In the previous blog, we have understood the flavoring agents, their types and why are they used in the food industry. In this article, we would like to provide you with a list of some of the most common flavoring agents.
1. Glutamates
Glutamates are widely used flavoring agents that provide savory flavor to a variety of food items. Glutamates are chemically negatively charged zwitterions that are formed when salts based on glutamic acid are dissolved in the water.
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is one of the most commonly used salts of glutamic acid in the beverage and food industry. Commercially, MSG is available with several trade names including Chinese salt, Ajinomoto, etc.
Although MSG is naturally found in certain food items such as cheese and tomatoes, it is also used for flavor enhancement which is done by producing it with synthetic bacterial fermentation of sugar beets, starch, molasses, and sugar cane.
The savory flavor of glutamates can be enjoyed in several Asian cuisines such as ramen, soups, Manchurian, etc. There are no safety concerns associated with glutamates, however, they leave a strong aftertaste that may cause people to show sensitivity.
2. Citral
Citral is also known as a lemon. As the name suggests, citral has a lemon aroma which is widely used as a flavoring agent in manufacturing several sour foods.
The chief source of citral in the beverage and food industry is lemongrass which is 70 to 80% citral and can be distilled and isolated to be used as a flavoring agent. However, it is advised to use citral in minute proportion. Over usage of citral can influence several pre-existing allergies.
Apart from being a flavoring agent, citral is also used as an effective insect repellent.
3. Benzaldehyde
It is an aromatic compound and is widely used as a flavoring agent to give an almond flavor to various food items, although it is naturally found in several food items such as apples, apricots, almonds, and cherries. It can also be synthetically produced by reacting copper nitrate solution with benzyl chloride in presence of carbon dioxide. Benzaldehyde is also used for giving almond scents in several cosmetic products.
Toxicological studies show that consuming benzaldehyde is generally regarded as safe with an acceptable intake of 15mg/day for an average human being.