Human are decisively influenced by their sense of taste and odour and human history is, therefore, closely tied to the development and usage of flavors.
Whereas in prehistoric times, only herbs and species could be employed for flavoring purposes, today a broad spectrum of flavorings is available, not only for use in the individual household, but especially for the production of food on an industrial scale.
The application of all products from the flavor and fragrance industry is solely aimed at enhancing the human striving for increased pleasure and sensual enjoyment. Hedonistic aspects, therefore, form the basis of the industry.
The roots of this industry date back to early Egyptian history, as this extraordinarily advanced civilization was already thoroughly aware of and acquainted with perfumery and the embalming characteristics of certain species and resins.
Simple methods for the distillation and extraction of essential oils and resins already known in pre Christian times and subsequently elaborated by the Arabs.
Balsamic oils produced by these methods were later on primarily used for pharmaceutical purposes; it was not before the times of the courtly baroque period that fragrance was an aspect of growing importance.
In the medieval age, mostly monks were the pioneers in the art of capturing natural essences and transforming them into substances capable of flavoring food.
The onset of the industrial production of essential oils can be dated back to the first half of the 19th century.
After the importance of single chemicals was recognized in the middle of the century, efforts were started to isolate such compounds from corresponding natural resources for the first time. This was soon followed by the synthesis of aroma chemicals.
Generally, the dynamics of the flavor and fragrance industry mirror the trend of many industrial sectors: the most important representatives of a large number of nationally oriented companies have through mergers, acquisitions, and market expansion developed into globally operating multinational enterprises.
History of Flavor Industry
