Flavor or flavour is the sensory impression of a food or other substance, and is determined mainly by the chemical senses of taste and smell. American and British English spelling differences are one aspect of American and British English differences. Food is any substance usually composed primarily of Carbohydrates Fats water and/or Proteins that can be eaten or drunk by an A chemical substance is a Material with a definite chemical composition. Taste (or more formally gustation) is a form of direct Chemoreception and is one of the traditional five Senses Olfaction (also known as olfactics or smell) refers to the Sense of smell. The "trigeminal senses", which detect chemical irritants in the mouth and throat, may also occasionally determine flavor. The trigeminal nerve (the fifth Cranial nerve, also called the fifth nerve or simply V) is responsible for sensation in the face Irritation or exacerbation, in Biology and Physiology, is a state of Inflammation or painful reaction to Allergy or cell-lining damage The mouth, buccal cavity, or oral cavity is the first portion of the Alimentary canal that receives food and begins digestion by mechanically breaking up In Anatomy, the throat is the anterior part of the Neck, in front of the vertebral column. The flavor of the food, as such, can be altered with natural or artificial flavorants, which affect these senses. Nature, in the broadest sense is equivalent to the natural world, physical universe, material world or material universe.

Flavorant is defined as a substance that gives another substance flavor, altering the characteristics of the solute, causing it to become sweet, sour, tangy, etc.

Of the three chemical senses, smell is the main determinant of a food item's flavor. While the taste of food is limited to sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and savory (umami)--the basic tastes--the smells of a food are potentially limitless. is one of the five Basic tastes sensed by specialized receptor cells present on the human Tongue. Taste (or more formally gustation) is a form of direct Chemoreception and is one of the traditional five Senses A food's flavor, therefore, can be easily altered by changing its smell while keeping its taste similar. Nowhere is this better exemplified than in artificially flavored jellies, soft drinks and candies, which, while made of bases with a similar taste, have dramatically different flavors due to the use of different scents or fragrances. The most common culinary use for Gelatin is as a main ingredient in varieties of gelatin desserts. Soft drink is a beverage that does not contain Alcohol. Carbonated soft drinks are commonly known as soda soda pop pop, or

Although the terms "flavoring" or "flavorant" in common language denote the combined chemical sensations of taste and smell, the same terms are usually used in the fragrance and flavors industry to refer to edible chemicals and extracts that alter the flavor of food and food products through the sense of smell. Due to the high cost or unavailability of natural flavor extracts, most commercial flavorants are nature-identical, which means that they are the chemical equivalent of natural flavors but chemically synthesized rather than being extracted from the source materials. A chemical compound is a substance consisting of two or more different elements chemically bonded together in a fixed proportion by Mass.

Flavorants or Flavorings

Flavorings are focused on altering or enhancing the flavors of natural food product such as meats and vegetables, or creating flavor for food products that do not have the desired flavors such as candies and other snacks. Most types of flavorings are focused on scent and taste. Few commercial products exist to stimulate the trigeminal senses, since these are sharp, astringent, and typically unpleasant flavors. The trigeminal nerve (the fifth Cranial nerve, also called the fifth nerve or simply V) is responsible for sensation in the face

There are three principal types of flavorings used in foods, under definitions agreed in the E. U. and Australia: ^[1]

• Natural flavouring substances: Flavouring substances obtained from plant or animal raw materials, by physical, microbiological or enzymatic processes. They can be either used in their natural state or processed for human consumption, but cannot contain any nature-identical or artificial flavouring substances.
• Nature-identical flavouring substances: Flavouring substances that are obtained by synthesis or isolated through chemical processes, which are chemically identical to flavouring substances naturally present in products intended for human consumption. They cannot contain any artificial flavouring substances.
• Artificial flavouring substances: Flavouring substances not identified in a natural product intended for human consumption, whether or not the product is processed.

