Why are fragrances dangerous? Where do natural identical flavors come from?: ER doctor's medical blog

Today, in our perception of food, not only nutritional qualities both taste and smell. In the composition of products, we often read concepts such as flavors - identical to natural or synthetic. But what is hidden under these terms?

What are food flavors

A food flavoring is an additive that is added to a food product to improve its aroma and taste. It is a flavoring substance or a mixture of flavoring substances with or without a solvent, a dry carrier (filler). With the help of such components, manufacturers can create the widest range of food products that differ in aroma and taste, based on the same type of product: marmalade, soft drinks, candy caramel, jelly, ice cream, yogurt and other. Distinguish between natural, identical to natural and synthetic flavors.

Natural may include exclusively natural aromatic components. They receive by physical means(by pressing, distillation, extraction) from raw materials of plant or animal origin. However, in our time, the production of products using such flavors is almost impossible. The main reason for this is the high cost of the final product, another reason lies in the weak or insufficient stability of such components.

Flavors that are identical to natural, figuratively speaking, are obtained not in the garden, but in the laboratory. Aromas of peach, strawberry, apricot, black currant and others consist of the same components as natural berries or fruits, only get them by chemical synthesis. Such compounds may contain one or more artificial substances that are not found in nature. For example, the taste and aroma of vanilla can be obtained not only from vanillin, but also from ethyl vanillin - this is a combination obtained by chemical methods.

Artificial flavors contain at least one artificial ingredient, and may also contain natural or nature-identical ingredients. These chemical compounds are obtained by chemical synthesis.

Many people have a question, why add flavorings when you can use natural fruits and berries? The fact is that many combinations of flavors and aromas are lost under the influence of high temperatures. And with the help of specially created ones, you can restore the taste and aroma, which are partially lost during storage, processing, freezing, pasteurization or conservation. Moreover, they can enhance natural taste and aroma of products, as well as to give aroma to products from valuable raw materials, devoid of smell (soybean products). In addition, with the help of flavorings, you can get rid of food products from bad odors.

As a rule, such additives are available in the form of liquid (solutions or emulsions), dry and pasty products. Liquid ones are much cheaper than similar dry ones and are intended for most food products ( confectionery, drinks, low-fat and dairy products). It should be noted that all flavors can be obtained as a result of physical (extraction, distillation, dissolution and mixing) and chemical (synthesis, smoke generation during combustion or pyrolysis) processes. And food flavorings of smoking can be obtained by absorption of smokes, which are used in traditional smoking, with a solvent (mainly water).

It should be noted that flavoring substances contain more than 70% of all products of our country, so it is quite difficult to find such products that would not contain any flavors, flavor enhancers, or preservatives. Children's juices, yoghurts, curds, confectionery and meat products, drinks and teas - all contain artificial additives. In addition, they are even present in the diet of infants and dried fruits. So how bad are these? nutritional supplements?

Harm of food flavorings

Compared to other food additives, flavorings are not so dangerous, but they can still cause some harm to health. First of all, it is recommended to always give preference to products with natural flavors, since neither an identical, nor even a synthetic analogue is able to fully convey the true aroma and taste of a particular product. But in this case, not everything is so simple. As already mentioned, under the influence of high temperatures, the taste and aroma of natural products is lost. In addition, natural flavors are very expensive. In addition, unlike natural, natural-identical or synthetic food flavorings are much more convenient to use due to their “unpretentiousness” and lower cost.

For example, vanillin is the main aromatic substance of vanilla. The use of this spice pure form considered quite expensive, so they began to extract from vanilla pods White powder, which has strong smell characteristic of this spice. Such a natural flavor is absolutely harmless, the only exception is the individual intolerance of the product. Rather, on the contrary, due to the content of polyphenols in vanillin, it is able to fight malignant neoplasms. It can be used in the prevention of vascular and heart diseases, besides, it perfectly relieves inflammatory processes, has an antimicrobial effect and anti-allergic properties.

