Flavor stabilization

Gum arabic (gum acacia) is used as the lickable glue on stamps and envelopes, and as a flavor stabilizer (emulsifier) in soft drinks. It has components that bind to water, and components that bind to oils, making it an emulsifier but not a surfactant (because of the high molecular weight). 

Written for an expert audience Foam and flavor stability are important... 

Bell, R. W Anderson, H. A. and Tittsler, R. P. 1962. Effect of L-ascorbic acid on the flavor stability of concentrated sweetened cream. J. Dairy Sci. 45, 1019-1020. 

Tamsma, A., Kurtz, F. E. and Pallansch, M. J. 1967. Effect of oxygen removal technique on flavor stability of low-heat foam spray dried whole milk. J. Dairy Sci. 50, 1562— 1565. 

Some chilled products are packaged in glass containers, 32-fl. oz. and 64-fl. oz., but the dairy-type cartons account for the major segment of this market. Berry et al. (11) reported that the quality of these products remained high for long periods of time if maintained at 50°F (10°C) or lower, and products in glass exhibited better ascorbic acid and flavor stability than those in paper or plastic cartons. Higher temperatures led to more,rapid deterioration of ascorbic acid and flavor. 

Berry et al. (54) evaluated foam-mat dried instant orange juice and determined that its flavor was acceptable over 26 weeks when stored at 21.1°C. At 29.4°C flavor changes were observed after two to four weeks with samples in the pH range of 4 to 6. The flavor stability of the instant orange powder was directly related to pH when stored at 29.4°C. Stability was improved by using more acidic juices, addition of acid, or removal of sugar. 

Tamsma, A., Mucha, T.J., Pallansch, M.J. 1962. Factors relating to flavor stability of foam-dried milk. II. Effect of heating milk prior to dairying. J. Dairy Sci. 45, 1435-1439. 

Catalases are mainly present in microorganisms such as Kocuria and Staphylococcus and are responsible for peroxide reduction. This reaction contributes to eolor and flavor stabilization. Nitrate reductase, also present in those microorganisms, is a very important enzyme for the reduction of nitrate to nitrite in slow ripened sausages where there is initial addition of nitrate. Recently, two strains of Lactobacillus fermentum have proved to be able to generate nitric oxide and give an acceptable color in sausages without nitrate/nitrite. This may be important in the case of cured meats with no addition of either nitrate or nitrite (Moller et al. 2003). 

Cottonseed oil shortages during World War II allowed soybean oil production to grow despite serious flavor, stability, and reversion problems. Reminiscent of cottonseed oil s early days when it was used to adulterate lard, fats and oils processors incorporated as much soybean oil as possible into cottonseed-oil-based formula-... 

Crude Oil Conditioning—Crude oils with high levels of phosphatides and trace metals are usually treated with food-grade phosphoric acid for 4 to 8 hours before refining. The purpose of the acid pretreatment is to (1) help precipitate phosphatidic materials (2) precipitate natural calcium and magnesium as insoluble phosphate salts (3) inactivate trace metals, such as iron, copper, and others that may be present in the oil (4) reduce the neutral oil losses and (5) improve the color and flavor stability of the finished deodorized oil. 

Flavor Stability. The oil ingredient must have the identified degree of resistance to oxidative and lipolytic flavor degradation to maintain a bland flavor and odor throughout the shelf life and use life of the prepared food product. Cottonseed oil reverts to a nutty flavor that is not as objectionable as the reversion flavors of the other oils with high levels of linoleic and oleic fatty acids. 

The estimated trans-acyl group intake by typical U.S. consumers is 11.1-27.6 g/ person/day (341). A comprehensive review concluded that trans-acyl groups consumed at 4.0% or more of total calories may raise plasma lipid levels (342). As a result of health concerns over the presence of trans-acyl groups in our diet, modifying fatty acid composition of soybean oil to improve its oxidative and flavor stability in ways similar to that obtained by hydrogenation, but without transformation, has become an objective of plant breeders. 

Oil quality and oil flavor stability greatly influence the flavor stability of the product in storage. 

T. L. Mounts, Effects of Oil Processing Conditions on Flavor Stability—Degumming, Refining, Hydrogenation and Deodorization, Flavor Chemistry of Fats and Oils, American Oil Chemists Society Publication, Champaign, Illinois,1985. 

E. N. Frankel, Soybean Oil Flavor Stability, Handbook of Soy Oil Processing and Utilization, American Oil Chemists Society Publication, Peoria, Illinois, 1985. 

Reversion of deodorized shortenings brings back the flavor characteristics of the original crude oil. Shortening must be designed with a flavor stability suitable for the finished product requirements. Reduction of unsaturated fatty acids can be accomplished with hydrogenation or fractionation to increase flavor stability. 

As the quahty of the oil plays a major role in the flavor stability of mayonnaise and other dressings, only the best grade of oil should be used. The quahty of flavor is generally judged by the subjective method of tasting. However, Dupuy et al. (50) have developed a gas chromatographic method to evaluate the flavor quality objectively. 

---