Why do we add flavourings to foods?
There are two main reasons:
Firstly, to add an intrinsic flavour - an example being flavoured mineral water with citrus extracts.
The second reason is to add a flavour which has been lost or modified during processing. This can be seen in yogurt which contains fruit flavour.
Users of food flavourings include industrial food manufacturers, artisan food manufacturers and home cooks. The use of flavourings is only authorised under specific regulatory conditions fixed by the respective manufacturing branch. Food flavourings are also used in various oral pharmaceutical drugs to facilitate their ingestion.
Work of the flavourist.
The flavourist's role is to combine different flavouring agents to obtain the final intended flavour. The flavourist's work involves several steps. Firstly, he or she identifies the dominant substances which determine the characteristic flavour. From these substances, the flavourist then creates a flavouring, which tends to have a more simplistic structure than the natural original but at the same time complies with the natural flavouring profile. Depending on the food matrix, flavours perform differently. As regards the flavour release, there is, for example, a significant difference between a 1.5% custard and a 3.5% fat custard. If the flavourist and food manufacturer are satisfied with the taste, focus groups are set up to taste the product. It is only after this step is successfully completed, that the product has a chance to be launched.