“The Nature and Application of Food Flavors In Food Industry”

Assignment of Advance Food Chemistry II

“The Nature and Application of Food Flavors

In Food Industry”

B.K. Kolita Kamal Jinadasa,

M.Sc. Food Science and Technology,
Department of Food Science and Technology,
University of Sri Jayawardanapura,
Index No:…….…

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 “The Nature and Application of Food Flavors In Food Industry”

Index Page No:

The nature and application of food flavor in food industry 01

Objective of flavor chemistry 01
Definition of flavor 02
Why do we add flavors to food? 03
Classification of flavors 04
Natural flavoring material 07
Flavor changes during food storage 09
What is taste? 10
What is an Aroma Chemical? 10
Production of flavoring materials 14
Food flavors 14
Flavor analysis 17
Some important food flavors 17
References 25

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 “The Nature and Application of Food Flavors In Food Industry”

The nature and application of food flavor in food industry:

Generally, the term “flavor” has evolved to a usage that implies an overall integrated
perception of all of the contributing senses (smell, taste, sight, feeling, and sound) at the
time of food consumption.
Flavor is very important for the acceptability of foods, confectionary, medicines and
drinks. Several sensory systems are involved in flavor detection depending on
physicochemical properties of stimulating molecules (i.e. volatility, lipid and water
solubility) along with receptive properties of different receptors present in nose and oral
cavity.
Three chemosensory modalities contribute to flavor perception;
Olfactory
Gustatory
Trigeminal
Difficult is to distinguish their relative importance during eating and generally this justify
the use of the global category of “flavor”.

Objective of flavor chemistry:

1. To understand the chemical composition of natural flavors and the mechanism of
their formation.
2. To retard or prevent the development of the off-flavors in food. E.g. Reversion
flavor in soybean oil, Hexenal, 2-pentyl furan (they are resulted from
polyunsaturated triglycerides, i.e. linolenate, linoleate)
3. To restore the fresh flavors to a processed food.
4. To improve the flavor of food by the addition of synthetic flavor.
5. To produce new foods with special flavor such as potato chip flavor.
6. To improve flavor by the acceleration of reactions which produce desirable flavor
compounds (onion flavor; pH 5-7).
7. To assist geneticist to breed food raw material with improved flavor compounds
or flavor compounds or flavor precursors.
8. To specify raw material and to control quality of food products. E.g. Ceylon tea
contains cis-heaxenol, India tea doesn’t contain cis-hexenol.

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Definition of flavor:
There are many definition, few definitions are mentioned bellow.
1. Flavor is a sensation as felt by the nose and the tongue and interpreted by brain
centers.
2. Chemical sensations elicited by a vast number of molecules released by food
during eating into the air in the mouth and then to the olfactory epithelium in the
nose.
3. According to British standards flavour is a combination of taste and odour which
may be influenced by sensation of pain, heat, cold and tactile sensation.
4. Flavor is the sensation produced by a material taken in the mouth, perceived
principally by the senses of taste and smell, and also by the general pain, tactile
and temperature receptors in the mouth. Flavor also denotes the sum of the
characteristics of the material which produces that sensation.
5. Flavor is one of the three main sensory properties which are decisive in the
selection, acceptance and ingestion of a food.
Stimulus Man senses Response (sensory property)
Sight Appearance
Taste
Odour Flavor
Food Hearing
Touch Texture
kinesthesis
Table 1: Food flavors and main senses
Food flavours are present due to following reasons;
• Pre existing in food materials such as meat, fish, fruits and vegetables.
• Develop from food pre-cursors by the effect of heat during cooking.
• Deliberately added as concentrating flavourings and seasonings. These can be
natural or artificial.
Food flavors are two types;
1. Desirable flavor
E.g. Orange juice, potato chip, roast beef

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2. Undesirable flavor (off flavor)

E.g. Oxidized, stable, rancid, warmed-over

All flavors should be;

• Quite harmless to the consumer.
• Should strictly comply with all the legislative requirements prevailing in the
country.
• Technologically and aesthetically compatible.
• Readily handled by food processing section.
• Capable of measuring accurate dosage.
• Readily and uniformly miscible.
• Stable.
• Resistant to storage.
• Economical to both user and producer.

Why do we add flavours to food?

