The Functions of Flavorings

Flavorings are compounds, many of which are natural, although there are also many synthetic ones that are added to foods to produce flavors or to modify existing flavors.

Flavorings are the complex mixtures of individual ingredients which are often natural constituents of food, and can be produce through physical means form traditional plant and animal sources, chemical synthesis and processes incorporating the techniques of modern biotechnology.

Flavoring means adding a new flavor to a food, thus changing or modifying the original flavor.

The flavor substances are comparatively strong smell organic compounds with characteristics, usually pleasant odor.

In the early days of human existence, salt, sugar, vinegar, herbs, spices, smoke, honey, and berries were added to foods to improve their taste or to produce a special, desirable taste.

The range of natural and synthetic flavoring available to the modern food technologists is very large.

Essential oils form a major source of flavorings. Most foods derive their characteristics flavor from chemicals that are present at levels ranging from parts per billion to parts per million.

With the discovery of distillation, it became possible to separate the flavor chemical mixture from botanical material.

Because of their weak effects, fruit extracts may be intensified by combining them with other flavorings.

Flavoring can be added at the beginning, middle or end, depending on the cooking time, the cooking process and the flavoring ingredient.
The Functions of Flavorings