Flavor enhancer to provide roasted chicken flavor

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a flavor enhancer for providing a roasted chicken flavor.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a flavour enhancer for providing roasted chicken flavour. Flavouring agents are products added to food and beverages to impart or modify their odour and / or taste. Regulation (EC) No 1334 / 2008 on flavouring agents and certain food ingredients with flavouring properties for use in / on food was adopted on 16 December 2008 and entered into force on 20 January 2009. It lays down the general requirements for the safe use of flavouring agents and gives definitions of different types of flavouring agents: flavouring substances, flavouring preparations, thermal process flavourings, smoke flavourings, flavouring precursors and other flavouring agents.

[0002] "Flavoring agent preparation" is defined as follows: Flavoring agent preparation means a flavoring agent, other than a defined chemical, obtained from materials of vegetable, animal or microbial origin by suitable physical, enzymatic or microbiological processes, either in the raw state of the material or after it has been processed for human consumption.

[0003] On the other hand, "thermal process flavors" (also commonly called "process flavors") are defined as products obtained after heat treatment from a mixture of ingredients not necessarily having flavoring properties in themselves, at least one of which contains nitrogen (amino) and another of which is a reducing sugar.

[0004] Thus, flavor preparations and reaction / process flavors are not foods themselves; they are articles intended for addition to a food or beverage to impart flavor to the food or beverage or to modify or improve the flavor of the food or beverage. They are non-nutritional in nature, i.e., their substantial purpose is not to provide nutrition but to impart flavor to a food or beverage or to enhance, modify, or improve the flavor of the food or beverage to which they are added.

[0005] Throughout this application, the term "flavor enhancer" is meant to encompass both flavor preparations and thermal process flavors, as defined in Regulation (EC) No 1334 / 2008. Thus, the term "flavor enhancer" as used herein covers any type of reaction flavor obtained by reacting an amine or a source of an amine with a reducing sugar or a source of a reducing sugar, regardless of the source of these starting materials. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present invention focuses on compositions for providing a roasted chicken flavor.

[0007] Such flavors are typically obtained by the Maillard reaction, a nonenzymatic browning reaction of reducing sugars and amino functional groups (including amino acids, amides, ammonium, and ammonia) in the presence of heat, but other reaction types may also be involved in flavor synthesis, such as Schiff base formation, Strecker degradation, or caramelization reactions.

[0008] Common flavors produced as a result of the Maillard reaction include chicken, poultry, coffee, vegetable, bread crust, and roasted notes. The Maillard reaction relies primarily on sugars and amino acids, but can also contain other ingredients including: autolyzed yeast extract, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, gelatin, plant extracts, enzyme-treated proteins, meat fats or extracts, and acids or bases to adjust the pH of the reaction. The reaction is generally aqueous at a specific temperature (typically 100° C.) for a specified time (typically 15 minutes) at an adjusted pH to produce a variety of flavors. Typical flavors produced are chicken, pork, beef, caramel, and chocolate. However, a wide variety of nuances and intensities can be obtained by adjusting the components, temperature, and / or pH of the reaction.

[0009] Flavor enhancers typically consist of complex multi-component blends of both volatile and non-volatile reaction products and unreacted starting materials. Their compositional makeup is sensitive to reaction parameters and can vary in terms of their components or in the distribution pattern of their components. Critical reaction parameters can include the chemical nature of the precursor components, reaction time and temperature, moisture, pressure, pH, etc. If one or more of these parameters are not controlled, the flavor profile and / or color of the flavor enhancer can be adversely affected, for example, by failure to convert all of the starting materials or by the development of off-flavors.

[0010] In the industrial production of flavor enhancers, the skilled person must not only take into account the above-mentioned reaction parameters or variables, but also process engineering considerations. For example, controlling the viscosity of the reaction medium is an important processing parameter, which affects operations such as pumping, stirring, blending, and filtering on an industrial scale, and in order to facilitate these operations, it is conventional to form the reaction flavor in a reaction medium consisting of, for example, a very dilute aqueous slurry. Furthermore, in addition to controlling the viscosity in this way, the use of a high concentration of water can control heat transfer and prevent overheating or localized heating during the formation of the flavor enhancer.

[0011] Flavour enhancers can have different physical forms: for example, they can be solid or liquid, depending on their composition and intended use.

[0012] A dry form of the flavor enhancer is particularly important because of its physical and microbiological stability, as well as supply chain considerations such as ease of storage, handling, use, etc. Thus, removal of water from the reaction mixture after the flavor enhancer is formed is a critical process step.

