„The main thing is that it tastes good“ or „The main thing is that it tastes the same“?
The human as a creature of habit and quality standards in the flavor industry.
This proverb has a lot of meaning because there is actually much truth to it. Over 40% of our everyday actions are habits – actions that have been formed through repetition and have become so automated that little thinking is required. Often, this behavior is even executed unconsciously.
However, it’s not just actions that we become accustomed to; we also get used to certain foods. Thus, we become accustomed to a specific taste, smell, or aroma of a product. Once we have come to appreciate a product, we are reluctant to accept any variation in its taste. After all, this is the reason why we buy it.
But how do manufacturers meet these demands? Is cherry flavor, for instance, always the same? And how do manufacturers manage to maintain a consistent taste?
Use of flavors and quality standards
Approximately 2,600 flavoring substances are used in the food industry. For consumers, it is often confusing to understand what exactly the term „flavoring substance“ means and how to interpret the ingredient list of a product. „Aroma“ typically refers to a combination of various flavoring substances that create a characteristic odor. However, the term „flavoring substance“ does not initially provide information about how the taste- or odor-giving substance is obtained. It can include
- natural (e.g., real vanilla or natural vanilla extract with vanillin as the main flavoring substance),
- nature-identical (chemically identical to substances found in nature but synthetically produced, e.g., vanillin), and
- artificial flavoring substances (synthetically produced substances not naturally present in the product, e.g., ethylvanillin).
According to the EU flavor regulation 1334/2008, for a substance to be labeled as a „natural flavoring substance,“ it must originate from a plant, animal, or microbiological source and be obtained through extraction or distillation, for example.
Our food contains not only natural flavors
Therefore, there are several reasons why our food contains not only natural flavors: Besides economic factors, such as real vanilla being more expensive than synthetically produced vanillin, our raw materials may simply be too scarce to meet the demand. Large-scale production also allows the addition of flavoring substances as taste enhancers, compensating for flavor losses that occur during processing. For instance, when foods are heated or frozen, these preparation methods may adversely affect their natural flavors.
Additionally, added flavors ensure that products maintain a consistent taste. Once consumers become accustomed to the smell and taste of a product, they can be sensitive to any changes. If products are derived from fruits, it is understandable that environmental and ripening conditions can significantly influence the odor and taste of the processed food. Therefore, the use of flavors is a common method employed by manufacturers to standardize their products.
This poses a challenge for both flavoring and food manufacturers, as they must be able to (re)produce flavors consistently or adjust formulations to achieve the most consistent taste in the end product. To ensure a certain quality standard, it is necessary to conduct regular sampling and analyses, checking the flavoring substances or blends for any deviations or off-odors as frequently as possible.
The challenge of real-time analysis
In many companies, the human nose is still the preferred method. However, this method is very expensive due to training required for panelists and moreover is prone to subjectivity, resulting in drawbacks, particularly in terms of comparability and reproducibility. From an analytical view, gas chromatography (GC) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) is the most common method for flavoring analysis. However, this analysis technique is time consuming (approx. 5–30 minutes per analysis, depending on the instrument and program) and is unsuitable for real-time analysis.
The verification is done subjectively or based on random sampling, as an objective sensor data-driven real-time analysis is still a challenge.
Powerful and easy-to-use real-time monitoring
In our recently published AppNote, we have demonstrated that the various challenges in real-time analysis can be addressed with the use of our MS-based HaVoc Sensory System, which enables data-driven odor analysis.
We showed that different cherry-like aromas can be distinguished and grouped by a manufacturer. Furthermore, the system can differentiate between manufacturers based on an assumed categorization of „cherry“ aroma by analyzing the different chemical compositions, i.e., the contained flavoring substances. The HaVoc System also possesses the capability to mimic and validate the results of human sensory panel odor perception.
This powerful and user-friendly real-time monitoring is made possible by one of the most advanced technologies in chemical analysis, mass spectrometry. The HaVoc System represents an affordable and automated „lab in a box“ solution for sensing volatile organic compounds. It fulfills the Industry 4.0 demand for highly sensitive and easy-to-use real-time sensors.
Are you ready to rethink your analysis process?
Contact us for more information!