• To give a flavour to a flavourless base.
• To impart a different flavour character to a material (e.g. noodles with different
flavours)
• To enhance weak flavours.
• To replace a natural flavour lost during processing (fruit processing industry,
artificial coffee, etc.)
• To modify an existing flavour profile. (e.g. coffee and chocolate flavoured cakes)
• To disguise an objectionable flavour character. (Soya flavour)
• To overcome any seasonal variations in natural flavour.
• To make available at an economical price where the flavour of a natural material
which is expensive. (synthetic vanillin)

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 “The Nature and Application of Food Flavors In Food Industry”

Classification of flavors:
Flavours can be classified according to
• food variety
• chemical structure
• volatiles
• origin
Flavors according to the food variety (class):
Flavor class Sub division Representative example
Fruit flavor Citrus type flavor (terpeny) Grapefruit, orange
Berry type flavor Apple, raspberry, banana
Vegetable flavor Lettuce, celery
Spice flavor Aromatic Cinnamon, peppermint
Lachrymogenic Onion, garlic
Hot Pepper, ginger
Beverage flavor Unfermented flavor Juices, milk
Fermented flavor Wine, beer, tea
Compounded flavor Soft drink
Meat flavor Mammal flavor Lean beef
Seafood flavor Fish, clams
Fat flavor Olive oil, coconut fat, pork fat,
butter fat
Cooked flavor Broth Beef bouillon
Vegetable Legume, potatoes
Fruit Marmalade
Processed flavor Smoky flavor Ham
Broiled, fried flavor Processed meat product
Roasted, toasted, baked flavor Cereals
Stench flavor Cheese
Table 2: Flavors according to the food variety.

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 “The Nature and Application of Food Flavors In Food Industry”

Flavors according to chemical structure:

Flavors are organic compounds belonging to different chemical classes; Alcohol,
aldehydes, amines, esters, lactones, trepenes etc.
Chemical class Example
Hydrocarbons Limonene, pinene, α-phellandrene, β-caryophyllene
Alcohol Hexanol. Cis-3-hexen-4-ol, geraniol, citronellol, eugenol
Aldehyde Acetaldehyde, hexanal, citral, vanillin
Ketones Diacetyl, b-ionone, nootkanone
Acid Acetic, propionic, butyric acid
Esters Ethyl acetate, lynalil acetate, ethyl phenyl acetate, methyl
dihydrojasmonate
Lactones γ- nonalactone, δ-decalactone, γ-undecalactone
N-contain compounds Trimethyl amine
Heterocyclic Furans, pyrazines, pyridines, thiazoles
compounds
Table 3: Flavors according to chemical structure
Flavours according to the origin
1. Entirely natural
Flavours that are produced naturally by chemical and biochemical (enzymatic) processes
which are active in plants or animals during their growth and ripening of vegetable and
fruit, meat maturation, E.g. Strawberry flavor (difference among flavor of different
strawberry varieties is due to different concentration ratios in key flavor compounds due
to variety, cultivar, year of production, ripening stage). According to the US Code of
Federal Regulations, a natural flavor or flavoring is the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or
extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or
enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit
juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant
material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof,
whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.

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2. Nature identical chemicals

Chemical components entirely made by man but found in nature and these are found in
edible foods and also in related materials. E.g. vanilla, strawberry, mango, banana etc.

3. Synthetic flavours
Blend of natural and synthetic flavour compounds. Some have 50% natural and 50%
synthetic.

4. Artificial flavors
These components are entirely made by man and not found in nature. E.g. Ethyl vanillin,
MSG (Monosodium glutamate, also known as sodium glutamate and MSG, is a sodium
salt of the non-essential amino acid glutamic acid. It is used as a food additive and is
commonly marketed as a flavor enhancer. It has the HS code 29224220 and the E number
E621. Trade names of monosodium glutamate include Ajinomoto, Vetsin, and Accent.
Although traditional Asian cuisine had often used seaweed extract, which contains high
concentrations of glutamic acid, MSG was not isolated until 1907. MSG was
subsequently patented by Ajinomoto Corporation of Japan in 1909. In its pure form, it
appears as a white crystalline powder; when dissolved in water or saliva, it rapidly
dissociates into sodium cations and glutamate anions (glutamate is the anionic form of
glutamic acid, a naturally occurring amino acid). MSG is prepared by the fermentation of
carbohydrates; using bacteria species from genera such as Brevibacterium, Arthrobacter,
Microbacterium, and Corynebacterium are useful. Yields of 100 g/litre can be prepared in
this way. From 1909 to the mid 1960s, MSG was prepared by the hydrolysis of wheat
gluten, which is roughly 25% glutamic acid. Glutamic acid is one of the least soluble
amino acids, thus facilitating its purification. Like the sodium salts of other amino acids,
MSG is a stable colourless solid that is degraded by strong oxidizing agents. It exists as
enantiomers, but only the naturally occurring L-glutamate form is used as a flavour
enhancer.