However, in stores finished products it is very difficult to find vanillin, because its price, although less price on vanilla, but still remains quite high. Therefore, in our time, vanillin flavoring is often used, identical to natural, or its synthetic “brother”.

The harm of vanillin flavoring, which is identical to natural, is explained by the presence of unhealthy chemical compounds in it. The most dangerous is the additive coumarin, the toxic effect of which can destroy the liver. Of course, such a flavor does not have useful properties. Citral - the aroma of orange, is also an artificial component. Often, its presence in products is hushed up, because it can cause metabolic disorders in the body.

Artificial food flavors, although harmful to human health, are not as significant as other food additives. However, intensive use of products with synthetic flavors can cause significant harm to health, especially for children. It should also be noted that long-term consumption of foods containing high concentrations of these additives can adversely affect the liver.

It must be remembered that most food flavorings will be safe if used in reasonable amounts, that is, a little and not every day. At the same time, it is recommended to give preference to natural or identical flavors, and it is desirable to limit the use of products with artificial additives.

- IN Lately Finding natural flavors in food products is a rare stroke of luck. IN best case the composition of the product includes flavors identical to natural, and at worst - artificial flavors. I would like to know what is hidden behind the term "natural identical flavors"?

As nutrition experts explain, food flavors are additives that are added to a food product to improve its aroma and taste. The use of flavorings allows manufacturers to create the widest range of food products that differ in aroma and taste, based on the same type of product: hard candy, marmalade, soft drinks, jelly, ice cream, yogurt, and so on. Flavors are divided into natural, identical to natural and artificial.

natural flavors obtained by physical methods (pressing, extraction, distillation) from raw materials of plant or animal origin. For various reasons, the production of food products using only natural flavors is not possible: one of them is the high cost of natural flavors, the second is the weak or insufficient stability of natural flavors.

Flavors, identical to natural they are obtained, figuratively speaking, not in the garden, but in the laboratory: the flavors of "strawberry", "peach", "black currant", "apricot" and so on consist of the same components as natural berries and fruits, only they are obtained by the method chemical synthesis, completely repeating their chemical formula. Identical to natural means "same as natural". Used in food production also artificial flavors - they may contain one or more artificial substances that do not occur in nature. For example, the taste and aroma of vanilla can give the product not only vanillin, but also ethyl vanillin - a combination not found in nature, but obtained by chemical methods.

However, a completely logical question arises: why add flavors when you can use natural fruits and berries? The fact is that most combinations that convey taste and aroma natural fruits and berries, unstable when exposed to high temperatures. And flavorings allow you to restore the taste and aroma, which are partially lost during storage, processing, freezing, pasteurization or canning. In addition, flavors can enhance the natural taste and aroma of foods, or flavor products made from valuable raw materials that are devoid of flavors, such as processed soy. Flavorings also help to deprive foods of an unpleasant taste.

- My children categorically refuse to drink milk. They do not allow adding it even to cereals. Like, the figure must be protected. And none of my persuasions work on them. Help convince them...

Experts state: the diet of Belarusians is characterized by low calcium, which entails disturbances in the functioning of various organs and systems of the body, primarily the skeletal system. Therefore, the main argument in favor of milk is that it is milk that supplies the human body with the lion's share of phosphorus and calcium in the most accessible and easily digestible form!

In general, milk is characterized by an optimal balance nutrients and a high degree of assimilation by their body. It contains hundreds of different valuable components: more than 20 optimally balanced amino acids, over 140 fatty acids, milk sugar lactose, rich assortment minerals, trace elements, vitamins, phosphatides, enzymes, hormones and other substances necessary for the body to maintain normal functioning. By content essential amino acids milk proteins are classified as high biological value. The degree of assimilation of milk proteins is very high - 96-98 percent.

