❄️ Cooling Agents : WS-23, WS-5, WS-12, WS-3 vs Menthol for Food & Beverage

Best Water Soluble (WS) Cooling agents

❄️ Cooling Agents Explained: WS-23, WS-5, WS-12, WS-3 vs Menthol for Food & Beverage

Looking to add a refreshing, icy sensation to your product—without the overpowering minty taste of menthol?

Traditional menthol is a strong cooling ingredient, but its bold mint flavour can dominate your formulation. If you're working on products like fruity beverages, delicate desserts, or gentle skincare, menthol’s flavour might not be ideal.

That’s where flavourless cooling agents like WS-23, WS-5, WS-3, and WS-12 come in. These advanced coolants deliver a powerful chill, without altering taste or aroma—giving you control, versatility, and purity in every drop.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• The key differences between menthol and WS agents

• Which cooling agent to use for specific products

• How to dose them correctly

• Why WS-23 is the industry favourite

  
  

🧪 What Are Cooling Agents?

Cooling agents are ingredients that activate the body’s cold-sensitive receptors (TRPM8), producing a sensation of coolness. Unlike actual temperature changes, these compounds simulate cold.

Used widely in:

• 🧃 Beverages and food

• 🧴 Cosmetics and personal care

• 💊 Pharmaceutical and wellness products

🌿 Menthol: The Traditional Cool, But with Flavour

Menthol is a natural compound extracted from peppermint oil. It’s been used for decades in everything from toothpaste and gum to skin creams and sore throat lozenges.

But menthol is not neutral. It brings a strong minty flavour, which makes it unsuitable when flavour clarity or neutrality is important—such as in fruity desserts, tropical drinks, or delicate floral cosmetics.

⚖️ Menthol Pros & Cons

✅ Strong, recognizable cooling✅ Easily available❌ Overpowering mint flavour❌ Can distort other ingredients❌ Shorter duration than newer options

🧊 The WS-Series: Cooling Without the Mint

The WS-series (short for Water Soluble) cooling agents are synthetic, odourless, flavourless compounds that also activate cold receptors—but without any taste.

These coolants are:

• 🌫️ Neutral (no minty flavour)

• 🧠 Targeted (each affects different areas of the mouth)

• ⏱️ Customizable (choose based on strength and duration)

• 🔥 Heat-stable (survive cooking, baking, or hot-fill processing)

Let’s break down each one.

🧊 WS-23: Clean, Smooth & Fast

WS-23 is currently one of the most popular cooling agents on the market.

• Cooling feel: Clean, flavourless, fast-acting

• Focus area: Tongue and front of the mouth

• Duration: Medium (~8 minutes)

• Flavour impact: None

🧪 Use in:

• 🍧 Ice creams and frozen desserts

• 🍹 Fruity drinks, cocktails

• 🧴 Topical creams and cooling gels

• 🧼 Face sprays, mists, shampoos

💡 Ideal dilution: 0.25% – 2%

🛒 Available as:WS-23 Cooling Agent powder or diluted (30% PG) – Pre-diluted is easy to use for small home aplications, sourced from Duomei Flavours (Scentium).

🧊 WS-5: Icy Blast with Long Duration

WS-5 delivers a very strong cooling effect—more intense than WS-23—and has longer persistence.

• Cooling feel: Smooth, very cold

• Focus area: Roof of mouth, back of tongue

• Duration: Long (~15–20 minutes)

• Flavour impact: None

🧪 Use in:

• ❄️ Extremely icy candy and gum

• 💊 Heat-relief sprays and oral cavity gels

• 🧴 Shaving products and after-sun lotions

💡 Suggested use:

• 0.5% – 1% for large projects

• Up to 3–4% for small-batch cooling bombs

🔄 Combine with WS-23 for a layered effect.

🧊 WS-3: Mild & Balanced

WS-3 (often known as Koolada) offers mild cooling and is especially useful when you want a subtle chill without any mint flavour.