[0013] Using conventional process conditions, the slurry is heated to create a flavorant preparation or reaction flavor in the first step, and then the slurry is dehydrated in the second step by spray drying or vacuum oven drying. While spray drying is relatively inexpensive, the technique requires the use of relatively large amounts of carrier material, which can have a detrimental effect on the flavor profile and mouthfeel of the finished flavor preparation. More commonly, in the second step, dehydration is achieved using vacuum oven drying. In this case, after the reaction is complete, the slurry is transferred to drying trays, which are inserted into a vacuum oven and heated (usually below 100°C) under reduced pressure to evaporate the water. However, the time and energy required to dehydrate the slurry in this manner is a significant waste of resources. The process is laborious, complex and expensive; and the long drying times and reliance on high temperatures mean that the drying process can leave a mark on flavor quality and authenticity without careful control within the process.

[0014] Solid roasted chicken flavor enhancers prepared by these conventional methods tend to be somewhat sharp and pungent when prepared by spray drying and less intense when prepared by vacuum oven drying.

[0015] Nevertheless, solid flavor enhancers are easy to handle and have many uses as food or beverage additives, making them highly desirable by flavor manufacturers and food and beverage manufacturers alike.

[0016] Thus, there is a need for a solid roasted meat flavor enhancer with an improved flavor profile that can be prepared in a fast, reliable and cost-effective manner.

[0017] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an improved flavour enhancer for providing a roasted chicken flavour.

[0018] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a food product comprising the flavour enhancer of the present invention.

[0019] In a third aspect, the present invention provides a method of imparting roasted chicken flavour to a food product, said method comprising the step of adding to said food product a flavour enhancer of the present invention.

[0020] In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a method for preparing the flavour enhancer of the present invention.

[0021] The flavour enhancer of the present invention contains at least seven of the following marker ingredients: -2-methylbutanal at concentrations between 2.00 ppm and 20.00 ppm; - Methylpyrazine in concentrations from 0.10 ppm to 10.0 ppm; -2,5-dimethylpyrazine in concentrations from 1.00 ppm to 15.00 ppm; - 2,3-dimethylpyrazine in concentrations from 0.10 ppm to 2.00 ppm; - Trimethylpyrazine in concentrations from 0.50 ppm to 10.00 ppm; -2-methyl-3-furanthiol at a concentration of 0.01 ppm to 2.00 ppm; -2-acetylpyrrole in concentrations from 1.00 ppm to 12.00 ppm; -Furaneol at concentrations between 70.0 ppm and 200 ppm; -norfuraneoll in concentrations between 70.0 ppm and 600 ppm; -Sulfurol in concentrations from 1.00 ppm to 20.0 ppm; - Proline-valine diketopiperazine at a concentration of 3.00 ppm to 300 ppm; and -Proline-isoleucine diketopiperazine at a concentration of 10.0 ppm to 100 ppm at the concentrations indicated.

[0022] These marker components were identified through extensive testing of various starting materials, ratios and fractions of starting materials, viscosity and flow properties of the slurry as well as reaction and drying conditions encompassing energy uptake (e.g., homogeneity or formation of hot spots), water absorption and retention to prepare the flavor enhancers, and careful analysis of the thus obtained flavor enhancers with respect to odor, taste, texture, mouthfeel, stability, and functionality and performance in creation.

[0023] Surprisingly, it has been found that the flavor enhancer containing at least 7 of the above marker ingredients can provide a highly characteristic flavor profile of poultry white breast with crispy, roasted color and pronounced fat sensation at the indicated concentrations, which cannot be achieved using typical flavor ingredient combinations. In particular, the flavor enhancer of the present invention has been found to have a unique and distinct oven-roasted chicken character that brings complexity. They also have a more authentic profile than conventional chicken flavor compositions prepared by (vacuum) oven or spray drying, which is closer to the profile of homemade roasted chicken, providing the dual advantage of strong roasted chicken notes and savory taste characteristics.

[0024] Compared to conventional chicken flavor compositions prepared by (vacuum) oven drying, the flavor enhancers of the present invention are more concentrated, more potent, and provide better performance and functionality at significantly lower dosages.

[0025] Chicken flavor compositions prepared by spray drying tend to be very peaky, sharp, or pungent. In comparison, the flavor enhancers of the present invention are more complex, more subtle, more "homemade," more authentic, and less "processed."

[0026] Overall, the flavor enhancers of the present invention provide a complex chicken-like flavor with a stronger stewed poultry white meat impact, thereby allowing for reduced usage, also positively impacting raw material costs. They are also more species specific than conventional flavor enhancers.

