Contents

z Definition
Flavoring agents z Classification
z Sources of flavor
z Functions of flavor
Assoc. Prof. Pham Van Hung z Production
z Application
z Analysis
z Benefits
z Legistration

Definition Definition

z What is a flavor? z What is a flavor?

z ‘‘A flavor is a substance which may be a z ‘‘Flavoring is a substance which has
single chemical entity, or a blend of predominantly odor-producing properties
chemicals of natural or synthetic origin, and which possibly affects the taste.’’(the
whose primary purpose is to provide all or Council of Europe).
part of the particular effect to any food or
other product taken in the mouth.’’ (The
Society of Flavor Chemists, 1969).
Why do we need?
z There are two main reasons:
z To add an intrinsic flavour - an example
being flavoured mineral water with citrus
extracts.
z To add a flavour which has been lost or
modified during processing. Example: Fruit
flavour in yogurt.
Calssification
Introduction
• More than 1,500 substances are used as food
flavorings. The majority are of natural origin or
are nature-identical.
• Only a few synthetic substances have been
approved as food flavoring.
• Three types of flavoring additives:
o flavorings
o flavor enhancers
o (non-nutritive) sweeteners
Classification
1. Natural aromatic raw materials
2. Natural flavoring substances
3. Nature-identical flavor substances
4. Artificial flavor substances
1. Natural aromatic raw materials
• a vegetable or animal product used
for its flavoring properties.
• is acceptable for human consumption
in the form in which it is used.
• Example: herbs, spices, fruit, fruit
juice, roasted coffee, meat, cheese,
wine, vinegar.
1. Natural aromatic raw materials
1 Basil 2 Bay Leaf 3 Chives
4 Cilantro 5 Dill 6 Marjoram
1. Natural aromatic raw materials
- Herbs
z Herbs refer to the leafy green parts of a plant
including leaves, roots, flowers, root bark,
inner bark.
z Herbs are used in small amounts and
provide flavor rather than substance to food.
z Herbs have medicinal properties
z Natural antioxidants and vitamins
z Herbs are used for food, flavoring, medicine,
or perfume.
1. Natural aromatic raw materials
7 Mint 8 Oregano 9a Curly Parsley
9b Flat Leaf Parsley 10 Rosemary 11 Sage
1. Natural aromatic raw materials
12 Tarragon
1. Natural aromatic raw materials
- Spices
z A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, berry, bud or
vegetable substance primarily used for flavoring,
coloring or preserving food.
z Spices have a more intense flavor than herbs and are
used in small quantities.
z Some flavor elements in spices are soluble in water;
13 Thyme
many are soluble in oil or fat.
z Many spices have antimicrobial properties.
z A spice may be available in several forms: fresh,
whole dried, or pre-ground dried.

1. Natural aromatic raw materials 1. Natural aromatic raw materials

14 Cinnamon bark, 20 Brown and white

15 Galangal 16 Ginger root 21 Parsley root
sticks and ground mustard seeds with 22a Peppercorn bush
cinnamon ground mustard powder

23 Assorted colored
22c Whole, crushed and
sesame seeds
18 Lemongrass 19 Nutmeg and Mace 22b Assorted peppercorns ground peppercorns
17 Horseradish
1. Natural aromatic raw materials 2. Natural flavoring substances

• Flavoring substances obtained from plant

or animal raw materials, by physical,
microbiological or enzymatic processes.

24 Saffron Threads 25 Star Anise

• They can be either used in their natural
26 Tamarind Pods
and Seeds state or processed for human consumption,
but cannot contain any nature-identical or
artificial flavoring substances.
• Example: citral by fractionation from oil of
lemongrass
27 Vanilla bean 28 Wasabi powder

