FLAVOR POTENTIATORS

PALLAVI DHOTRA ROLL No. 06 M.Sc 4th SEMESTER FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

FLAVOR
Flavor is the term used to describe the sensory impression of food, which is a combined effect of taste, odour and trigeminal impressions in the oral and nasal cavities. Flavor is one of the three main sensory properties which is decisive in the selection, acceptance and ingestion of food. Flavor compounds arise mainly from normal biosynthetic processes of animals and plant metabolism. These compounds exist as precursors and develop characteristic flavoring effects during processing or cooking.

Odour Taste
Trigeminal impression

Flavor

Apart from the food components that trigger the taste, odor and trigeminal impressions, there are some components that are capable of supplementing, enhancing or modifying the flavor of food. Although they have little or no flavor of their own at typical usage levels. These substances are commonly known as flavor potentiators.

FLAVOR POTENTIATORS
Flavor potentiators are chemicals which themselves have little or no odor or taste. But yet intensify or enhance the flavour of food at usage levels. The effect of flavor potentiators is accompanied by changes in the mouth feel of the product thereby inducing a sensation of fullness or satisfaction.

NATURALLY OCCURING FLAVOR POTENTIATORS IN FOOD

FOODS MSG Beef Cheese Cod Scallop Orange juice Nectarine Corn Mushroom Potato Tomato Tea, green 0.013-0.088 1.333 0.011 0.012-0.024 0.015 1.219 0.102 0.177-0.635 0.254 0.177 0.264-0.640 AMOUNT(%) IMP 0.163 NR 0.043 0.000 NR NR NR NR NR NR NR GMP 0.002 NR NR 0.000 0.00002 NR NR 0.56 0.001 0.001 NR

COMPOUNDS USED AS FLAVOUR POTENTIATORS IN FOOD INDUSTRY

Monosodium glutamate Monopotassium glutamate Monoammonium glutamate Guanosine 5-monophosphate Inosine 5-monophosphate Maltol Ethyl maltol Dioctyl sodium sulfocuccinate N, N -di-o-tolylethylenediamine

MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE
Monosodium glutamate(MSG) is a neutral salt of Lglutamic acid which occurs naturally as one of the amino acids building blocks of food proteins. MSG was first isolated in a laboratory by a Japanese scientist in 1908 and subsequently patented by Ajinomoto Corporation of Japan in 1909. It heightens and intensifies natural flavor without adding significant flavor of its own. MSG draws out hidden flavor attributes and tends to enhance weaker flavor character.

There is practically no aroma associated with MSG. The functioning of MSG is pH dependent i.e. it must exist in the food as monosodium salt. Therefore its use is limited to those foods that are in the pH range of 5.0-8.0. It has the HS code 29224220 and the E number E621.

CHEMICAL STRUCTURE OF GLUTAMIC ACID & MSG

CHARACTERISTICS OF MSG
Coarsely crystalline substance. Molecular formula:C5H8NNaO4 5% solution of MSG has pH: 6.7-7.2 Melting point: 232 C Solubility at 25C: 74.2g/100ml of water at 60 101.4g/100ml of water C: Sodium content: 12.3% Bulk density: 11.0 to 13.8g/ cu in. Calories: 2.88 cal/ g

PRODUCTION OF COMMERCIAL MSG

The vast majority of MSG is produced through bacterial fermentation process. Bacteria of genera Corynebacterium glutamicum and Brevibacterium are widely employed. Starch, cane and beet molasses are used as carbon source. Ammonium chloride, ammonium sulfate and urea are used as nitrogen source. Yields of 100 g/litre can be prepared in this way.

TOXICITY OF MSG
MSG has low toxicity from an acute stand point. Injection of MSG has been shown to induce rapid degeneration of neurons in the inner layers of retina. Degeneration of nerve cells in brain due to subcutaneous injections of large doses of MSG have also been observed in various species.

HEALTH CONCERNS
MSG is called an excitotoxin by leading neuroscientists because of its degenerative and deadly effects on the brain and central nervous system.

Monosodium glutamate has been associated with the Chinese Restaurant syndrome (CRS). The symptoms include:Racing pulse Burning sensation in the back of neck Facial pressure Chest pain Sweating Headaches Hypertension Weakness & thirst.

Studies have found that typical CRS symptoms could not be included in 99% healthy males given 5g of MSG. The symptoms of CRS are shown by highly sensitive people. Children, Unborn & Elderly are most vulnerable.

5- NUCLEOTIDES
5- Nucleotides are the building blocks of ribonucleic acid (RNA). It consists of a purine base, ribose and phosphoric acid linked to 5- position of ribose. The most commonly used 5- nucleotides as flavor potentiators are:Guanosine 5-monophosphate (GMP) Inosine 5-monophosphate (IMP)

1. 2.

GUANOSINE 5-MONOPHOSPHATE
It is an ester of phosphoric acid with the nucleotide Guanosine and ribose sugar. Guanosine monophosphate is commercially available in the form of its salt disodium guanylate. The E number for disodium guanylate is E627. Molecular formula of Guanosine 5-monophosphate is C10H14N5O8P.

