What are fruit flavorings?

• Highly concentrated:

  The aroma intensity of flavorings is usually tens or even hundreds of times stronger than natural fruits, and a very small amount (usually measured in ppm) is sufficient to achieve a significant effect.

• Standardized and stable flavor:
  • Consistency:

    Unaffected by season, origin, or climate, providing a stable and consistent flavor throughout the year.

  • Stability:

    Through technological means, its flavor is less prone to change and degradation during storage and processing (such as heating and sterilization) than natural fruit juice.

• Low cost:

  Compared with using a large amount of fresh fruit, flavorings can greatly reduce production costs and are easy to transport and store.

• Strong design capabilities:
  • Reproducing authentic flavors:

    Can accurately replicate the flavor of a specific fruit (such as Hainan Guifei mango or Rose Muscat grapes).

  • Creating non-existent flavors:

    Can create "idealized" or "dreamlike" fruit flavors that do not exist in nature (such as "tropical fruit," "mixed berry," or "melon milkshake" flavors).

  • Compensating for processing losses:

    In food processing, high-temperature processes can cause natural aromas to volatilize; adding flavorings can compensate for this loss.

This is key to understanding the characteristics of flavorings.

• Complexity of components:

  The aroma of natural fruits is composed of a subtle combination of hundreds of natural volatile compounds (esters, alcohols, aldehydes, terpenes, etc.), and changes dynamically over time. Flavorings usually only simulate a few dozen key "main aroma notes."

• Lack of texture and aftertaste:

  Flavorings mainly provide the "smell" and "initial taste," but often lack the complex texture, layered changes, and lingering aftertaste of natural fruits when chewed. They usually need to be combined with acidulants, sweeteners, fruit juices, etc., to simulate a more complete experience.

• "Unnatural feeling":

  Some cheap or poorly formulated flavorings may have a single, sharp taste, or a noticeable "chemical" or "artificial sweetener" taste, which differs from the roundness and richness of natural fruits.

• Natural Fruit Flavors:
  • Source:

    Extracted from natural fruits or plants through physical methods (such as distillation and extraction).

  • Characteristics:

    The flavor is relatively natural and mild, but the cost is high, stability may be slightly poorer, and it is subject to raw material constraints. It can be labeled as "natural flavor" on the packaging.

• Synthetic Fruit Flavors:
  • Source:

    Manufactured through chemical synthesis methods, creating compounds identical to natural aroma components (called "nature-identical substances") or entirely new artificial synthetic flavors.

  • Characteristics:

    Low cost, good stability, high purity, and large production volume, making them the mainstream in the market. However, improper blending can easily result in an artificial taste.

• Reaction Flavors:

  Through processes such as the Maillard reaction, amino acids and sugars react to produce substances with baked or fruity flavors, more closely resembling the complex aromas produced during cooking.

• Wide Application:

  Used in almost all industrialized food and beverages, such as soft drinks, yogurt, candy, baked goods, ice cream, chewing gum, skincare products, perfumes, etc.

• Easy to Use:

  Mostly in liquid or powder form, easy to accurately add and mix in the production line.

• Strict Regulations:

  Various countries have strict regulations and standards governing the types, quantities, and safety of their use (such as China's GB 2760). Products used legally and compliantly are safe.