An organic compound is any member of a large class of gaseous, liquid, or solid chemical compounds whose molecules contain carbon. A few types of carbon-containing compounds such as carbides, carbonates, simple oxides of carbon , and cyanides are considered inorganic. Natural compounds refer to those that are produced by plants or animals. Many of these are still extracted from natural sources because they would be far too expensive to produce artificially. Examples include most sugars, certain nutrients such as vitamin B12 , and, in general, those natural products with large complicated molecules present in reasonable concentrations in living organisms. Further compounds of main importance are antigens, carbohydrates, enzymes, hormones, lipids and fatty acids, neurotransmitters, nucleic acids, proteins, peptides and amino acids, lectins, vitamins, and fats and oils that are mostly used in cooking and flavoring industries.
Taste is one of the five traditional senses that most living beings have. Taste is the sensation produced when a substance in the mouth reacts chemically with receptors of taste buds. Taste , along with smell determines the flavors of foods and other substances. The taste buds that are present on the tongue is able to differentiate among different tastes by detecting interactions with different molecules or ions. The five basic tastes are sweetness , bitterness , saltiness , sourness and umami ( savory ).
Taste is one of the five traditional senses that most living beings have. Taste is the sensation produced when a substance in the mouth reacts chemically with receptors of taste buds. Taste , along with smell determines the flavors of foods and other substances. The taste buds that are present on the tongue is able to differentiate among different tastes by detecting interactions with different molecules or ions. The five basic tastes are sweetness , bitterness , saltiness , sourness and umami ( savory ).
Example of Flavorings
Many of the processed foods that you buy today come with an ingredient label that lists "artificial flavors" as one of the key ingredients. Artificial flavors are simply chemical mixtures that mimic a natural flavor in some way. Any natural flavor is normally quite complex, with dozens or hundreds of chemicals interacting to create the taste and smell. But it turns out that many flavors , particularly fruit flavors , have just one or a few dominant chemical components that carry the bulk . Many of these chemicals are called Esters. For example, the ester called Octyl Acetate (CH3COOC8H17) is a fundamental component in orange flavor. The ester called isoamyl acetate (CH3COOC5H11) is a fundamental component of banana flavor.
If you add these esters to a product, the product will taste, to some degree, like orange or banana. To make more realistic flavors , other chemicals are added in the correct proportions to get closer and closer to the real thing. It is done by trial and error or by chemical analysis of the real thing. There are hundreds of chemicals known to be flavoring agents. It's interesting that they are normally mixed to create "known" tastes. People make artificial grape, cherry, orange, banana, apple , etc. flavors, but it is very rare to mix up something that no one has ever tasted before. Artificial flavors are hard to be differentiated from natural flavorings unless stated on the prescription.
Example of a labeling of artificial flavor
Flavorings is one the most essential ingredients in food , as it brings up a flavor to bring joy to the food taster or eater. Without natural or artificial flavorings , foods wouldn't be an important element of a person's life , especially Malaysians and food critics , even me.
"We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons '' - Alfred Newman.
- Errick -
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