Nature of flavor components

The study of the chemistry of odor and flavor has been going on for a long time. Plant materials used in foods depend for their characteristics aroma and flavor on a complex blend of organic chemicals produced in the plant tissues during its normal growth.

Hundred of chemicals present in natural foods and flavorings have already positively identified but some still defy categorization.

Nature is complex and does not readily reveal many of her secrets. The techniques necessary to separate aromatics compounds from inert plant tissues are often involved with tedious work.

Many of the chemicals which have most significance on the odor and flavor profile are known to be present only in trace quantity and often demonstrate very limited stability when isolated purified. Food whose flavor cannot be attributed to one or a few outstanding flavor notes; their flavor is the result of the complex interaction of a variety of taste and odor components.

Flavor components can include a single, ‘primary’ component, or be distributed in various ways among multiple components. In general, the majority of flavor systems include primary flavor components, and these fall into broad categories:
1. Simple extractions
2. Extracts
3. Emulsions

All these factors make research into the chemistry of flavor components one of extreme complexity but, in spite difficulties, considerable progress has been made.
Nature of flavor components