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Effect of Carbohydrates on Flavor Perception

Effect of Carbohydrates on Flavor Perception

By Prasad Gaikwad

October 25, 2020

Among the three macro-nutrients of the food matrix, carbohydrate provides energy to our body. Chemically they are made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Saccharides are the basic building blocks of carbohydrates. Based on molecular weight, carbohydrates can be classified into four categories.

  1. Monosaccharides like Glucose, Fructose, Galactose etc.
  2. Disaccharides like Sucrose or Lactose
  3. Oligonucleotides like Raffinose
  4. Polysaccharides like Starch, Cellulose, Hydrocolloids etc.

These carbohydrates are having an essential role in the perception of food. Sugar (which is a carbohydrate) is useful for the taste, texture, aroma and colour of various food products. Different types of sugar are found in diverse food sources.

  • Fructose or fruit sugar found in fruits & honey is one and half times sweeter than sucrose. Litchis, pomegranate, passion fruit, mangoes, bananas are some of the fruits having high sugar content.
  • Maltose (glucose + glucose), also known as malt sugar, is found in the food in which starch is fermented by enzyme or yeast.
  • Lactose (galactose + glucose) in milk so often called milk sugar. Human milk contains around 7.2%, while cow milk contains 4.7% of lactose.
  • Sucrose (glucose + fructose) is ordinary table sugar that we use daily for sweetness. It is crystallized white sugar obtained from the sugar cane plant. Sucrose can improve aroma perception in some food but can also act opposite in wine or coffee.

Carbohydrates play a critical role in developing flavour and colour in food products through non-enzymatic browning reactions. The Maillard reaction and caramelization are two primary mechanisms responsible for this. In the Maillard reaction, the reducing sugar reacts with amino acid when heated above 140˚C. It produces a melanoidin compound which causes a brown colour to the food product. It can also create sweet, roasted, brown aroma notes. We can observe this phenomenon in baked bread, roasted chicken or charred burgers.

Caramelization is the oxidation of sugar when dry heated at a temperature above 110˚C. It gives volatile aroma compounds having golden brown colour and caramelized, nutty, brown flavour. Different sugars have different caramelization temperature. The compound diacetyl responsible for buttery flavour is a result of caramelization. Then esters, lactones, maltol are some other examples.

But sometimes carbohydrates also affects negatively for food perception. Hydrocolloids like gums, pectin can form gel along with water and entraps flavour molecules in it, causing a reduction in flavour intensity. There are two main reasons why aroma compounds retain in the carbohydrate matrix. One is the diffusion of aroma compounds by viscosity change, and the second is several interactions between aroma compound & polysaccharides like gelling, salting-out effect, complex formation etc. Retention of aroma compound by carbohydrate increases with an increase in molecular weight and decrease in polarity & volatility. Generally, alcohols are more active for interaction with polysaccharides through hydrogen bonding. Aldehydes and ketones stand after alcohols for the same.

Many carbohydrates are used as carrier material for flavour encapsulation by flavour industries. The carbohydrates can form a glassy matrix at lower water content, useful for aroma retention through flavour encapsulation. Oligosaccharides like cyclodextrin are suitable carriers of volatile aroma compounds in encapsulation. The encapsulated powdered flavour made by the spray drying uses cyclodextrins, modified starches as career material.

Therefore right from table sugar to Maillard reaction to flavour encapsulation, carbohydrate is vital in food perception. So, the proper understanding of flavour-carbohydrate interaction is necessary while developing novel food products as it can affect the overall sensory properties of the food.

Tags: flavour & taste, flavour release, flavour stability, taste & aroma, taste perception
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Blog Archive

  • 2021

    • September (1)

      • Flavours in Vegan Foods
    • August (1)

      • Sensory Evaluation of Food Products
  • 2020

    • October (1)

      • Effect of Carbohydrates on Flavor Perception
    • September (1)

      • Sensory Attributes of Fats
    • August (1)

      • Flavour and Protein interaction
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      • How some Flavours can easily connect with your mood
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      • Off-taste Masking through Flavourings
      • Confectionery as a category and Indian Market
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      • Sugar Reduction with Flavours
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      • Clean Label and the role of Flavours
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      • Caramelization Reaction in Browning
      • Process Flavours
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      • Flavours for Oral Care
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      • Flavoured Water – an Emerging Concept
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      • Flavour Influences Selection of Healthier Option
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      • The rise of Dairy Alternatives
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      • Different Types of Tea Flavours
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      • Flavouring Legislation and Food Safety
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  • 2017

    • December (2)

      • ‘Halal’ and ‘Kosher’ in flavour industry
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      • Factors affecting flavour stability
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      • Flavours in health and nutrition
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The statements, views, thoughts and opinions expressed on blog or social media are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Keva Flavours or its parent organisation. The company does not take any responsibility for the views of the author.

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