Now as to the threat that milk consumption can supposedly pose to the figure. Experts explain that whole milk refers to foods with an average cholesterol content. So for those who care overweight may be advised to use low-fat dairy products or milk with low fat : 1.5% instead of 3.5%, milk rather than creamy yogurt, sour cream with a fat content of 10 to 15% instead of 20 - 25%. For example, a cup whole milk contains about 30 mg of cholesterol, a cup of 2% fat milk contains 15 mg, and a cup of skimmed milk contains only 7 mg of cholesterol. Skimmed milk as a source of complete protein for humans is included in the pyramid healthy eating with a recommendation to consume 2-3 cups per day. It is very important that in skimmed milk completely transferred from whole milk proteins and milk sugar. It also includes phosphatides, non-protein nitrogenous combinations, vitamins, enzymes, hormones and other combinations. In terms of value, low-fat milk is practically not inferior to whole milk.

- Tell me, what can I replace sugar in the diet with? How safe is it to sweeten coffee with synthetic sugar substitutes?

In terms of calories, most natural sugar substitutes are not inferior to it, but they are sweeter, and therefore the dose of their consumption is less. The most famous sugar substitutes in plant-based sorbitol and fructose are considered. They can be used even by the sick diabetes. High-quality fructose is almost twice as sweet as sugar, and sorbitol is one and a half. In daily consumption, it is better to give preference fructose, since sorbitol has one unpleasant by-effect- it has a laxative effect.

Of the synthetic sweeteners, the most common are sodium cyclamate and aspartame. They are sold in the form of small tablets (“Zukli”, “Susli”, “Sladis” and others), and in the tablet itself their content is completely insignificant, everything else is a filler, usually starch. But these tablets are extremely sweet. One sweetener tablet equals one teaspoon of sugar. True, discussions about the safety of using synthetic sweeteners in the world continue. IN European countries, For example, the use of aspartame is prohibited in the diet of young children. It is not recommended for teenagers either, although it is they who become the main consumers of aspartame, since this sugar substitute is found in all "light" sodas with the prefix "light". Aspartame is strictly forbidden to consume with phenylketonuria. The “geography” of cyclamate consumption is even more limited: it is banned for use in the USA, France, Great Britain and several other countries. It is believed that sodium cyclamate provokes kidney failure. It is forbidden to consume cyclamate to pregnant women and nursing mothers. Featured safe doses consumption of aspartame is 40 mg per 1 kilogram of human weight, and sodium cyclamate - 10 mg per kilogram of body weight.

Food flavorings are substances that are used in confectionery business. Their main purpose is to enhance the aroma and taste of the cooked dish. The variety of food flavorings is huge, perhaps there are no restrictions. home baking you can give absolutely any flavor.

What are flavors?

Food flavorings are substances or preparations that are food additives. They are added in order to give or enhance the taste and aroma of baked goods. We are not talking about salty, sweet, spicy and other tastes, flavors do not have such properties. But the smell of berries, fruits, chocolate, etc. can be enhanced in baking.

Flavors can be artificially created or based on natural product.

The harm and benefits of food flavorings

The scope of use of food additives is mainly gastronomic, therefore pernicious influence they should not be in the body. But is it?

Food colorings and flavorings, depending on their composition and method of manufacture, can be beneficial as well as harmful.

TO useful properties the following applies:

1. Enhancement of aroma and taste.
2. Food savings: instead of adding a lot of fruit to the cake for taste and smell, you can do without a small amount food flavoring.

As for the harm from the supplement, it can be as follows:

1. Increased appetite from a particular flavor. And this, in turn, will provoke eating a large number high-calorie foods.
2. Allergic intolerance to any type of flavoring.
3. These substances may contain hazardous components, which are capable of causing various modifications in the body.

In most cases, food flavorings do not carry a serious danger. But artificially obtained should be treated with caution.

Varieties of food additive

There are several types of food flavorings:

1. Natural, in the manufacture of which only natural ingredients are used.
2. Artificial - synthetically derived ingredients are used to create them, and the presence of a fraction is also possible natural ingredients.
3. Identical to natural - in the composition of such flavors there are substances artificially obtained, but whose chemical formula completely repeats the formula of natural substances.