[0027] They are also stable at room temperature for several months.

[0028] The components of the flavour enhancer may be identified by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry.

[0029] The concentrations of components can be measured by quantitative gas chromatography using suitable detectors and sample preparation, for example, an internal standard may be used.

[0030] A feature of the present invention is that the flavor enhancer is a product that is formed external to the food or beverage matrix. It is an article that can be mixed or applied to a food or beverage to impart, modify or improve the flavor of the food or beverage, either alone or as part of a complete flavor composition. The flavor enhancer is not formed within or on the food or beverage matrix during the process in which the food or beverage is heated or cooked.

[0031] The flavour enhancer of the present invention comprises at least 7 of the above 12 marker components at the concentrations indicated. Preferably, the flavour enhancer comprises at least 8, more preferably at least 9, even more preferably at least 10, even more preferably at least 7, and most preferably all 12 markers, at the concentrations specifically indicated.

[0032] In an embodiment, the flavor enhancer comprises 2-methylbutanal at a concentration of 3.00 ppm to 17.0 ppm, more preferably 5.00 ppm to 15.0 ppm, and most preferably 8.00 ppm to 12.0 ppm. For example, the flavor enhancer comprises about 5.18, 10.4, or 11.4 ppm of 2-methylbutanal.

[0033] In an embodiment, the flavor enhancer comprises methylpyrazine at a concentration of 0.50 ppm to 7.00 ppm, more preferably 1.00 ppm to 5.00 ppm, and most preferably 1.20 ppm to 4.00 ppm. For example, the flavor enhancer comprises about 0.18, 0.65, 1.28, 3.45, or 3.75 ppm of methylpyrazine.

[0034] In an embodiment, the flavor enhancer comprises 2,5-dimethylpyrazine at a concentration of 2.00 ppm to 12.0 ppm, more preferably 3.00 ppm to 10.0 ppm, and most preferably 4.00 ppm to 8.00 ppm. For example, the flavor enhancer comprises about 4.61, 6.75, or 7.87 ppm of 2,5-dimethylpyrazine.

[0035] In an embodiment, the flavor enhancer comprises 2,3-dimethylpyrazine at a concentration of 0.30 ppm to 1.50 ppm, more preferably 0.40 ppm to 1.00 ppm, and most preferably 0.50 ppm to 0.80 ppm. For example, the flavor enhancer comprises about 0.14, 0.42, 0.53, 0.69, or 0.94 ppm of 2,3-dimethylpyrazine.

[0036] In an embodiment, the flavor enhancer comprises trimethylpyrazine at a concentration of 1.00 ppm to 7.00 ppm, more preferably 1.50 ppm to 5.00 ppm, and most preferably 2.00 ppm to 4.00 ppm. For example, the flavor enhancer comprises about 0.48, 1.03, 2.38, 2.66, or 3.82 ppm of trimethylpyrazine.

[0037] In an embodiment, the flavor enhancer comprises 2-methyl-3-furanthiol at a concentration of 0.05 ppm to 1.00 ppm, more preferably 0.10 ppm to 0.50 ppm, and most preferably 0.20 to 0.30 ppm. For example, the flavor enhancer comprises about 0.21 ppm of 2-methyl-3-furanthiol.

[0038] In an embodiment, the flavor enhancer comprises 2-acetylpyrrole at a concentration of 1.50 ppm to 10.00 ppm, more preferably 1.50 ppm to 8.00 ppm, more preferably 1.80 ppm to 5.00 ppm, and most preferably 2.00 ppm to 3.00 ppm. For example, the flavor enhancer comprises about 2.25, 2.91, 2.97, 4.33, or 8.16 ppm of 2-acetylpyrrole.

[0039] In an embodiment, the flavor enhancer comprises furaneol at a concentration of 90 ppm to 180 ppm, more preferably 180 ppm to 150 ppm, and most preferably 120 ppm to 130 ppm. For example, the flavor enhancer comprises about 74.1, 104, 122, 129, or 279 ppm of furaneol.

[0040] In an embodiment, the flavor enhancer comprises norfuraneol at a concentration of 80.0 ppm to 500 ppm, more preferably 100 ppm to 300 ppm, and most preferably 120 ppm to 200 ppm. For example, the flavor enhancer comprises about 143, 156, or 437 ppm norfuraneol.

[0041] In an embodiment, the flavor enhancer comprises sulfurol at a concentration of 1.50 ppm to 15.0 ppm, more preferably 1.50 ppm to 10.0 ppm, even more preferably 1.80 ppm to 8.00 ppm, and most preferably 2.00 ppm to 7.00 ppm. For example, the flavor enhancer comprises about 1.96, 2.43, 4.79, 7.01, or 13.3 ppm of sulfurol.