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Natural flavoring material:

Natural flavouring materials are plants and parts of the plant which have been recognized
from a very long time as food flavouring compounds. E.g. curry leaves, Rampe.
Herbs are soft stemmed plant materials which generate aroma when crushed or ground.
E.g. Rosemary
Spices are aromatic plant materials used in the flavouring or seasoning of the food
material. E.g. coriander, pepper, chilli etc.
Condiments are seasonings which are added to food after it has been served. E.g. pepper,
mustard, ginger etc.
Other aromatic plant materials like citrus are used in flavouring the food material.
Vanilla is a flavour material developed during post harvest fermentation of the vanilla
bean.
Natural flavours can be divided into two groups.
1. primary
2. secondary
Secondary flavours are of two types according to the origin. They are biological origin
and thermal origin.
Source Primary Secondary
Biological Thermal
Botanical Fruits, vegetables, Wine , vinegar Coffee , cocoa,
spices, flavones caramel
Animal Fish, beef, chicken, Fermented milk, Roasted chicken,
milk cheese, sausages grilled fish, roasted
beef
Table 4: Flavors according to source
Flavor in foods process induced
Heating (cooking, roasting)
Maillard reaction products
Caramellisation
Chemical reaction
Thermal degradation

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Microbial metabolism (fermented sausages, cheese, raw ham...)

As an example, more than 2000 molecules produce during the coffee roasting.
1. Maillard or non enzymatic browning reaction between nitrogen containing
substances, amino acids, proteins, as well as trigonelline, serotonin, and
carbohydrates, hydroxyl-acids and phenols on the other
2. Strecker degradation
3. Degradation of individual amino acids
4. Degradation of trigonelline
5. Degradation of sugar
6. Degradation of phenolic acids, particularly the quinic acid moiety
7. Minor lipid degradation
8. Interaction between intermediate decomposition products.
The more important aroma compounds in coffee are given below table.
Volatile cpds Concentration Aroma
(mg/L) description
(E)-β-Damascenone 1.95x10-1 Honey like,
fruity
2-Furfurylthiole 1.08 Roasty (coffee)
3-Mercapto-3-methylbutylformate 1.3x10-1 Catty, roasty
2-Methyl-2-buten-1-thiole 8.2x10-3 Amine like
-2
2-Isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine 8.3x10 Earthy
5-Ethyl-4-hydroxy-2-methyl-3(2H)-furanone 1.73x10-1
Guaiacol 4.20 Phenolic, spicy
2,3- Butanedione 5.08x10-1 Buttery
4-Vinylguaiacol 6.48x10-1 Spicy
2,3-Pentanedione 3.96x10-1 Buttery
Methional 2.4x10-1 Potato like sweet
2-Isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine 3.3x10-3 Earthy, roasty
Vanillin 4.8 vanilla

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4-Hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl -3(2H)-furanone 1.09x10-2 Caramel like

2-ethyl-3,5-dimethyl pyrazine 3.3x10-1 Earthy, roasty
2,3-diethyl-5-methyl pyrazine 9.5x10-2 Earthy, roasty
3-Hydroxy-4,5-dimethyl -2(5H)-furanone 1.47 Seasoning like
4-Ethylguaiacol 1.63 Spicy
5-Ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-methyl-2(5H)-furanone 1.6x10-1 Seasoning like
Table 5: Aroma cpds in coffee
Flavor changes during food storage:
Flavors are changed during food storage, there are four ways.
1. Due to nature of flavor compounds
Evaporation
Chemical reaction; oxidation (i.e. alcohols, eldehydes), cleavage, polymerization,
interaction with other compounds (i.e. lipid oxidation)
2. Due to continuing aroma biogenesis
Evolution of the flavor due to aroma compounds production during fruit
maturation (green banana flavor ≠ mature banana flavor)
3. Due to tissue disruption or enzyme reaction
During processing (cutting, crushing); release of aroma precursors and this
induces enzyme reactions (i.e. garlic, onion, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels
sprouts, mushrooms.
4. Due to processing induced reactions
Evolution of Maillard reaction
Lipid oxidation

What is taste?
Taste is mainly due to non-volatile substances. There are four primary tastes that can be
detected. They are sweet, sour, salt and bitter.
Sweetness: sweetness is detected by taste buds at the tip of tongue. However, buds at the
base of the tongue detect a few sweet substances. Sweetness has been attributed to be a
special characteristic of sugars. However, sugars are much less sweet than sucrose, and
some varieties of sugars are not at all sweet.