1. By area of ​​use:

• confectionery;
• for the manufacture of drinks;
• oil and fat;
• gastronomic.

2. state of aggregation:

• liquid food flavors;
• powdered;
• in the form of an emulsion.

3. Cooking method:

• smoke;
• technological;
• compositional.

Application

Food additives - flavorings - are used in the gastronomic industry to give the finished product a more appetizing, attractive look and taste. Thanks to this development of a person, it becomes possible:

1. Diversify the assortment of the same type of products due to various flavorings. For example, a selection of cakes with the most different flavors.
2. Partially or even completely restore the taste lost by the product (lost during long-term storage freezing, canning, etc.).
3. Bring to the standard the flavor and aroma characteristics of gastronomic products that do not depend on annual interruptions in the quality of the original agricultural raw materials.
4. Strengthen what you already have food product aroma and taste.
5. Kill or completely remove the unpleasant natural taste.
6. To give an inexhaustible flavor to food that loses its odors during certain types of processing (thermal, for example).
7. To give flavor to products that do not have their own smells, but are very useful for other qualities.

Use food flavorings in confectionery, dairy production, in the manufacture of drinks, etc. Their quantity in products must correspond to the norm of odors that the added amount of the corresponding natural ingredients. With an overestimated amount of flavorings, not only the taste deteriorates, the product is questioned about the quality and naturalness.

Production

Liquid food flavors are made from required amount aroma components dissolved in 1,2-propylene glycol, ethyl alcohol, triacetin, etc. After that, the finished solution is filtered.

Flavored liquid emulsions are produced by emulsifying aroma ingredients in water with the addition of special substances and using special equipment.

Natural food flavorings are produced by applying flavoring substances to a suitable powdered carrier (eg salt, sugar, starch). The process is accompanied by thorough mixing.

These methods are applicable to oxidation-resistant flavors. There is a more complex method of preparation - encapsulation.

The best, but at the same time the most expensive way is to obtain an emulsion of aromatic substances in a solution of an encapsulated agent (axacia gum, for example).

Technological liquid, dry and powdered food flavorings are made according to a special Maillard reaction. Its meaning lies in the interaction of amino acids and sugars when heated.

Smoke food additives are produced by the adsorption of smoke with water. These smokes are used for smoking products.

According to our research department, precise definition Natural Flavors and Flavors contained in Section 21, Section 101, Part 22 of the US Code of Federal Regulations is:

The terms "natural flavor" and "natural flavor additive" means essential oil, oleoresin (turpentine), essence or extract, protein hydrolysate, distillate or any product of calcination, heating or enzymolysis (enzymatic decomposition of substances) that contains flavoring elements extracted from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, nutritional yeast, grass, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, as well as from meat, seaweed, game, eggs, dairy products or fermented products. All these additional components give the main ingredients a specific taste or aroma, but have no nutritional value.

In other words, any product whose use is officially approved can be considered as a natural flavor. In fact, it's impossible to tell exactly what is in a particular natural flavor unless the company that makes the product lists the ingredients on the label. These days, some vegetarian and vegan companies do this, but not the vast majority of food manufacturers.

Why do companies "hide" ingredients under the label "natural flavors"? This approach is seen as a way to preserve the identity and unique character of the product. It's something like " secret recipe» - manufacturers fear that if people find out exactly what the ingredients are, someone will be able to copy the product.

So what are vegetarians to do? Call the company? Ask what is in the flavors? It is possible that they will not be able or will not want to provide this information. But! The more often they hear this question, the more urgent it becomes for them to put an explanatory inscription on the label. In some cases, this tactic is effective (remember what happened when numerous consumers began to write to the USDA (Ministry of Agriculture United States) on organic standards), although this may take some time. Some large companies have already urged consumers to pay attention to their natural flavors and asked for advice on what information they should put on labels if they use only vegetarian or vegan flavors. This happened due to the fact that manufacturers realized that this issue is relevant for vegetarians and vegans.