[0042] In an embodiment, the flavor enhancer comprises proline-valine diketopiperazine at a concentration of 5.00 ppm to 200 ppm, more preferably 8.00 ppm to 150 ppm, even more preferably 10.0 ppm to 100 ppm, and most preferably 15.0 ppm to 50.0 ppm. For example, the flavor enhancer comprises about 3.75, 7.97, 24.3, 40.4 or 258 ppm of proline-valine diketopiperazine.

[0043] In an embodiment, the flavor enhancer comprises proline-isoleucine diketopiperazine at a concentration of 20.0 ppm to 300 ppm, more preferably 30.0 ppm to 200 ppm, and most preferably 40.0 ppm to 100.0 ppm. For example, the flavor enhancer comprises about 11.1, 19.8, 47.5, 72.7 or 356 ppm of proline-isoleucine diketopiperazine.

[0044] The flavour enhancers of the present invention typically include various other ingredients that may impart a particular odour or taste to the preparation.

[0045] The following further additives: 3-methylbutanal, 1,2-dimercaptoethane, 2-(1-mercaptoethyl)furan, 3-mercapto-2-butanone, 2-mercapto-3-pentanone, 3-mercapto-hexan-4-one, phenylacetaldehyde, 4-methylpentanoic acid, 5-hydroxy-5,6-dihydromaltol, dihydromaltol, 2-methylthiazolidine, 2-isopropylthiazolidine, 2-isobutylthiazolidine, 2-isobutylthiazolidine, 2-sec-butylthiazolidine, 2-methyl-2-butanol, 2-methyl-1,2-dimethyl-2-prop ... Tithiazolidine, 4,5-dimethylthiazole, 2,5-dimethyl-3-furanthiol, 2-methyl-3-mercaptothiophene, 2-methyl-5-(1-mercaptomethyl)-thiophene, 2-mercaptopropionic acid, valine-valine diketopiperazine, valine-alanine diketopiperazine, proline-alanine diketopiperazine and proline-leucine diketopiperazine have been found to be particularly advantageous in further improving the authentic roasted chicken flavour impression.