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Sourness: sourness is always assumed to be a property of acidic solutions. In most fruits

and fruit juices, citric acid and malic acid are responsible for all the acidity and sourness.
Saltiness: saltiness is detected on the sides and tip of the tongue and elicited by many
inorganic salts besides common salt. Sodium chloride, particularly the sodium ion has a
major role in imparting flavour to foods.
Bitterness: bitterness is associated with several classes of chemicals and is detected by
taste buds at the back of the tongue. Phenolic substances in the form of flavanoids are
important sources of bitterness in fruit juices, particularly citrus fruits

What is an Aroma Chemical?

Aroma chemicals (also known as odorant, aroma, fragrance, flavor) are volatile
compounds which are sensed by the odour receptor sites in the olfactory tissue in the
nasal cavity.
A chemical compounds has a smell or odor when two conditions are met;
1. The compounds need to be volatile, so it can be transported to the olfactory
system in the upper part of the nose.
2. It needs to be in a sufficiently high concentration to be able to interact with one or
more of the olfactory receptors.
But not all volatile substances have odors, as well as no direct relation between molecular
structure of a chemical compounds and its flavor. The shape and polarity of the
compounds determine their odour, in nature exist stereoisomer showing qualitative and
quantitative differences in their odor.
1R, 2R-(-)-methyl dihydrojasmonate- floral sweet, jasmine like in wild strawberry

1S, 2S-(+) - methyl dihydrojasmonate-floral, fatty, hay character, tea note slightly lemon
peel like

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Some of aroma compounds and odour descriptor can be table like this
Chemicals Order
Diacetyl Buttery
Isoamyl acetate Banana
Cinnamic aldehyde Cinnamon
Ethyl propionate Fruity
Limonene Orange
Ethyl – (E,Z)- 2,4- decadienote Pear
Allyl hexatone Pineapple
Ethyl maltol Sugar, cotton candy
Methyl salicylate Wintergreen
Benzaldehyde Bitter almond
Table 6: Aroma cpds and its odour
The following table gives an insight into which aroma compounds are important in which
flavor.
Food Character‐impact compound Contributory flavour compounds

Almonds Benzaldehyde vanilla

Apple Ethyl 2 methy butyrate Hexenal, trans -2 hexenal,
acetaldehyde
Banana iso Amyl acetate Eugenol, acetaldehyde

Blackcurrant para Menta-8- thio-3-one Esters, ionone, terpenes

Corps de Cassis (4(Methyl
Thio)-4-Methyl-2-pentanone)
Butter Diacetyl Di methyl sulphide, delta deca
lactone, gamma lactones, butyric
acid
Cabbage Di methyl disulphide 2- propenyl, iso thiocyanate
Celery 3- Isobutylidene-3,4 Cis -3 Hexenyl pyruvate, 2,3 -
dihydophthadide Butanedione

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Lemon Citral d- Limonene

Mushroom 1- Octen-3-one
Mango Terpenes (Alpha Pinene, Beta Sulphur compounds, Esters, Cis-3-
Ocimene) Hexenol, Undecalactone
Pear Ethyl trans 2,cis 4- Hexyl acetate, iso Amyl acetate
decadienoates

Potato 2 Ethyl -3- Methoxy pyrazine Methional

Strawberry Furaneol, Cis-3-Hexenol, Undecalactone, Methyl Cinnimate,
Ethyl Butyrate, Ethyl methyl Diacetyl
phenyl glycidate.

Raspberry 1-p-Hydroxyphenyl-3- cis-3-Hexenol Damascenone, Alpha

butanone (Raspberry ketone) & Beta Ionones
Tangerine/ d limonene Methyl n- methyl anthranilate,
Mandarin thymol
Tomato cooked di methyl sulphide trans 2 Hexenal, cis -3- Hexenal, 2-
iso Butylthiazole, beta ionone
Table 7: Aroma cpds and its flavors
The number of volatile aroma substances in food is very large and these occur in very
low concentrations. The aroma of a food may be dependent on a single compound or on
the so called character impact compounds.
Aromas are generated in foods primarily by three processes.
• Enzymatic and microbial processes which liberate low molecular weight volatile
chemicals. (Biological reactions are particularly important in the aromas of fruits
and vegetables, berries, fermented dairy products and alcoholic beverages.)
• Production of chemical precursors during a fermentation step. Subsequent heating
generates aromas from these biologically derived precursors. (cocoa and bread
aroma)
• Non-enzymatic processes resulting from thermal treatment such as cooking and
roasting. These reactions typically include thermal decomposition of lipids,
carbohydrates and proteins.