Regulations on natural flavoring

UK Food Law defines a natural flavor as:

The U. S. Code of Federal Regulations describes a "natural flavorant" as:

The European Union's guidelines for natural flavorants are slightly different. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Certain artificial flavorants are given an E number, which may be included on food labels. E numbers are number codes for Food additives and are usually found on Food labels throughout the European Union.

Smell

Smell flavorants, or simply, flavorants, are engineered and composed in similar ways as with industrial fragrances and fine perfumes. Perfume is a mixture of fragrant Essential oils and Aroma compounds Fixatives and Solvents used to give the human body animals objects and living To produce natural flavors, the flavorant must first be extracted from the source substance. Fragrance extraction refers to the extraction of aromatic compounds from raw materials using methods such as Distillation, Solvent extraction, Expression The methods of extraction can involve solvent extraction, distillation, or using force to squeeze it out. The extracts are then usually further purified and subsequently added to food products to flavor them. To begin producing artificial flavors, flavor manufacturers must either find out the individual naturally occurring aroma chemicals and mix them appropriately to produce a desired flavor or create a novel non-toxic artificial compound that gives a specific flavor.

Most artificial flavors are specific and often complex mixtures of singular naturally occurring flavor compounds combined together to either imitate or enhance a natural flavor. These mixtures are formulated by flavorist to give a food product a unique flavor and to maintain flavor consistency between different product batches or after recipe changes. The list of known flavoring agents includes thousands of molecular compounds, and the flavor chemist (flavorist) can often mix these together to produce many of the common flavors. A flavorist, also known as flavor chemist is someone who uses both Chemistry and art to engineer artificial and natural Flavors The tools and materials used by flavorists Many flavorants are esters. Esters are a class of Chemical compounds and Functional groups Esters consist of an inorganic or organic Acid in which at least

The compounds used to produce artificial flavors are almost identical to those that occur naturally, and a natural origin for a substance does not necessarily imply that it is safe to consume. Diacetyl ( IUPAC Systematic name: butanedione or 23-butanedione) is a natural byproduct of fermentation. Butter is a Dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented Cream or Milk. Refractive index | --> Isoamyl acetate, also known as isopentyl acetate, is an Organic compound that is the Ester formed from Isoamyl For the fruit see Banana. For other meanings see Banana (disambiguation. Cinnamic aldehyde or cinnamaldehyde (more precisely trans -cinnamaldehyde, the only naturally-occurring form is the Chemical compound that Cinnamon ( Cinnamomum verum, synonym C zeylanicum) is a small Evergreen Tree 10–15 metres (32 The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology. Limonene is a Hydrocarbon, classified as a cyclic Terpene. It is a colourless liquid at room temperatures with an extremely strong smell of oranges An orange —specifically the sweet orange —is the Citrus fruit Citrus sinensis ( syn A pear is a pomaceous Fruit produced by a tree of Genus Pyrus. Pineapple ( Ananas comosus) is the common name for an edible Tropical Plant and also its Fruit It is native to the southern part of Brazil Ethyl maltol, 2-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-pyrone, 2-ethyl pyromeconic acid, or C7H8O3 is an analog of Maltol, where Sugar is a class of edible Crystalline substances mainly Sucrose, Lactose, and Fructose. Methyl salicylate ( Chemical formula C6H4(HOCOOCH3 also known as salicylic acid methyl ester, oil of wintergreen, Wintergreen is a group of plants Wintergreen once commonly referred to Plants that continue Photosynthesis (remain Green) throughout the Winter Benzaldehyde (C6H5CHO is a chemical compound consisting of a Benzene ring with an Aldehyde substituent The Almond ( Prunus dulcis, syn Prunus amygdalus Batsch Amygdalus communis L In fact, artificial flavors are considered somewhat safer to consume than natural flavors due to the standards of purity and mixture consistency that are enforced either by the company or by law. Natural flavors in contrast may contain toxins from their sources while artificial flavors are typically more pure and are required to undergo more testing before being sold for consumption.