[0046] Thus, in an embodiment, the flavour enhancer of the present invention comprises: 3-methylbutanal at a concentration of 1.00 ppm to 3.00 ppm, more preferably 1.50 ppm to 2.00 ppm, and most preferably 1.70 ppm to 1.90 ppm; 1,2-dimercaptoethane, especially in a concentration between 0.20 ppm and 2.00 ppm, more preferably between 0.50 ppm and 1.00 ppm, and most preferably between 0.70 ppm and 0.80 ppm; 2-(1-mercaptoethyl)furan at a concentration of from 2.00 ppm to 20.0 ppm, more preferably from 5.00 ppm to 15.0 ppm, and most preferably from 8.00 ppm to 10.0 ppm; 3-mercapto-2-butanone at a concentration of 0.05 ppm to 3.00 ppm, more preferably 0.05 ppm to 2.50 ppm, even more preferably 0.08 ppm to 1.00 ppm, still more preferably 0.10 ppm to 0.50 ppm, and most preferably 0.10 ppm to 0.20 ppm; 2-mercapto-3-pentanone at a concentration of 0.20 ppm to 2.00 ppm, more preferably 0.70 ppm to 1.20 ppm, and most preferably 0.90 ppm to 1.00 ppm; 3-mercapto-hexan-4-one at a concentration of 0.50 ppm to 2.00 ppm, more preferably 0.80 ppm to 1.50 ppm, and most preferably 1.00 ppm to 1.20 ppm; 2-ethyl-3,6-dimethylpyrazine at a concentration of 0.10 ppm to 2.50 ppm, more preferably 0.20 ppm to 2.00 ppm, even more preferably 0.30 ppm to 1.50 ppm, and most preferably 0.35 ppm to 1.00 ppm; 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine at a concentration of 0.05 ppm to 1.00 ppm, more preferably 0.10 ppm to 0.40 ppm, and most preferably 0.15 ppm to 0.25 ppm; - phenylacetaldehyde at a concentration of 0.20 ppm to 2.00 ppm, more preferably 0.22 ppm to 1.80 ppm, and most preferably 0.25 ppm to 1.60 ppm; 4-methylpentanoic acid at a concentration of -3.00 ppm to 15.0 ppm; more preferably 6.00 ppm to 12.0 ppm, and most preferably 7.00 ppm to 11.0 ppm; 5-hydroxy-5,6-dihydromaltol at a concentration of -4.00 ppm to 40.0 ppm; more preferably 8.00 ppm to 30.0 ppm, and most preferably 10.0 ppm to 25.0 ppm; 2-methylthiazolidine at a concentration of 0.20 ppm to 2.50 ppm, more preferably 0.70 ppm to 1.50 ppm, and most preferably 1.00 ppm to 1.20 ppm; 2-isopropylthiazolidine at a concentration of 0.50 ppm to 2.50 ppm, more preferably 1.00 ppm to 2.00 ppm, and most preferably 1.50 ppm to 1.80 ppm; 2-isobutylthiazolidine at a concentration of 2.00 ppm to 4.00 ppm, more preferably 2.50 ppm to 3.50 ppm, and most preferably 3.00 ppm to 3.20 ppm; 2-sec-butylthiazolidine at a concentration of 1.00 ppm to 5.00 ppm, more preferably 2.00 ppm to 3.00 ppm, and most preferably 2.30 ppm to 2.70 ppm; 4,5-dimethylthiazole at a concentration of 0.10 ppm to 1.00 ppm, more preferably 0.15 ppm to 0.50 ppm, and most preferably 0.20 ppm to 0.30 ppm; 2,5-dimethyl-3-furanthiol at a concentration of 0.05 ppm to 1.00 ppm, more preferably 0.07 ppm to 0.50 ppm, and most preferably 0.10 ppm to 0.20 ppm; 2-methyl-3-mercaptothiophene at a concentration of 0.10 ppm to 1.00 ppm, more preferably 0.20 ppm to 0.50 ppm, and most preferably 0.25 ppm to 0.30 ppm; 2-methyl-5-(1-mercaptomethyl)-thiophene at a concentration of from 1.00 ppm to 10.0 ppm, more preferably from 3.00 ppm to 5.00 ppm, and most preferably from 3.50 ppm to 4.00 ppm; 2-mercaptopropionic acid at a concentration of 10.0 ppm to 50.0 ppm, more preferably 20.0 ppm to 40.0 ppm, and most preferably 25.0 ppm to 30.0 ppm; - valine-valine diketopiperazine at a concentration of 0.20 ppm to 25.0 ppm, more preferably 0.25 ppm to 10.0 ppm, even more preferably 0.30 to 5.00 ppm, and most preferably 0.40 ppm to 0.50 ppm; - valine-alanine diketopiperazine at a concentration of 0.40 ppm to 20.0 ppm, more preferably 0.50 ppm to 10.0 ppm, even more preferably 0.60 to 5.00 ppm, and most preferably 0.70 ppm to 0.80 ppm; - Proline-alanine diketopiperazine at a concentration of from 0.50 ppm to 70.0 ppm, more preferably from 0.70 ppm to 50.0 ppm, even more preferably from 0.80 to 30.0 ppm, and most preferably from 1.00 ppm to 20.0 ppm; and / or Proline leucine diketopiperazine at a concentration of 10.00 ppm to 750 ppm, more preferably 13.0 ppm to 500 ppm, even more preferably 15.0 to 300 ppm, and most preferably 17.0 ppm to 200 ppm; The present invention further includes one or more of the following:

[0047] The flavour enhancers of the present invention are typically in solid form. Alternatively, they may also be provided in the form of a paste, suspension or solution, such as a slurry or emulsion.

[0048] Preferably, the flavour enhancer of the present invention is in the form of a granule or powder. To this end, the flavour enhancer may be granulated, milled and / or sieved.

[0049] The flavor enhancers of the present invention may represent complete flavor compositions that can be combined with food or beverage products to impart flavor or to modify or improve their flavor. Alternatively, the flavor enhancers may form only a portion of a complete flavor composition and can be mixed with other flavor ingredients to form a complete flavor composition. A skilled flavorist will be able to mix the flavor enhancers of the present invention with other known ingredients employed in flavor compositions to develop a wide variety of complete flavor compositions to meet the requirements of the food and beverage industry.

[0050] The flavor enhancer of the present invention is versatile and can be employed in a wide variety of food products to impart the desired roasted chicken impression, for example, in meat-containing or meat-based foods or vegetable-type foods such as condensed soups, dried meats, packaged gravies, casseroles, etc., to complement or enhance these foods, and can also be employed in non-meat protein sources, for example, to make them more palatable and more meat-like.

[0051] Thus, in one aspect, the present invention also provides a food product comprising the flavour enhancer of the present invention.

