Food Flavor Due to Processing

Reineccius, M., Changes in food flavor due to processing, in Flavor Chemistry andTechnology, 2nd edn., CRC Press, Boca Raton, EL, p. 103, 2006. 

Extrusion cooking has been shown to be an efficient method for the production of many types of food products. One disadvantage of this processing technique is the possible loss of flavor due to steam distillation of volatiles at the die, flavor binding to starch or protein, or the thermal degradation of flavors. In order to compensate for these losses, processors may add flavors during extrusion. In response to this, a number of researchers have studied how flavors are retained in an extruded material and what can be done to help retain these compounds. 

USES OF MALTOL. When maltol flavor is desired in a food, it is often produced by careful attention to the conditions under which food is processed. For example, the roasting of cereal grains results in the production of maltol and other flavors vi ich are similar to those in roasted cocoa and coffee. Thus, the distinctive flavors and aromas of many roasted foods are due to the different mixtures of the individual substances produced by the browning reactions. 

Because weak CL emission often is produced from the oxidation of many solid organic compounds, the measurement of this light emission may be used as an indicator of changes in materials composition due to oxidation processes, and for evaluating stabilizers intended to prevent or retard these oxidative alterations [6], Some examples of materials than can be characterized by CL emission are the polymers that are degraded by weathering, exposure to heat, or exposure to ionizing radiation, or food components that suffer flavor alterations. In this... 

There are many thousands of chemical substances in food most of them being of natural origin. A number, however, are man-made and arise from the use of agrochemicals, or due to pollution of water, soil and air, or occur during food preparation/processing. In addition, food may contain biological contaminants. A range of additives may also be added for a variety of purposes (e.g., to enhance the flavor, color, improve stability). 

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