• Cooling feel: Gentle, longer-lasting

• Focus area: Back of the mouth/throat

• Duration: Long

• Flavour impact: Slight, almost camphor-like

🧪 Use in:

• 🍬 Chewing gum and soft candies

• 🪥 Toothpaste, lozenges

• 🧼 Mild skincare and hair products

💡 Use rate: 0.5% – 2%

🧊 WS-12: Ultra-Long, Subtle Chill

WS-12 offers the longest-lasting cooling effect among WS agents—up to 30+ minutes—and is perfect when you want a lasting freshness that doesn't hit hard initially.

• Cooling feel: Smooth onset, very long tail

• Focus area: Front of tongue

• Duration: Very long

• Flavour impact: None

🧪 Use in:

• 🪥 Premium oral care (toothpaste, mouthwash)

• 🧴 Skincare, creams, deodorants

• 💊 Wellness balms and cooling rubs

💡 Use rate: 0.2% – 1.5%

📊 Cooling Agents Comparison Table

Cooling Agent	Strength	Duration	Flavour Impact	Focus Area
Menthol	High	Medium	Strong mint	Whole mouth
WS-3	Mild	Long (~10 min)	Minimal/camphor	Throat, back of mouth
WS-23	Medium–Strong	Medium (8 min)	None	Front of mouth
WS-5	Very Strong	Long (~15 min)	None	Roof/back of mouth
WS-12	Medium	Very Long (30+)	None	Front of tongue

🧴 Personal Care Uses

• 🧼 Toothpaste, oral rinses, and breath sprays

• 🧴 After-sun lotions, body creams, and facial mists

• 🧼 Shampoo, body wash, shaving foam

• 💊 Topical cooling gels, muscle rubs

🍬 Food & Beverage Uses

• 🍹 Sparkling water, energy drinks, and iced tea

• 🍧 Ice cream, yogurt, and frozen treats

• 🍬 Chewing gum, mints, hard candy

• 🥃 Chilled alcohol-based drinks and mixers

  
  

💡 Pro Formulation Tips

✅ Start low and build up: Cooling agents can be intense—test around 0.25%–1% first✅ Mix for control: Blend WS-23 (immediate) with WS-5 (deep) or WS-12 (long)✅ Add without altering flavour: Ideal for fruit, dairy, and floral notes✅ Heat-stable: Suitable for baked goods, heat-treated beverages, or hot-fill cosmetics

🛒 Where to Buy WS-23 Cooling Agents in Australia?

For high-quality, small-batch-friendly flavour concentrates and cooling agents, explore:

🛍️ Tastenest.com.au✔️ WS-23 (30% in Propylene Glycol) – Premium, food safe.✔️ WS-3, WS-5, WS-12 available✔️ Sourced from trusted manufacturer Duomei Flavours (Scentium)

✅ Conclusion: Cooling Without Compromise

If you’re developing a product that needs a refreshing, long-lasting chill—without minty side-effects—WS-series cooling agents are your best tool.

🎯 Use WS-23 for fast, clean coolness🎯 Choose WS-5 for powerful, deep icy blasts🎯 Pick WS-12 for subtle, long-lasting freshness🎯 Go with WS-3 for gentle, extended chill in the throat

Say goodbye to unwanted mint flavour. Say hello to cooling precision.

📝 Note on Pre-Diluted vs Powdered Cooling Agents

At Tastenest, we offer pre-diluted cooling agents (e.g., WS-23 at 30% in PG) to make them easy to use in small-batch or home-based applications, where handling powders or crystals is not practical.

If you're producing larger batches or working in a commercial lab setup where using powders is feasible, you may prefer to use pure cooling agent crystals for maximum concentration and flexibility.

🧊 Conclusion: Cooling Without Compromise

From candy to creams, drinks to deodorants, cooling agents give you control, flexibility, and flavour-free chill. Whether you're going for a quick cool blast or a lasting icy sensation, the WS series has you covered—without the limits of menthol.

🧊 Choose the right chill. Skip the mint. Stay cool.