett has launched a first-of-its-kind “taste-boosting” range for those experiencing changes to taste or smell due to illness like cancer treatment or long-Covid.
The health and wellness retailer’s collection, which was created in partnership with specialists at Life Kitchen and Centre for Study of the Senses founder professor Barry Smith, has been formulated to enhance each of the five basic tastes – sweet, sour, salt, bitter and umami.
It comes as 70% of people affected by cancer and 40% to 50% of those with Covid-19 globally are impacted by changes to taste.
The products will also help those experiencing changes to smell, with recent studies having found that more than one in five adults experience this at any given time.
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Each product looks to enhance one taste, a mix of a few, or all five, and has been designed to work with the corresponding taste receptor on the tongue to create the “ultimate flavour experience”.
The range includes Sensation Salt, a blend of white pepper and citric acid to be added at the end of cooking; Seed, Kale & Wasabi Blend, a blend of bitter flavours to enhance salads or to garnish soups; Soy & Honey Umami Paste, a combination of soy sauce, honey and dried mushrooms to use in marinades and dressings; Citrus Sensation Spritz, a blend of vinegar, glucose syrup, yuzu juice, rice koju and ginger flavourings to use on fish or vegetables; and White Chocolate & Miso Rapberries, a mix of miso and white chocolate cocoa butter as an on-the-go treat.
Each product is priced between £3 and £4, and are available online and in-stores nationwide.
Holland & Barrett global product director April Preston said: “We’ve brought many innovative ‘food firsts’ to the high-street over the past 150 years, and our new Holland & Barrett with Life Kitchen range is our latest example of delicious products that love you back.
“We’re incredibly proud to launch this brand new range to help people find their pleasure and joy in food again.”
