Natural flavors production

Application of Biotechnological Processing for Natural Flavors-Production... 

Another group of natural flavoring ingredients comprises those obtained by extraction from certain plant products such as vanilla beans, Hcotice root, St. John s bread, orange and lemon peel, coffee, tea, kola nuts, catechu, cherry, elm bark, cocoa nibs, and gentian root. These products are used in the form of alcohohc infusions or tinctures, as concentrations in alcohol, or alcohol—water extractions termed fluid or soHd extracts. Official methods for their preparation and specifications for all products used in pharmaceuticals are described (54,55). There are many flavor extracts for food use for which no official standards exist the properties of these are solely based on suitabiUty for commercial appHcations (56). 

One class of flavorings, known as tme fmit, is composed of fmit juices, their concentrates, and their essences. A second group, fmit flavor with other natural flavors (WONF), contains fmit concentrates or extracts that may be fortified with natural essential oils or extractives (isolates), or other naturally occurring plants (64,65). This class of flavor is employed when the manufacturer is compelled by regulation to use only natural products, as in wines and cordials in the United States. 

Natural" benzaldehyde can be produced in a number of ways. The FDA regulations regarding natural products are found in 21 CFR 101.22. At the present time there is a controversy over what the term natural really means with regard to benzaldehyde. Whether a particular benzaldehyde product is natural or not becomes an issue only if the final product is said to contain natural flavors. 

Beet colorant readily dissolves ia water and water-based products. It is reasonably stable when used from pH 4 to pH 7, and it is adequately light stable. However, beet colorant does degrade readily at temperatures as low as 50°C, particularly when exposed to air or light. It is most stable to heat ia the range of pH 4.0—5.0. Because of the carbohydrates present ia beet colorant, it tends to carry the natural flavor of beets. 

A general guide to using flavors is to start as follows. For water-soluble flavors, generally start at 0.2% for artificial and 1 to 2% for natural flavors. For oil soluble flavors, generally start at 0.1% in the finished product for artificial flavors and 0.2% for natural flavors. For solid or powdered flavors, one can generally start at 0.1% in the finished product for artificial flavors and 0.75% for natural flavors. 

Biosynthetic ways for its production as natural flavor material have been developed [18]. 

There are several hundred types of microcapsules being used as a food additive in the U.S. today. Most of these are used in the development and production of artifical flavors or natural flavors and spices. Microcapsules as food additives may be added to enhance or alter appearance. Food is not only consumed for its calories or nutrients. It is also part of our cultural experience and it must be appealing in all of its aspects. It is not just a biological necessity, its consumption is a social activity, an esthetic experience and an expression of cultural and personal experiences. This means that food must not only taste good but it also must have the right color, texture and aroma. 

Drying chamber shape predominantly is either conical or flat-bottomed. The flat-bottomed dryers remove the powder as it falls to the floor of the dryer by use of a rotating pneumatic powder discharger that functions as a vacuum cleaner. These dryers subject the product to significantly more heat than do the cone-bottomed dryers. While for many types of dry flavorings this additional heat is insignificant, thermally labile materials (e.g., natural flavorings - tomato, cheese, and numerous fruit juice based products) may suffer from the additional heat. 

The procedures used in winery operations vary greatly, depending on the types of products produced and their market. A small winery producing only one type of red wine may need only a few different analyses. A winery producing grape juice, grape concentrate, table wines, dessert wines, special natural (flavored) wines, vermouth, fruit wines, high-proof spirits, and commercial brandy will require many different types of analyses. 

As flavor production in natural food is governed by too complicated reactions due to its complex components (Table II), chemists concentrated their research efforts on simpler systems to understand the reactions involved and their products. 

The synergistic use of enzymes and microorganisms to produce natural flavors for foods is an industry of its own just now being born. The tailoring of enzyme products with and without microorganisms, will be a major market area for the enzyme industry in the future. 

As the demand for natural flavors Increases, and as constituents contributing to such flavors are Identified, flavor chemistry will be applied In the biotechnological production of such flavors. 

In the U.S., FEMA (Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association) is in the process of drafting new guidelines for natural flavor/aroma chemicals and accepted processing methods (J 2). Apart from the accepted use of fermentation, heat reactions and enzymes, it is expected that inorganic acids and bases " wlll be allowable for use as catalysts. Obviously this could allow for production of certain natural flavors, in the absence of enzymes, under appropriate conditions, however the requirement for natural substrates will remain. 

At present only about half a dozen companies are involved in developing natural flavor/aroma chemicals with some retaining a number of their products for captive use in their own flavor blends. It has been estimated (12) that one of the larger companies has upwards of 25 30 natural compounds developed. 

The future for production of natural flavors through the use of biotechnological means holds much promise. Researchers and industries interested in this exciting area however, will only be successful if they maintain an awareness of market trends, and of equal Importance, knowledge of regulatory requirements. 

An industrial application of this result was the elaboration of the first Nature-Identical Black Truffle aromatizer (13). This product was tested with success during one year by well known french cooks in their restaurant. Culinary tests confirm the good organoleptic quality of the flavored products obtained, both for cold or hot dishes. 

We estimate that biotechnology will be competing with approximately 30 percent of the total chemical market by 2010 on the basis of lower cost and/or superior product features. Approximately 10 to 20 percent of basic and intermediate chemicals could be affected by production through modern fermentation. Specialties will be replaced by enzymes and natural flavors, pigments and additives. Polymers will face competition from biopolymers that are competitive in price with both polyester and nylon. 

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