Flavors from food products are usually the result of a combination of natural flavors, which set up the basic smell profile of a food product while artificial flavors modify the smell to accent it.

Taste

While salt and sugar can technically be considered flavorants that enhance salty and sweet tastes, usually only compounds that enhance umami, as well as other secondary flavors are considered taste flavorants. Salt is a Dietary mineral composed primarily of Sodium chloride that is essential for Animal life but toxic to most land plants Sugar is a class of edible Crystalline substances mainly Sucrose, Lactose, and Fructose. is one of the five Basic tastes sensed by specialized receptor cells present on the human Tongue. Artificial sweeteners are also technically flavorants.

Umami or "savory" flavorants, more commonly called taste or flavor enhancers are largely based on Amino acids and Nucleotides. is one of the five Basic tastes sensed by specialized receptor cells present on the human Tongue. See also Flavor Flavour enhancers are commonly added to commercially produced food products (eg In Chemistry, an amino acid is a Molecule containing both Amine and Carboxyl Functional groups In Biochemistry, this Nucleotides are Organic compounds that consist of three joined structures a nitrogenous base a Sugar, and a Phosphate group These are manufactured as sodium or calcium salts. Sodium (ˈsoʊdiəm is an element which has the symbol Na( Latin natrium, from Arabic natrun) atomic number 11 atomic mass 22 Calcium (ˈkælsiəm is the Chemical element with the symbol Ca and Atomic number 20 Umami flavorants recognized and approved by the European Union include:

• Glutamic acid salts: This amino acid's sodium salt, monosodium glutamate (MSG) is one of the most commonly used flavor enhancers in food processing. Glutamic acid (abbreviated as Glu or E) is one of the 20 Alpha Amino acids It is not among the human Essential amino acids Its Sodium (ˈsoʊdiəm is an element which has the symbol Na( Latin natrium, from Arabic natrun) atomic number 11 atomic mass 22 Monosodium glutamate, also known as sodium glutamate and MSG, is a Sodium salt of the non-essential Amino acid Glutamic acid Mono and diglutamate salts are also commonly used.
• Glycine salts: A simple amino acid that is usually used in conjunction with glutamic acid as a flavor enhancer. Glycine (abbreviated as Gly or G) is the Organic compound with the formula NH2CH2COOH
• Guanylic acid salts: Nucleotide salts that is usually used in conjunction with glutamic acid as a flavor enhancer. Guanosine monophosphate, also known as 5'-guanidylic acid or guanylic acid and abbreviated GMP, is a Nucleotide that is found in RNA
• Inosinic acid salts: Nucleotide salts created from the breakdown of AMP. Inosinic acid or Inosine monophosphate (IMP is a Nucleotide present in Muscle and other tissues Due to high costs of production, it is usually used in conjunction with glutamic acid as a flavor enhancer.
• 5'-ribonucleotides salts:

Certain organic acids can be used to enhance sour tastes, but like salt and sugar these are usually not considered and regulated as flavorants under law. A ribonucleotide is a Nucleotide in which a Purine or Pyrimidine base is linked to a Ribose Molecule. Each acid imparts a slightly different sour or tart taste that alters the flavor of a food.

• Acetic acid: gives vinegar its sour taste and distinctive smell
• Citric acid: found in citrus fruits and gives them their sour taste
• Lactic acid: found in various milk products and give them a rich tartness
• Malic acid: found in apples and gives them their sour/tart taste
• Tartaric acid: found in grapes and wines and gives them a tart taste

