Flavoring agents are major food additives that are added to food to improve its taste and aroma. The effect of flavoring agents depends on consumers' preference and acceptance, and quality flavoring agents can increase the value of food. In the food industry, flavoring agents include aldehydes, alcohols, esters, ketones, lactones, free fatty acids, phenolic compounds, and sulfur compounds. Among them, some are synthetic flavoring agents and others are natural flavoring agents. Synthetic flavoring agents are chemically similar to natural flavoring agents. One drawback, however, is that synthetic flavoring agents may not be an exact copy of the natural flavoring agents they are imitating. In addition, synthetic flavoring agents are considered unfriendly and unsafe to human health and the environment. In contrast, natural flavoring agents are usually metabolites of plants or microorganisms and are considered safe. At present, many metabolites have been widely used in food and beverages as flavoring agents, and are well received by people.
Applications
The application of plant or microbial metabolites as flavoring agents has attracted the attention of many food researchers. Several examples are listed below.
- Yeast secondary metabolites used as flavoring agents
The aroma of beers and many spirits is the sum of several hundreds of flavoring agents produced at every stage of the brewing process. This aroma is largely dependent on a number of secondary metabolites produced by yeast. These secondary metabolites include higher alcohols, esters, vicinal diketones, carbonyls and sulfur compounds. They are produced during wort fermentation and consist of fermentation intermediates and by-products. These compounds determine the final quality of beers[1].
- Phenolics used as flavoring agents
Phenolics are a group of plant secondary metabolites and comprise a large family of aromatic compounds. Plant-derived phenolics contribute specific fragrances, flavors, and tastes to the food industry today. For example, vanillin, isolated from the vanilla bean, is used extensively in baking and confectionery as flavoring agents. Phenolics are also important components of the characteristic flavors of many beverages. Most of the beverages consumed today would taste terrible if it were not for the presence of various phenolics, which include ferulic acids, certain flavonoids, tannins, and others.
- Terpenoids used as flavoring agents
Among plant secondary metabolites, terpenoids are the most abundant and diverse class of natural compounds. Terpenoids have special aroma that are widely used as flavoring agents. For example, menthol, isolated from wild mint, has a strong minty odor; D-carvone from caraway with its spicy and bread like odor; D-limonene from citrus species and has a fresh orange peel odor; citral from lemongrass and has a fresh lemon peel odor[2]. These substances are already used in food and beverages as flavoring agents and have been recognized by consumers.
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References
- Stewart, G.G. The production of secondary metabolites with flavour potential during brewing and distilling wort fermentations. Fermentation, 2017, 3: 63.
- Caputi, L.; Aprea, E. Use of terpenoids as natural flavouring compounds in food industry. Recent Patents on Food, Nutrition & Agriculture. 2011, 3: 9-16.
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