Many phone numbers on product labels belong to customer service departments that employ people who can only read their company's official information. If you're tempted to let your anger out and yell at them, don't do it. It's like blaming the average salesperson because the store they work for has the wrong policy.

February 17th, 2014

Most of us believe that natural flavors are better than artificial flavors, since the latter contain a lot of chemicals.

Is it really?

In fact, everything that we eat, that we feel, everything that surrounds us - all this consists of chemical substances. Whether they are natural or lab-created, it doesn't matter.

For example, the smell of cloves is due to a chemical called eugenol. And cinnamon, which is the common dried bark of cinnamon trees, gets its aroma from cinnamon compounds.

All flavors contain chemicals, both artificial and natural. The difference between them is only the source of these chemicals. Natural flavors are created from animal products or plant origin. Even processing in the laboratory does not detract from the fact that they are natural. Artificial flavors are created from something inedible, not alive. For example, from oil, which is converted into chemicals by processing.

Here's how the Food and Drug Administration describes natural flavor:

“A natural flavoring agent is: an essential oil, essence, extract, or product obtained by distillation, roasting, heating, or decomposition into enzymes. Flavor has flavors derived from spices, fruits, vegetables or their juice, herbs, roots or leaves, and other plant products. Taste qualities flavors can also be obtained from meat, seafood, eggs, dairy products, as well as from their enzymes.

The definition of artificial flavor is shorter - an artificial flavor is any substance that does not fit the description of a natural flavor.

Sometimes the same flavor can be obtained using either natural or artificial ingredients. The result will be the same, only the process of creation differs.

So why use artificial flavors at all? The fact is that it is much cheaper to use synthetic chemicals than to get the same natural ones. The artificial components used are also safer than natural ones - they are tested and tested. In addition, their production is more environmentally friendly than, for example, growing many violets for a natural flavor.

For example, vanillin extract is responsible for the taste and smell of vanilla. In nature, vanillin is obtained from orchids. This process is very long and expensive. Therefore, scientists created artificial vanillin in the laboratory.

In 2006, Japanese scientist Mayu Yamamoto came up with a way to extract vanillin extract from cow feed. For this, she received the Ig Nobel Prize at Harvard University.

What many people don't realize is that there can be just as many chemicals in natural flavors as artificial flavors. For example, the amount of chemicals used to create artificial strawberry flavor is equal to the amount of chemicals in fresh strawberries.

Artificial grape flavor derived from chemical components purple grapes - not the red or green ones we buy in stores. That is why, products containing this flavor have a rich purple(such as candy or carbonated drinks). For the same reason, store-bought grapes do not have the same characteristic taste.

Some natural flavors are much more dangerous than their artificial counterparts. For example, in the almond flavor obtained naturally, traces of cyanide can be found. And raw soya beans from which they are made soy sauce may also be toxic.

Many people are concerned about the addition of "chemicals" like monosodium glutamate to foods. Some attribute headaches to overuse products containing monosodium glutamate (syndrome Chinese restaurant). But, in reality, such a connection is nothing more than a myth. The researchers believe that these symptoms may be caused by excess salt in Chinese food.

Artificially created flavors are much more thoroughly tested than natural ones. But this fact can be considered only an argument in their favor. After all, creating a flavoring from scratch ensures that each of its components has passed the safety test and has been approved for use.

Why do we need fragrances?

Flavorings are intended to impart taste and aroma to food products and to enhance the existing taste and aroma.

The use of flavors allows:

Create a wide range of food products that differ in taste and aroma based on the same type of product
restore taste and aroma, partially lost during storage or processing - freezing, pasteurization, canning, concentration
to standardize the taste and aroma characteristics of food products, regardless of the annual fluctuations in the quality of agricultural raw materials
enhance the natural taste and aroma of the products
flavor products based on some nutritionally valuable but flavorless raw materials (e.g. soy derivatives)
get rid of food bad aftertaste
to add flavor to products obtained with technological processes, in which the natural formation of aroma does not occur (for example, cooking in microwave ovens).

