Licorice as flavoring agent

Licorice is the name applied to the roots and stolons of some Glycyrrhiza species (Leguminosae or Fabaceae). In Sanskrit, it is called sweet stalk. The Greeks named it sweet root. Licorice oil is widely used as a natural sweetener and flavoring agent.

This intense sweetness can be traced to glycyrrhizic acid, a multipurpose molecule that consists of two sugar moieties attached to a steroid-like triterpenoid: in addition, contains some volatile compounds, flavonoids, and saponins.

Glycyrrhizin is a plant glycoside extracted from roots of the liquorice plant. It is about 30–50 times sweeter than sucrose, but is not metabolized and has no effect on glycemic index. It exhibits a sweet woody flavor, which limits its use as a pure sweetener. Glycyrrhizin enhances food flavors, masks bitter flavors, and increases the perceived sweetness level of sucrose.

The most important industrial use of licorice is the production of food additives, such as flavors and sweetening agents. Licorice is a popular sweetener found in many soft drinks, food products, snacks, toothpaste, cosmetics and herbal medicines.
Licorice as flavoring agent