[0052] The food product can be any type of food in which a roasted chicken flavor is desired. Examples of food products include, but are not limited to, meatballs, nuggets, poultry cold cuts, poultry sausage preparations, and seasoned or marinated raw or salted meat products, baked goods; snack foods such as baked or fried potato chips or potato dough products, bread dough products, corn or peanut based extrusions; pet foods; canned goods; casserole dishes; frozen human foods; spice blends; condiments; marinades; fermented products; ready-to-heat foods; ready-to-eat meals; seasoning preparations; sauces; gravies; soups; bouillons; stocks; fonds; meat spreads and dips; meat products such as, for example, nuggets, burgers, marinated strips, breaded cutlets, sausages, meatballs, bites, wings or minced meat; and noodles.

[0053] The flavor enhancers of the present invention can generally improve the flavor of these food products. They can be added to food products by simply mixing with other ingredients in the final blend of the food, such as a convenience food. Alternatively, they can be added to the outside of the food, for example, by a process of dusting or spray coating the snack food. Additionally, flavor enhancers can be added to the food during its formation, a process sometimes referred to as internal flavoring.

[0054] The flavor enhancer of the present invention is not limited to chicken flavors, but can also be used in other poultry meat flavors such as turkey, pheasant, guinea fowl, goose, duck, quail, or pigeon, vegan dishes, etc. It also works well in roasted, grilled, or boiled meat flavors.

[0055] The flavor enhancers of the present invention may be mixed with other process flavors to create complete flavor compositions, for example with other top notes and / or non-volatile taste ingredients, and may be combined with other traditional modules such as yeast extract, spices, and / or meat top notes.

[0056] Other known ingredients useful in the complete flavor composition may be added to the slurry prior to formation of the flavor enhancers, or may be combined with the flavor enhancers after they are formed, or both.

[0057] Complete flavor compositions may include flavor enhancers as described below; aroma volatiles and other flavor ingredients generally known in the art; other synergists or enhancers such as fats or fatty acids or sources thereof, herbs, spices, etc.; pH adjusters; inorganic salts; taste masking agents, taste sensates; vitamins; dyes; colorants; pigments, etc.

[0058] Other ingredients include aldehyde and ketone sources, including acetaldehyde, propanal, butanal, methylpropanal, C3-C5 alkanes, HVP, alpha diketones and sources thereof, including butanedione, pentane-2,3-dione, pyruvaldehyde, pyruvic acid, glyceraldehyde, glyoxal, dihydroxyacetone, α-ketobutyric acid, heptane-3,4-dione-2,5-diacetate, HMFone, HDFone, and related derivatives, ascorbic acid, 5-ketogluconic acid, cyclotin, maltol, lactic acid, glycolic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, and protein hydrolysates.

[0059] In addition to the aforementioned ingredients, the complete flavour composition may contain carrier materials employed as flow aids or bulking agents, or to provide physical stability to the powder by modifying the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the powder, particularly when the complete flavour composition is presented in powder form.

[0060] The flavour enhancers of the present invention are particularly advantageous for solid flavour compositions.

[0061] It can be used in water-based, fat-based, and mixed systems.

[0062] The flavor enhancers of the present invention are typically stronger and more concentrated than conventional compositions prepared by oven drying, and as a result, reduced amounts may be used compared to conventional flavor modules.

[0063] The amount or concentration of flavor enhancer used in the complete flavor formulation or food product may be selected depending on the desired effect and application.

[0064] Typical usage levels of flavour enhancers in a complete flavour formulation range from 5 to 30% by weight; however, higher or lower usage levels may also be used.

[0065] Typically, meat-based food products contain about 0.2-0.3% flavor, although higher or lower amounts may be used. Vegetarian and vegan alternatives generally require higher flavor concentrations, for example about 0.5-1%.

[0066] In a further aspect, the present invention relates to a method of imparting roasted chicken flavour to a food product, said method comprising the step of adding to said food product a flavour enhancer of the present invention.

[0067] The flavor enhancer may be added to the food product at any point during the manufacture of the food product, for example, it may be mixed with other ingredients during the formation of the food product, or it may also be applied to the food product, for example, by being injected or coated thereon.

[0068] In a further aspect, the present invention relates to a method for preparing the flavour enhancer of the present invention, said method involving the concomitant reaction and drying of ingredients in a microwave oven.

[0069] More specifically, the method includes the following steps: (i) providing starting materials; and (ii) reacting the starting materials in a microwave oven and simultaneously drying the resulting materials to obtain a flavor enhancer; Here, the starting material includes at least a protein source or a fragment of a protein or other material having amino functional groups.