Dietary restrictions

Food manufacturers are sometimes reluctant about informing consumers about the source from where the flavor is obtained and whether it has been produced with the incorporation of substances such as animal by-products glycerin, gelatin, and the like, and the use of alcohol in the flavors. Acetic acid, also known as ethanoic acid, is an organic chemical compound, giving Vinegar its sour taste Citric acid is a weak organic Acid. It is a natural Preservative and is also used to add an acidic or sour taste to foods and Soft drinks Lactic acid ( IUPAC Systematic name: 2-hydroxypropanoic acid) also known as milk acid, is a Chemical compound that plays a role Malic acid is an Organic compound with the formula HO2CCH2CHOHCO2H Tartaric acid is a white crystalline Organic acid. It occurs naturally in many plants particularly Grapes Bananas and Tamarinds and is Gelatin (also gelatine, from French gélatine) is a translucent colourless brittle nearly tasteless solid substance, extracted from the Orthodox Jews, Jains, Hindus, and Muslims adhere to religious laws, and vegans to personal morals, that restrict the use of animal by-products and alcohol in foods unless subject to oversight and inspection by their respective religious authority or less-strict or circumstantial moral belief. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Jainism, traditionally known as Jain Dharma / Shraman Dharma (जैन धर्म is an ancient religion of India. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion In many western countries, millions of consumers rely on a Jewish Kosher certificate to indicate that natural flavorings used in a food product are pure and free of animal products.

Flavor creation

Most food and beverage companies do not create their own flavors but instead employ the services of a flavor company. Food and beverage companies may require flavors for new products, product line extensions (e. g. , low fat versions of existing products) or due to changes in formula or processing for existing products.

The flavor creation is done by a specially trained scientist called a "flavorist. A flavorist, also known as flavor chemist is someone who uses both Chemistry and art to engineer artificial and natural Flavors The tools and materials used by flavorists " The flavorist's job combines extensive scientific knowledge of the chemical palette with artistic creativity to develop new and distinctive flavors. The flavor creation begins when the flavorist receives a brief from the client. In the brief the client will attempt to communicate exactly what type of flavor they seek, in what application it will be used, and any special requirements (e. g. , must be all natural). The communication barrier can be quite difficult to overcome since most people aren't experienced at describing flavors. The flavorist will use his or her knowledge of the available chemical ingredients to create a formula and compound it on an electronic balance. The flavor will then be submitted to the client for testing. Several iterations, with feedback from the client, may be needed before the right flavor is found.

Additional work may also be done by the flavor company. For example, the flavor company may conduct sensory taste tests to test consumer acceptance of a flavor before it is sent to the client or to further investigate the "sensory space. " The flavor company may also employ application specialists who work to ensure the flavor will work in the application for which it is intended. This may require special flavor delivery technologies that are used to protect the flavor during processing or cooking so that the flavor is only released when eaten by the end consumer.

Determination

Few standards are available or being prepared for sensory analysis of flavors^[4]. In chemical analysis of flavors, solid phase extraction (SPE), solid phase microextraction (SPME), and headspace gas chromatography are applied to extract and separate the flavor compounds in the sample. Analytical chemistry is the study of the Chemical composition of natural and artificial Materials. Solid-phase extraction ( SPE) is a Separation process that is used to remove solid or semi-solid compounds from a mixture of impurities based on their physical and Solid phase microextraction, or SPME, is a sample preparation technique used both in the laboratory and on-site Gas-liquid chromatography (GLC, or simply gas chromatography (GC, is a type of Chromatography in which the mobile phase is a carrier gas usually an Inert The determination is typically done by various mass spectrometric techniques^[5]. Mass spectrometry is an analytical technique that identifies the chemical composition of a compound or sample based on the Mass-to-charge ratio of charged particles

See also

• Aroma compound
• Cooking
• Seasoning
• Food additive
• Preservative
• Monosodium glutamate, commonly known as MSG
• E number
• Fragrance oil
• Flavor companies

References

External links

• Monell Chemical Senses Center
• Fantastic Flavours commercial site
• The Science in artificial flavor creation
• How Stuff Works "How do artificial flavors work?"
• Leffingwell & Associates Flavor & Fragrance Industry Leaders