Food flavoring functions

Flavors do several things in food systems. Foremost among these functions is their ability to render food more acceptable and enjoyable.
1. To keep the flavor principles in solution.

2. Provide a carrier for the color, if any.

3. A strength regulator, the greater the amount of solvent the weaker the flavor.

4. It gives the flavor a physical fixation.

5. It inhibits chemical reactions from occurring.

6. It can act as a preservative. (I.e. Ethyl Alcohol, Propylene glycol)

7. It is the vehicle for the presentation of the flavor portion.

8. It determines the form of the flavor. The way the flavor appears on the market, i.e., as a liquid, powder, or paste form. It makes the flavor applicable.

9. Flavorings transform nutritionally valuable materials of bland tastes, e.g. grasses, weeds, seeds and roots into well accepted foods.

 The flavor materials do not make a flavor work but the form of the flavor that does. The solvent distributes the flavor uniformly throughout the product.

 Some food products would not exist without the addition of flavorings e.g. soft drinks, water ices, confectionary, milk deserts etc.
 Food flavoring functions