[0070] For example, suitable methods are described in WO 2018 / 083224, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference with respect to methods.

[0071] The starting material is typically a solid or liquid.

[0072] In an embodiment, the starting material is introduced into the microwave oven in the form of a slurry or emulsion, particularly an aqueous slurry. Typical moisture content is about 20-30%, although higher or lower moisture contents are possible. The slurry may be fat-based or a mixture of water and fat.

[0073] The starting material includes at least a protein source or a fragment of a protein, or other material that has amino functional groups.

[0074] In most cases, the starting material will further include a reducing sugar or a source of reducing sugar or other carbohydrate.

[0075] Optionally, the starting material may further include fats, extracts (such as, for example, plants and / or meats), spices, salts, carriers, fibers, plant-, fruit- or animal-derived powders, acids, or other common additives.

[0076] The starting material, particularly the slurry containing the starting material, may be introduced into the microwave oven in the form of a film, which may be formed, for example, by casting, pouring or pumping the slurry onto an evaporative surface. The thickness of the film is selected taking into account that the slurry must be dehydrated within a certain period of time to produce the desired flavor preparation. Also, the incident microwaves must be able to penetrate the film to ensure efficient and uniform heating.

[0077] The resulting product may be a flavour preparation or a thermal process flavour ("reaction flavour") as defined in Regulation (EC) No 1334 / 2008.

[0078] The use of microwave ovens to react and simultaneously dry ingredients can significantly reduce process times compared to traditional methods where drying occurs in a separate step after the reaction. The synthesis of the flavor preparation and its dehydration essentially occur simultaneously in one step.

[0079] Any industrial microwave oven may be employed in the method according to the invention. Suitable microwave ovens include those with a power of 30 kW / 915 MHz (50 kVA) up to a maximum of 100 kW / 915 MHz (150 kVA), or 100 W / 2450 MHz (0.15 kVA) up to a maximum of 30 kW / 2450 MHz (45 kVA).

[0080] Microwave energy input may typically range from 3 to 100 kW, or even higher, preferably from 30 to 100 kW.

[0081] The resulting flavor enhancer typically has a moisture content of about 0.1 to 5.0% by weight, more preferably about 0.5 to 3.0%.

[0082] The reaction time and temperature can be adapted depending on the starting materials and the desired product, especially the desired process grade. For example, the reaction and drying steps may be carried out at a temperature of about 100-180° C. for about 30 seconds to 15 minutes.

[0083] The reaction and drying steps may be carried out in a batch or continuous manner.

[0084] The resulting flavour enhancer after passing through the microwave oven may be presented in the form of a viscous paste, cakes, ribbons etc.

[0085] At this stage it may be subjected to further process steps, for example the flavour enhancer may be crushed, ground and / or graded by sieving to render it in the form of a powder, granules etc. having a desired particle size.

[0086] Thus, the present invention is further illustrated by the following non-limiting examples: Example 1: Preparation of a solid roasted chicken flavor enhancer A suspension / emulsion of the starting materials was prepared in a suitable beaker, which was equipped with a high shear stirring unit (Polytron PT6100, Kinematica, Littau, Switzerland) to ensure proper reaction slurry quality and homogeneity. The following ingredients were added to a beaker in the order given: Water 170.0g Dibasic potassium phosphate 100.0 g (Reephos Chemical, Jiangsu, China) L-Arabinose Syrup 70% 60.0g (Ardilla Technologies OY, Lapua, Finland) L-Cystine 11.0g (Wacker Chemie, Burghausen, Germany) Standardized yeast extract, light microgranulated, 370.0 g (Biospringer, Cedar Rapids, USA) Salt iodine-free finely ground 130.0g (made by Brenntag, Dodrecht, Netherlands) Sunflower oil 45.0g (Florin, Muttenz, Switzerland) Sodium hydroxide 50% 10.0g (Brenntag, Dodrecht, Netherlands) Maltodextrin DE6 104.0g (AVEBE, Veendam, Netherlands)

[0087] The pH of the slurry was adjusted to 7.0 by slow addition of 10 ml of 50% NaOH under vigorous stirring. The resulting slurry was processed in a MWS flexiWAVE microwave oven (Heerbrugg, Switzerland) as follows. In a crystallizing dish, 90.0 g of the above slurry was subjected to a stepwise microwave regime (6 min at 200 W; 1.0 min at 800 W). Mild to vigorous foaming was observed and the slurry temperature increased from room temperature to approximately 110-135°C. Towards the end of the treatment, the slurry began to solidify and formed a relatively homogeneous, brittle solid upon cooling. The dried foamed solid (ZM100, Retsch, Germany) was milled under controlled atmosphere to obtain the flavor enhancer of the present invention. The moisture content of the final powder was 3.0% (Moisture Analyser HB43, Mettler-Toledo, Switzerland). Functional sensory evaluation of microwave-heated products and comparison with conventionally processed products showed that a 10-30% reduction in usage was possible with comparable taste impact.

