INTRODUCTION
Flavouring agents are those substances which are used to give taste and smell to food. The community legislation defines different types of flavouring agetns, such as natural, natural-identical or artificial flavouring substances, flavouring preparations of plant or animal origin, process flavourings which develop a flavour on heating and smoke flavourings.
NATURAL FLAVOURING SUBSTANCES
These are flavouring substances that are obtained from plant or animal raw materials, by physical, microbiological or enzymatic processes. They can be either used in their natural state or processed for human consumption, but cannot contain any natural-identical flavouring substances.
NATURAL-IDENTICAL FLAVOURING SUBSTANCES
These substances are flavouring substances that are obtained by synthesis or isolated through chemical processes, which are chemically identical to flavouring substances naturally present in products intended for human consumption. They cannot contain any artificial flavouring substances.
ARTIFICIAL FLAVOURING SUBSTANCES
These substances are flavouring substances that are not identified in a natural product intended for human consumption, whether or not the product is processed.
SMOKE FLAVOURING SUBSTANCES
This is a natural flavouring substances obtained by subjecting untreated and uncontaminated hardwood, including sawdust and woody plants, to one or more of the following processes are used such as controlled burning, dry distillation at appropriate temperatures and or treatment with superheated steam and obtaining fractions which have the desired flavour potential.
salt is certainly the most essential element, that is used mostly in all the savoury dishes and sometimes sweet courses.
Extracts and essences, wines, spirits, beer and cider, liqueurs, and cordials, vinegar and marinades also play an important role in flavouring foods.
OTHER FLAVOURING AGENTS
Basically these are called seasonings: for example, red chilli powders, mustard, pepper and nutmeg, basil, thyme and cardamom etc.
OBTAINED FROM PLANTS:
- Fruits: Mango, Strawberry, Nutmeg, dry fruits etc
- Flowers : Rose etc
- Stems: Cinnamon stick etc
- Leaves: Basil, Thyme, Rosemary etc
OBTAINED FROM ANIMALS:
- Milk
- Cream
- Yoghurt