Essential oils Essential oils

z Composition
z An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid
¾ Monoterpene hydrocarbons
containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. - α-Pinene, Sabinene, Myrcene, Limonene,…
z Essential oils are also known as volatile oils. ¾ Oxygenated monoterpenes
- Linalool, Terpinen-4-ol, α-Terpineol,…
z An oil is "essential" in the sense that it contains the
¾ Sesquiterpene hydrocarbons
"essence of" the plant's fragrance.
- β-Caryophyllene, α-Humulene, Germacrene D,…
z used in perfumes, cosmetics, soaps, for flavoring food ¾ Oxygenated sesquiterpenes
and drink, and for adding scents to incense and - Spathulenol, Caryophyllene oxide
household cleaning products. ¾ Phenols
z used in massage, diffused in the air by a nebulizer, ¾ Carbonylic compounds
heated over a candle flame, or burned as incense. ¾ Hydrocarbons
¾ Others
Essential oils Hydrodistillation

z Production
¾ Distillation
¾ Expression
¾ Solvent extraction

Microwave-assited distillation Expression

Solvent extraction 3. Nature-identical flavor substances

™ obtained by synthesis
™ isolated through chemical processes from a
natural aromatic raw materials
™ chemically identical to a substance present
in natural products intended for human
consumption.
™ Example: vanillin from lignin; citral obtained
by chemical synthesis or from oil of
lemongrass through its bisulfate derivative.

3. Nature-identical flavoring substances 4. Artificial flavor substances

Chemical Odor
Diacetyl, Acetylpropionyl, Acetoin Buttery
™ Substances obtained by chemical synthesis or
Isoamyl acetate Banana
chemical modification of natural substances,
Benzaldehyde Bitter almond, Cherry but which are not present in natural products.
Cinnamaldehyde Cinnamon
™ They have not been identified in a natural
Ethyl propionate Fruity
Methyl anthranilate Grape
product intended for human consumption.
Limonene Orange ™ Although they are chemically different, in
Ethyl decadienoate Pear
sensory characteristics they are the same as
Allyl hexanoate Pineapple
Ethyl maltol Sugar, Cotton candy
natural ones.
Ethylvanillin Vanilla ™ Example: ethyl vanillin
Methyl salicylate Wintergreen
Benefits of flavors
z Economic benefits
¾ Some healthful, nutritional food preparations
might have undesirable tastes (e.g., soya and
vitamins). Flavors that can modify their taste and
make these nutritional, economical food
preparations more palatable would be desirable.
¾ Use of flavor to compensate for flavor losses in
food processing or to extend freshness during
storage.
Benefits of flavors
z Physiological benefits
¾ Various studies on taste and fat digestion
provide some indication that taste can alter
the metabolic response to a fatty meal.
¾ Research on taste and intestinal absorption
of glucose proposes that oral stimulation
affects intestinal absorption.

Benefits of flavors Production

z Psychological benefits
¾ The main role of a flavor is to provide
sensory pleasure.
¾ Pleasure is directly dependent on a
consumer’s belief, intellect, and cognitive
factors of how much natural is healthier.
¾ Religious belief can also have an important
influence on pleasure perception.
Production
z The Biosynthetic approach
z Increased yields of essential oils, oleoresin, and
flavor components by the use of enzymes in the
processing of natural materials
z Plant cloning for maximum yields of secondary
metabolites
z Modified traditional fermentation systems to produce
flavor enhanced bases for direct use or further
concentration
z Secondary metabolites from in vitro tissue culture of
vegetable cells.
Flavor products
Production
z Thermally produced flavors
z A protein nitrogen source, for example, meat,
poultry, dairy products, seafood, and their
hydrolysis products
z A carbohydrate source, for example, vegetable,
fruit, sugars, and their hydrolysis products
z A fat or fatty source
z Herbs, spices, water, selected vitamins, acid,
emulsifiers, and nucleotides
z Flavoring preparations and flavor adjuncts to be
added after processing.
Application
z Flavor-dependent. These are foods and
beverages that cannot exist without the
application of flavors: hard-boiled candy,
chewing gum, carbonated and nonjuice
drinks, gelatin desserts, and powdered
artificial beverages.
z Flavor-independent. These are products that
can be marketed without flavors (crackers,
cereals, nuts) or for which flavors are legally
prohibited (milk, orange juice, and butter).
Application Analysis

z Dehydrated vegetables can be used as z Isolation of the volatile flavor components

seasonings
z Onions, garlic, sweet red pepper, and mint
z Freeze-dried chives and shallots
z Condiments
z Combinations of herbs and spices with a
liquid base (examples: mustard, relish)
from the bulk of the nonvolatile matrix
z Separation of these components into
individual or small groups of components
z Identification of the flavor components.

Analytical techniques

z Extraction
¾ Distillation, expression, solvent extraction
z Identification The end!
¾ GC, GC-MS