Flavoring (condiment, seasoning) refers to the auxiliary food that can increase the color, aroma and taste of dishes, promote appetite and benefit human health. Its main function is to improve the quality of dishes, meet the sensory needs of consumers, thereby stimulating appetite and improving human health. Generally speaking, condiments include salts, sours, sweeteners, flavors and spices, such as salt, soy sauce, vinegar, monosodium glutamate, sugar (in addition), anise, fennel, pepper, mustard and so on.
According to the historical evolution of condiments, there are basically three generations: The first generation: single flavor condiments, such as soy sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, sufu, chili pepper, anise and other natural spices, the longest prevalence, spanning thousands of years. The second generation: high concentration and highly seasonings, such as ultra fresh MSG, IMP, GMP, sodium cyclamate, aspartame, stevia, xylose, and yeast extract, HVP, HAP, food flavors, spices, etc. Such highly effective condiments have been popular since the 1970s. Third generation: compound condiment. Modern compound condiments started late and began to develop rapidly in the 1990s. At present, the above three generations of condiments coexist, but the latter two expand market share and marketing share year by year.
The fourth generation: pure natural condiments. Pure natural condiments are based on pure advance technology, and more on nutrition and health. At present, pure natural condiments are gaining more and more market share under the appeal of health-oriented.
Various condiments basically have their own specific flavoring components, which are closely related to the nature of their chemical components. Different chemical components can cause different taste. Our commonly used condiments are salty, sweet, sour, spicy, fresh, fragrant, bitter and so on. Here is an analysis of the chemical components that can cause various tastes. 1.Salty taste
Salty taste is the flavor of compounds, which is reflected by neutral salts, such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, ammonium chloride and so on. They all have salty taste, but at the same time they have other odors. The degree of taste of various salts is related to the molecular weight of the compounds. The larger the molecular weight, the heavier the bitterness and other odors. Salt is the main source of salty taste. Sodium chloride is the main component of salt. Because of the unique properties of chloride and sodium ions, the pure taste of sodium chloride is determined. Salty condiments include salt, soy sauce and sauce products. For some kidney patients, salt cannot be used in life, but sodium malate and potassium glutamate can be used instead.
2.Sweetness
Sweetness is a popular flavor. Sweetness is mainly caused by the interaction of sweetening genes such as ammonia hydroxyl and sweetening groups. Sugars with lower degree of polymerization have sweetness, such as sucrose, maltose, glucose and fructose. Sweet condiments are: sugar (including sugar, brown sugar), honey, bait sugar, ice sugar and so on.
3.Acidity
Acidity is produced by hydrogen ions ionized by organic and inorganic acids. Vinegar, tomato sauce, spoiled soy sauce and wine can all be used as acid flavoring agents. The main components of common acid are acetic acid (acetic acid), succinic acid, citric acid, malic acid and lactic acid. Organic acid, a weak acid, can participate in the normal metabolism of the human body, generally has no impact on human health, can dissolve in water, its acidity is far less strong than inorganic acid.
4.Spicy taste
Spicy taste is the sensation produced by stimulating oral mucosa with some non-volatile stimulants. Its ingredients are complex, and the spicy taste of each variety comes from different ingredients. The hot taste of pepper is mainly capsaicin; the hot taste of pepper is capsaicin and capsaicin; the hot taste of ginger is mainly gingerol ketone and gingerol; the hot taste of onion and garlic is mainly allicin.
5.Delicate taste
MSG, chicken essence, shrimp, oyster oil, shrimp oil, fish sauce and so on have a delicious taste. The fresh ingredients of shrimp, oyster oil and fish sauce are various, amide, amino acids, MSG is sodium glutamate, chicken essence is sodium inosinate.
6.Fragrance
Aroma comes from volatile aromatic alcohols, aldehydes, ketones and lipids. Flavor condiments are fennel, cinnamon, pepper, spice wine, lees, sesame oil, cinnamon sauce, soy sauce, cloves, roses and so on.
7.Bitter taste
Bitter taste comes from tea alkaloids, theobromine, caffeine and other alkaloids such as ketones. Crude salt contains magnesium chloride, magnesium sulfate and other bitter taste. Bitter food includes tea, coffee, balsam pear, lotus seed, etc.