What are the flavors

Flavors are usually divided into natural, identical to natural and artificial.

natural flavors

The US Code of Federal Regulations defines a natural flavor or natural flavor as "essential oil, oil resin, essence, extract, protein hydrolysate, or any product of roasting, heating, or fermentation that contains flavor components derived from spices, fruit or fruit juices, vegetables or vegetable juices, nutritional yeast, herbs, bark, kidneys , roots, leaves or similar plant materials, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products or products obtained therefrom by means of fermentation, the essential function of which is to food product more flavorful than nutritious."

Natural flavors are extremely expensive and are used only in cases where it is not possible to develop flavors that are identical to natural or artificial.

identical natural flavors

In Russia in accordance with GOST R 52464-2005 Identical to natural flavoring- This food flavoring, the flavoring part of which contains one or more flavoring substances identical to natural ones, may contain flavoring preparations and natural flavoring substances.
In the US, and now in the European Union, the term "natural identical flavor" is not used.

As an example, we can cite fruit and berry flavors intended for the production of caramel - citrus orange, Lemon and Grapefruit, as well as Mint, consisting of more than 50% natural essential oils; Strawberry, Blackcurrant, Peach, Apricot.

Artificial Flavors

GOST R 52464-2005 gives the following definition of artificial flavor:

artificial flavor- food flavoring, the flavoring part of which contains one or more artificial flavoring substances, may contain flavoring preparations, natural and identical natural flavoring substances.

All flavorings that do not fall under the definition of "natural" are classified as artificial by the American food law. Artificial food flavors contain at least one artificial substance that does not exist in nature. It is obtained by chemical synthesis. Artificial flavors are highly stable, intense and cheap. For example, an artificial flavor is arovanilon (ethylvanillin), used food industry all over the world.

What are flavors made of and how are they obtained?

Natural food flavors are extracted by physical means (pressing, extraction, distillation) from raw materials of plant or animal origin. Dry powders of plants (for example, garlic) are obtained by removing water from the original crushed plant or squeezed juice by spraying or sublimation.

According to the composition of the main aromatic components and their chemical structure identical natural flavors are fully consistent with natural. At the same time, part of the components or even the entire flavor is obtained artificially. For example, vanillin, para-hydroxyphenyl-3-butanone (the main aroma-forming component for raspberry flavor) is obtained by chemical synthesis. By optimizing and purposefully influencing enzymatic processes and the development of certain microorganisms, for example, cheese flavors, butter, mustard, horseradish.

Smoke flavorings are most often the result of extracting purified smoke smoke with water, followed by concentration of the extracts. They are received in several stages. First, by optimizing the enzymatic processes of meat maturation, a significant amount of precursors of meat flavors is obtained. Then, by heating (similar to boiling and frying), the precursors are converted into meat flavors. Intensity y similar products 20-50 times higher than those received traditional way meat products.

One artificial flavor can be synthesized from hundreds of chemical compounds that mimic natural flavors. Some artificial vanilla flavors are made from waste products from the paper industry or petroleum.

Flavors identical to natural are 100% chemistry. like anyone chemical product, such flavors often contain toxic impurities that worsen the function of the liver and kidneys, inhibit cardiac and respiratory activity, and negatively affect metabolic processes. Modern research has shown the possibility artificial flavors influence human behavior.

Unlike other additives, flavors do not have separate names and are not designated by the letters E in international practice. Usually, the packaging simply indicates the presence of a flavor in the product.

sources

Translation for mixstuff – Alex Madness

http://ducho2010.livejournal.com/6531.html

But what else I will remind you of interesting things about food: for example, do you know? But it also happens . Does anyone know the recipe for a real olivier? See - The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy is made -