The lowest concentration of a compound that can be directly recognized by its odour or
taste is designated as the threshold value of the flavour compound. Odour threshold
values of different aroma compounds depend on their vapour pressure which is affected
by both temperature and medium.

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The Maillard or non-enzymatic reaction is important in developing the desirable aromas

of roasted and baked foods such as coffee, meat, nuts, chocolate and breads. These
aromas arise primarily from the reaction of non-volatile carbohydrates and amino-
containing groups. The precursors may be present in the food before heating, may be
generated by heating, or may arise from biochemical processes. In addition, thermal
processes play a role in the development of flavours in cooked fruits and vegetables.
Many of the essential flavouring substances in plants are volatile oils which are
responsible for aroma.
Flavour/Aroma Components
Fruity flavour Alcohols, esters, terpenes, γ-decalactone
Bready aroma 2,5-dimethylfuranone, pyrrolidine
Caramel flavour Hydroxyfuranones, pyrones, maltol
Roasted aroma Thiophenes, pyrroles, pyrazines, methyl
pyrazines
Buttery aroma 4-butyrolactone diacetyl
Tomato aroma Thiazoles
Meaty aroma Meaty aromas frequently associated with
sulfur compounds, many of which are
present only in trace amounts.

Different aroma molecules are characteristics by different concentration at which they are
perceived. Psychophysically, a threshold can be defined as the minimum concentration of
a stimulus that,
Can be detected (absolute threshold)
Discriminated (just noticeable difference)
Recognized (recognition threshold)
There is no direct relation between thresholds and its molecular structure or volatility. As
example for odour threshold vanillin - 20-200 ppm, γ-decalactone – 11 ppb, cis-3-
hexenol- 70 ppm, ethyl butyrate – 0.001 ppm.

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Production of flavoring materials:

1. From natural sources (spices, herbs, vegetable components): removal of the non
flavoring materials and concentration
By distillation – E.g. from citrus juices, essential oil and essence oil rich in
terpenes
By solvent extraction – it permit to extract flavor compounds on the basis of their
polarity. It is necessary to choice the solvent like ethanol or petroleum ether
2. Chemical synthesis

Food flavors:
Flavours in herbs and spices
Spices generally are derived from tropical plants, while herbs are generally derived from
subtropical or nontropical plants. Spices generally contain high concentrations of
phenylpropanoids. Herbs generally contain higher concentration of p-menthanoids.
Typically, spices and herbs contain a large number of volatile compounds but in most
instances certain compounds, either abundant or minor volatile constituents provide
character impact aromas and flavour to the material.
e.g. Turmeric – turmerone, zingeriberene, 1, 8-cineole
Pepper – piperine, δ-3-carene, β-carophyllene
Clove – eugenol, eugenylacetate
Cinnamon – cinnamaldehyde, eugenol
Rosemary – verbenone, 1,8-cineole, camphor, linalool

Dairy flavours
Combination of acetic acid, diacetyl and acetaldehyde provides much of the characteristic
aroma of cultured butter and buttermilk. Homofermentative lactic acid bacteria produce
only lactic acid, acetaldehyde and ethanol in milk cultures. Acetaldehyde is the character-
impact compound found in yoghurt, a product prepared by a homofermentative process.
Diacetyl is the character-impact compound in most mixed strain lactic fermentations, and

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has become dairy or butter-type flavorant. Lactic acid contributes sourness to cultured or
fermented dairy products.

Volatiles in vegetables
Many fresh vegetables exhibit green-earthy aromas where methoxy alkyl pyrazines are
frequently responsible for it.
E.g. 2-Methoxy-3-isobutylpyrazine – bell pepper aroma
2-methoxy-3 isopropyl pyrazine – raw potatoes
2-methoxy-3-s-butylpyrazine – raw red beetroot

Vanilla flavour
Vanillin, the most important characterizing compound in vanilla extracts, can be obtained
via Shikimic acid pathway or as a lignin by-product during processing of wood pulp and
paper. Vanillin is also biochemically synthesized in the vanilla bean, where it initially is
present largely as vanillin glucoside until the glucoside is hydrolysed during
fermentation.
Vanilla flavour can be obtained by mixing Vanillin – 3g, Ethyl vanillin – 4g,
Monopropylene glycol – 20g and Caramel together

Cocoa flavour
After harvesting, cocoa beans are fermented under somewhat poorly controlled
conditions. The beans are then roasted, sometimes with an intervening alkali treatment
that darkens the colour and yields a less harsh flavour. The fermentation hydrolyses
sucrose to reducing sugars, frees amino acids and oxidizes some polyphenols. During
roasting many pyrazines and other heterocyclics are formed, but the unique flavour of
cocoa is derived from an interaction between aldehydes from the strecker degradation
reaction.

