Enzymatic Solutions for Flavour Generation
Five Basic Tastes
The five basic tastes are sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. Sweetness is typically associated with sugars and provides a pleasurable sensation. Sourness comes from acids like citric acid in lemons and is perceived as tartness. Saltiness is primarily detected from sodium ions in salt, enhancing flavors and balancing other tastes. Bitterness, often found in foods like coffee and dark chocolate, can signal toxic compounds but also adds depth to flavor profiles. Umami, a savoury taste from glutamates and nucleotides, is commonly found in meat, cheese, and fermented products, contributing a rich and satisfying taste.
How enzymes contribute to flavour generation
Ripening: Enzymes play a significant role in the ripening of fruits and vegetables. Enzymes like pectinases break down pectin, softening the fruit and enhancing sweetness and flavour by converting starches into sugars.
Maillard Reaction: Although not solely enzyme-driven, the Maillard reaction is a form of non-enzymatic browning that occurs when amino acids and reducing sugars react under heat. Enzymes can produce the necessary substrates (amino acids and sugars) for this reaction, which results in the development of rich and complex flavours.
Meat Tenderisation: Enzymes such as papain and bromelain, derived from papaya and pineapple respectively, are used to tenderise meat. These enzymes break down muscle proteins, making the meat more tender and enhancing its flavour.
Flavour Precursors: Enzymes can produce flavour precursors, which are inactive compounds that can be later transformed into active flavour compounds during cooking or processing.
Reduction of Off-Flavours: Enzymes can also reduce or eliminate undesirable flavours. For instance, exopeptidases can be used to improve functionality of animal and plant-based proteins, producing non-bitter protein hydrolysates.
Plant-based products struggle with taste primarily due to the inherent flavours of the raw ingredients used. Many plant sources, such as legumes, grains and certain vegetables have natural compounds that impart earthy and bitter notes. Taste and texture play pivotal roles in the overall sensory experience and ultimately influencing their acceptance. Overcoming these taste challenges requires innovative and nutritionally-minded solutions.
Enzymes have been used for centuries to produce flavour in dairy products. Traditionally flavour is generated by enzymes produced from microflora present in cheese, butter, or cream and time is required for these complex flavours to evolve. In more recent times the addition of exogenous (external source) enzymes to immature cheese, butter oil or cream has been used to speed this process up intensifying the flavour in hours and days instead of weeks and months. These Enzyme Modified Dairy Ingredients (EMDI) are stable, cost-effective flavour compounds that can be used in a variety of food applications.
