4.

MANUFACTURE OF FOOD FLAVOR

I. Natural or Imitation Flavor

1) Price
2) Availability of raw material
3) Permissibility under current legislation (toxicity test)
4) Type of end product in which the flavoring is to be used

II. Problems of Using Natural Flavors

1) Many natural flavor have low intensity, it should be used at a high dosage which
results in an unsatisfactory texture and poor stability.
2) Concentration of natural flavors is usually accompanied by significant changes in
the flavor profile.
3) Natural flavors exhibit variations in strength and quality.
4) The supply of natural materials is becoming uncertain.
5) Most natural flavors are unstable and undergo changes during postharvest
handling, processing or storage.
6) Many natural products contain enzyme systems which may result in the formation
of off-notes.
7) The toxicity of many natural products has yet to be established.

III. Disadvantages of Using Imitation Flavors

1) Original natural flavor more subtle

imitation flavor maybe described as “chemical”
2) Difficulties in “labeling”
3) Many natural flavors have a built in reservoir of flavor precursors which can
result in the generation of additional flavor imitation flavors are not.
4) Imitation flavor generally require the use of either a solvent or a carrier
5) Restriction by legislation
6) Problems with texture in the end product

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IV. Advantage of Imitation Flavor

1) Cheaper than natural flavor

2) Stable
3) Can be design to withstand severe processing condition
4) Can be produced in a variety of forms ( e.g., alcohol-based, oil-based, or
encapsulated powders )
5) Generally readily available
6) Consistency of quality

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V. Methods in Synthetic Flavor Reconstitution

1) Scientific Approach

Isolation of flavor concentrate

Separation of components

Identification
Quantitative GC analysis

Synthesis

Scientifically reconstituted formulation

(correct until GC identical )
Organoleptically adjusted formulation

Process and product development

1) Application
2) Physical formulation
3) Synthetic process development

Manufacture and end use in consumer product

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Limitations

a. Some compounds decompose or do not come out of GC

b. Wide variety of flavor threshold (Some compounds can not be identified.

2) Organoleptic Approach
Example
Smell-taste analysis of food or
flavor concentrate Blue cheese

Resolution into subjective arbitrary Buttery, fatty, moldy

quality components

1 buttery, 5 fatty, 3 moldy

Assigning of rough intensity value
to each quality component

Diacetyl, methyl nonyl

Association of quality components ketone, methyl amyl ketone
with known flavor

Formulation of reconstituted flavor 0.3% diacetyl

5% methyl nonyl ketone
1% methyl amyl ketone
Same steps as in scientific reconstitution

Limitations
a. labeling
b. toxicity
c. no precursor
d. an artistic craft rather than science