Banana flavour
Isoamyl acetate – 50g, Monopropylene glycol – 50g

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Almond flavour
Benzaldehyde 50%, Monopropylene glycol 50%

Strawberry flavour
Amyl acetate – 25 parts, amyl valerate – 7parts, Bulgarian rose – 4 parts, ethyl acetate –
30 parts, ethyl butyrate – 4 parts, ethyl nitrate – 8 parts, methyl benzoate – 2parts, methyl
cinnamete – 1 part, phenylethyl alcohol – 10 parts, yara yara (20% solution in benzyl
benzoate) – 7 parts.
Tea flavour is due to linalool

Chocolet & Coffee flavour

α-furfuryl mercaptan -10%, ethyl vanillin – 3%, solvent 87%. Chocolate is still an
difficult flavour to perfect and has many different profiles. A combination of roast,
fermented beans, vanilla and cooked milk. Natural vanilla extract is used in the best and
most expensive chocolates. Tasting these chocolates is an experience you should try.
Nothing compares to the complex flavour of real natural vanilla extract.

Cheese flavour
Butyric acid – 70 g, caproic acid- 35g, butyl butyryl lactate – 70g, isovaleric acid – 70g,
ethyl butyrate – 70g, methyl n- amyl ketone, alcohol (95%) – 560g, propylene glycol –
3570 g.

Mint Oils:
Peppermint oil is the most common mint oil used in flavouring. It is used in sweets,
toothpaste, and liqueurs. It is made by steam distilling the plant before flowering. There
are two main varieties, Mentha piperita and Mentha arvensis(cornmint) Piperita is grown
in North America and is the main oil used in toothpastes etc. There are numerous
growing areas and all these areas produce slightly different oils. Cineol and menthofuran
are unique to piperita. Mentha Arvensis is grown in India and China and is the main
source of natural menthol and a cheaper blending oil. Spearmint oil is mostly used in
toothpastes, blended with menthol, peppermint oil and anethol. It is to a much lesser

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extent used is chewing gums and sweets. The main component is l carvone but it is only a
contributor not the total flavour.

Flavor analysis:
Several aim have to analysis flavor which are characterize food flavor, determine
concentration of selected aroma compounds, detect presence specific components,
evaluate flavor intensity and evaluate flavor compounds partitioning (k). The instrument
like gas chromatography (GC), mass chromatography (GCMS), electronic nose as well as
trained sensory analyzer also used to analyze the flavor.

Some important food flavors:

1. Camphor:

Camphor is a waxy, white or transparent solid with a strong, aromatic odor.It is a

terpenoid with the chemical formula C10H16O. It is found in wood of the camphor
laurel (Cinnamomum camphora), a large evergreen tree found in Asia. Currently,
camphor is mostly used as a flavoring for sweets in Asia. In ancient and medieval
Europe it was widely used as ingredient for sweets but it is now mainly used for
medicinal purposes. Camphor was used as a flavoring in confections resembling
ice cream. Camphor is widely used in cooking (mainly for dessert dishes) in
India.

2. Capsaicin:

Capsaicin 8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide, is the active component of chili

peppers, which are plants belonging to the genus Capsicum. It is an irritant for
mammals, including humans, and produces a sensation of burning in any tissue
with which it comes into contact. Capsaicin and several related compounds are
called capsaicinoids and are produced as a secondary metabolite by chili peppers,

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probably as deterrents against certain herbivores and fungi. Pure capsaicin is a

hydrophobic, colorless, odorless, and crystalline to waxy.

3. Carene:

Carene or delta-3-carene, is a bicyclic monoterpene which occurs naturally as a

constituent of turpentine, with a content as high as 42% depending on the source.
Carene has a sweet and pungent odor. It is not soluble in water, but miscible with
fats and oils.

4. Caryophyllene:

Caryophyllene, or (−)-β-caryophyllene, is a natural bicyclic sesquiterpene that is a

constituent of many essential oils, especially clove oil, the oil from the stems and
flowers of Syzygium aromaticum (cloves), the essential oil of hemp Cannabis
sativa, and rosemary Rosmarinus oficinalis. Caryophyllene is one of the chemical
compounds that contribute to the spiciness of black pepper. Trans-Caryophyllene
constitutes about 3.8–37.5% of cannabis flower essential oil. Essential oil of
cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) contains about 6.9–11.1% beta-
caryophyllene.