CHEMICAL STRUCTURE OF GUANOSINE 5-MONOPHOSPHATE

INOSINE 5-MONOPHOSPHATE
Inosine 5-monophosphate is commercially available in the form of its salt disodium inosinate. The E number for disodium inosinate is E 631 Molecular formula of Inosine 5-monophosphate is C10H11N4Na2O8P.

CHEMICAL STRUCTURE OF INOSINE 5-MONOPHOSPHATE

COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION OF 5- NUCLEOTIDES

Degradation of RNA by 5-phospho-diesterase.
Fermentation to produce nucleotides followed by chemical phosphorylation to produce the 5-nucleotides. Direct fermentation to yield 5-nucleotides. Chemical decomposition of RNA to produce nucleotides followed by chemical phosphorylation to produce the 5nucleotides.

TOXICITY OF 5-NUCLEOTIDES
Administration of lethal doses of 5-nucleotides causes temporary depression, clonic convulsions and dyspnea. Dietary intake of 2% of total diet or less 5-nucleotides have not been found to cause observable effects in any species of animals in long term feeding studies. Studies suggest that there are no significant toxicity concerns in humans for 5-nucleotides in the diet.

MALTOL
Maltol occurs naturally in many plants and is formed in roasted malt, baked goods etc. It was introduced as a flavor potentiator in 1942. The E number for maltol is E636. Toxicity of maltol is not known. It is commercially produced by the fermentation of soyabean proteins or glutinin.

CHEMICAL STRUCTURE OF MALTOL

ETHYL MALTOL
Ethyl maltol is derived from maltol (E636) by replacing one methyl group with an ethyl group. Ethyl maltol is 4 to 6 times stronger than maltol. The E number of ethyl maltol is E637. It has no known effect.

CHEMICAL STRUCTURE OF ETHYL MALTOL

OTHERS
Dioctyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate is used as a flavor potentiator in canned milk where it improves and maintains the flavor and freshness of the sterilized milk during storage. N, N -di-o-tolylethylenediamine is also used as a flavor potentiator in dairy industry.

MODE OF ACTION
The means by which flavor potentiators enhance flavor is poorly understood. However some indirect evidence has been gathered which supports some basic theories, which will be discussed briefly.

Strong (1968) suggested that flavor potentiators may function by either increasing the amount of flavor compounds actually arriving at the olfactory cells or by increasing the magnitude of the signal generated by the flavor compound Schinneller et al. (1972) suggested that 5-nucleotides unmasked certain flavor receptor sites, hence making more receptor sites available for reaction with the stimulus. Saint-Hilaire and Solms (1973) proposed that flavor potentiators interacted with collagen like proteins at the receptor sites. This would create an improved environment for taste receptor stimulation.

APPLICATIONS OF FLAVOR POTENTIATORS

Flavor potentiators find wide usage in food products. Vegetables, sauces, meats and other savory foods constitute the major food application. The ability of flavor potentiators to impart viscosity, drying and fullness is a useful property in soups, gravies, sauces and juices.

USAGE LEVELS OF MSG AND 5-NUCLEOTIDES IN VARIOUS FOOD PRODUCTS

FOODS USAGE LEVELS % MSG% Dehydrated soups Canned soups Canned asparagus Canned fish Sausages Sauces Ketchup Mayonnaise Snacks Vegetable juices Processed cheese 5-8 0.12-0.18 0.08-0.16 0.10-0.30 0.30-0.50 1.0-1.2 0.15-0.30 0.40-0.60 0.10-0.50 0.10-0.15 0.40-0.50 5NUCLEOTIDES (50/50 IMP &GMP) % 0.10-0.20 0.0022-0.0033 0.003-0.004 0.003-0.006 0.002-0.014 0.010-0.030 0.010-0.020 0.012-0.018 0.003-0.007 0.005-0.010 0.005-0.010

USAGE LEVELS OF MALTOL AND ETHYL MALTOL IN VARIOUS FOOD PRODUCTS

FOODS Baked goods Beverages Candies Chocolate foods Dairy products Desserts Jams USAGE LEVELS (ppm) MALTOL 75-250 2-250 3-300 30-200 10-150 30-150 40-200 ETHYL MALTOL 25-150 1-100 1-100 5-40 5-50 10-75 15-60

REFRENCES
Ashurst. P. R.(1999), Food flavourings, 3rd edition, Aspen publications, Pp 367-394. Heath. H.B.(1981), Source book of flavors, 1st edition, Springer publications, Pp 323-325. Heath. H.B., Reineccius. G.(1999), Flavor chemistry and technology, 2nd edition, CBS publishers, Pp 318-329. Reineccius. G.(1994), Source book of flavors, 2nd edition, Aspen publications, Pp 642-647. http://www.crcnetbase.com/doi/abs/10.1201/9780203485347.ch11 http://www.msgtruth.org/NEWUNIFIEDTHEORY.pdf

http://www.msgtruth.org/states.htm http://www.ajinomoto.com/features/aji-no-moto/en/truth/qa.html http://www.msgtruth.org/body.htm http://www.healthboards.com/boards/archive/index.php/t-516325.html http://www.ehow.com/about_5432119_health-risks-monosodiumglutamate.html http://chemistry.about.com/od/imagesclipartstructures/ig/Amino-AcidStructures/Glutamic-Acid.htm