5. Cinnamaldehyde:

Cinnamic aldehyde or cinnamaldehyde (more precisely trans-cinnamaldehyde, the

only naturally-occurring form) is the chemical compound that gives cinnamon its
flavor and odor. Cinnamaldehyde occurs naturally in the bark of cinnamon trees

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and other species of the genus Cinnamomum like camphor and cassia. These trees
are the natural source of cinnamon, and the essential oil of cinnamon bark is about
90% cinnamaldehyde. The most obvious application for cinnamaldehyde is as a
flavoring. and concentrations required for flavoring food items like chewing gum,
ice cream, candy, and beverages. Cinnamaldehyde is used in some perfumes of
natural, sweet, or fruity scents. Cinnamaldehyde is also used as a fungicide.
Cinnamaldehyde has recently been recognized as a very effective insecticide for
mosquito larvae. Cinnamaldehyde can be used as a food adulterant; powdered
beechnut husk aromatized with cinnamaldehyde can be marketed as powdered
cinnamon.

6. cis-3-Hexen-1-ol:

cis-3-Hexen-1-ol also known as (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol and leaf alcohol, is a colorless

oily liquid with an intense grassy-green odor of freshly cut green grass and leaves.
It is produced in small amounts by most plants and it acts as an attractant to many
predatory insects. cis-3-Hexen-1-ol is a very important aroma compound that is
used in fruit and vegetable flavors and in perfumes. cis-3-Hexen-1-ol is an alcohol
and its esters are also important flavor and fragrance raw materials.

7. Citral:

3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadienal or lemonal, is either of a pair of terpenoids with the

molecular formula C10H16O. The two compounds are double bond isomers. The
E-isomer is known as geranial or citral A. The Z-isomer is known as neral or
citral B. Geranial has a strong lemon odor. Citral is therefore an aroma compound
used in perfumery for its citrus effect. Citral is also used as a flavor and for
fortifying lemon oil. It also has strong anti-microbial qualities and pheromonal
effects in insects. Citral is used in the synthesis of vitamin A, ionone, and
methylionone, and to mask the smell of smoke.

8. Cloves:

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Cloves are the aromatic dried flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae. The
compound eugenol is responsible for most of the characteristic aroma of cloves.
The compound responsible for the cloves' aroma is eugenol. It is the main
component in the essential oil extracted from cloves, comprising 72-90%. Cloves
can be used in cooking either whole or in a ground form, but as they are
extremely strong, they are used sparingly. The spice is used throughout Europe
and Asia and is smoked in a type of cigarettes.It is also a key ingredient in tea
along with green cardamom. it is normally added whole to enhance the
presentation and flavor of the rice. Its essence is commonly used in the production
of many perfumes.

9. Ethyl maltol:

It is a stable white crystalline powder at room temperature and easily dissolves in

many polar liquids. This chemical has a sweet odor that can be described as
caramalized sugar and cooked fruit. It is an important flavourant for the food,
beverage, and fragrance industry. Ethyl maltol is non-toxic, highly pleasant to
human sense of smell, and easily detected by the human, with as little as 10 parts
per million perceivable in air.

10. Ethyl methylphenylglycidate:

Commonly known as "strawberry aldehyde", is an organic compound used in the

flavor industry in artificial fruit flavors, particularly strawberry. Ethyl
methylphenylglycidate is a colorless to pale yellow liquid that is insoluble in
water. It has a taste and odor that is fruity and reminiscent of strawberries.
Because of its pleasant taste and aroma, it finds use in the fragrance industry, in
artificial flavors, and in cosmetics. Its end applications include perfumes, soaps,
beauty care products, detergents, pharmaceuticals, baked goods, candies, ice
cream and others.

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11. Eucalyptol:

It is a natural organic compound which is a colorless liquid. Eucalyptol has a

fresh camphor-like smell and a spicy, cooling taste. Because of its pleasant spicy
aroma and taste, eucalyptol is used in flavorings, fragrances, and cosmetics. It is
also an ingredient in many brands of mouthwash and cough suppressant.

12. Eugenol:

Eugenol is an allyl chain-substituted guaiacol. Eugenol is a member of the

phenylpropanoids class of chemical compounds. It is a clear to pale yellow oily
liquid extracted from certain essential oils especially from clove oil, nutmeg,
cinnamon, and bay leaf. It is slightly soluble in water and soluble in organic
solvents. It has a pleasant, spicy, clove-like aroma. The name comes from a
scientific name for the clove, Eugenia aromaticum or Eugenia caryophyllata.
Eugenol is responsible for the aroma of cloves. It is the main component in the
essential oil extracted from cloves, comprising 72-90% of the total.

13. Furaneol:

Furaneol or strawberry furanone, is a natural organic compound used in the flavor

and perfume industry because of its sweet strawberry aroma. It is actually found
in strawberies and a variety of other fruits and it is partly responsible for the smell
of fresh pineapple. It is also important for odour of buckwheat, and tomato.

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14. Isoamyl acetate:

Isoamyl acetate also known as isopentyl acetate, is an organic compound that is

the ester formed from isoamyl alcohol and acetic acid. It is a clear colorless liquid
that is only slightly soluble in water, but very soluble in most organic solvents.
Isoamyl acetate has a strong odor (similar to juicy fruit) which is also described as
similar to both banana and pear. Banana oil is a term that is applied either to pure
isoamyl acetate or to flavorings that are mixtures of isoamyl acetate, amyl acetate,
nitrocellulose and other flavors.

15. Limonene:

Limonene is a hydrocarbon, classified as a cyclic terpene. It is a colourless liquid

at room temperatures with an extremely strong smell of oranges. It takes its name
from the lemon, as the rind of the lemon, like other citrus fruits, contains
considerable amounts of this chemical compound, which is responsible for much
of their smell. Limonene is common in cosmetic products. As the main odor
constituent of citrus (plant family Rutaceae), D-limonene is used in food
manufacturing and some medicines, e.g., bitter alkaloids, as a flavoring.

16. Menthol:

Menthol is an organic compound made synthetically or obtained from peppermint

or other mint oils. It is a waxy, crystalline substance, clear or white in color,
which is solid at room temperature and melts slightly above. The main form of
menthol occurring in nature is (−)-menthol.

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17. Piperine:

Piperine is the alkaloid responsible for the pungency of black pepper and long
pepper, along with chavicine (an isomer of piperine). It has also been used in
some forms of traditional medicine and as an insecticide.

18. Terpineol:

Terpineol is a naturally occurring monoterpene alcohol that has been isolated

from a variety of sources such as cajuput oil, pine oil, and petitgrain oil. Terpineol
has a pleasant odor similar to lilac and is a common ingredient in perfumes,
cosmetics, and flavors.

19. Vanillin:

Vanillin methyl vanillin, or 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde, is an organic

compound with the molecular formula C8H8O3. Synthetic vanillin, instead of
natural vanilla extract, is sometimes used as a flavoring agent in foods, beverages,
and pharmaceuticals. Methyl vanillin is used by the food industry as well as
ethylvanillin. Natural "vanilla extract" is a mixture of several hundred different
compounds in addition to vanillin. Artificial vanilla flavoring is a solution of pure
vanillin, usually of synthetic origin. Natural vanillin is extracted from the seed
pods of Vanilla planifola. The largest use of vanillin is as a flavoring, usually in
sweet foods. The ice cream and chocolate industries together comprise 75% of the
market for vanillin as a flavoring, with smaller amounts being used in confections

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and baked goods. Vanillin is also used in the fragrance industry, in perfumes, and
intermediate in the production of pharmaceuticals.

20. Zingiberene:

Zingiberene is a monocyclic sesquiterpene that is the predominant constituent of

the oil of ginger (Zingiber officinale) from which it gets its name.

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References:
• Coultate .T.P., 1995.Food- The chemistry of its components, 2nd Ed, London
• Fennema, Owen. R., 1996.Food chemistry, 3rd Ed, Marcel Dekker, Inc. New
York.
• Kawakita, Tetsuya; Sano, Chiaki; Shioya, Shigeru; Takehara, Masahiro;
Yamaguchi, Shizuko (2005). "Monosodium Glutamate". Ullmann’s Encyclopedia
of Industrial Chemistry.
• Meyer, Lillian Hoagland., 1982.Food chemistry, The AVI publishing company,
Inc.Westport, Connecticut.
• Paola Pittia, 2007. Flavors in food, university of Teramo, Italy.
• Parliament, T.H., 1989.Thermal generation of aromas, VI series, American
chemical society. U.S.A.
• SBP board of consultants & engineers, Aromatic chemical perfumes & flavour
technology, Small business publications, New Delhi.
• www.fantastic-flavour.com

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