[0088] Example 2: Analysis of solid roasted chicken flavour Five flavour enhancer compositions according to the present invention (Samples A, B, C, D and E) were compared to the composition of a chicken flavour composition (Sample F) prepared by conventional oven drying. For this purpose, 10 g of each sample was dissolved in 20 ml of water and 0.5 ml of tert-butyl methyl ether containing 0.5 mg of internal standard was added. The mixture thus obtained was extracted three times with 20 ml of tert-butyl methyl ether. The combined organic phases were concentrated on a Vigreux column to a final volume of 3 mL. The extracts were analyzed by GC-MS / FID (Agilent GC 7890B connected to an Agilent MSD 5977B) equipped with a capillary column (Innowax 60 mx 0.32 iD x 0.25 ft, Agilent). The concentration was calculated according to the following formula: c Target =c STD *Area Target / Area STD Calculate using, where c Target is the concentration of the flavor component, and c STD is the concentration of the internal standard, Area Target is the FID area of ​​the constituent material, Area STDis the FID area of ​​the standard sample. The four samples were found to contain the following major components: [Table 1-1] [Table 1-2]

[0089] Example 3: Potato chips Plain potato chips were heated in an oven (80°C) for approximately 30 minutes until crisp and warm, then coated with the following four seasonings: -Seasoning 1: 6% RTE fried chicken flavor (salt, whey powder, dextrose, sugar, onion powder, organic acids, yeast powder, thermal processed blocks, flavoring agents) Seasoning 2: 6% RTE fried chicken flavor (salt, whey powder, dextrose, sugar, onion powder, organic acids, yeast powder, heat process block, flavoring agents) + 0.15% RTE chicken flavor enhancer of Example 1 Seasoning 3: 6% RTE Buffalo Wing Chicken Flavor (salt, whey powder, sugar, organic acid, rice flour, paprika powder, spices, garlic powder, yeast powder, monosodium glutamate, disodium guanylate, grill flavoring agent) Seasoning 4: 6% RTE Buffalo Wing Chicken Flavor (salt, whey powder, sugar, organic acids, rice flour, paprika powder, spices, garlic powder, yeast powder, monosodium glutamate, disodium guanylate, grill flavoring agent) + 0.30% RTE Example 1 chicken flavor enhancer. The four potato chip samples were then evaluated by four flavorists. Seasoning 1 provided fatty and aldehydic chicken notes with spicy and roasted characteristics. Seasoning 2 potato chips had an overall increased roast and fat note, were rounder, and had fewer unpleasant raw fat notes. The Seasoning 4 potato chips were described as having more real chicken meat body and a meaty, juicy taste compared to the Seasoning 3 potato chips.

[0090] Example 4: Chicken Breasts (Sous Vide Preparation) Raw chicken breast meat was portioned and packaged in vacuum sealed bags. It was seasoned with savoury herb seasoning and 1.5% of the chicken flavor enhancer of Example 1. The following ratios were used: [Table 2] The vacuum bag was sealed and heated under sous vide conditions at 71° C. for 2 hours. The flavor enhancers of the present invention have been found to increase the overall savory and umami taste, providing notes of roasted and fried chicken.

Claims

1. A flavor enhancer for providing the flavor of roasted chicken, the flavor enhancer comprising at least seven of the following marker components: - 2-methylbutanal at a concentration of 2.00 ppm to 20.0 ppm; - Methylpyrazine at a concentration of 0.10 ppm to 10.0 ppm - 2,5-dimethylpyrazine at a concentration of 1.00 ppm to 15.00 ppm; - 2,3-dimethylpyrazine at a concentration of 0.10 ppm to 2.00 ppm; - Trimethylpyrazine at a concentration of 0.50 ppm to 10.0 ppm; - 2-methyl-3-furanthiol at a concentration of 0.01 ppm to 2.00 ppm; - 2-acetylpyrrole at a concentration of 1.00 ppm to 12.0 ppm; - Furaneol at a concentration of 70.0 ppm to 200 ppm; - Norfuraneol at a concentration of 70.0 ppm to 600 ppm; - Sulfor at a concentration of 1.00 ppm to 20.0 ppm; - Proline-valine diketopiperazine at a concentration of 3.00 ppm to 300 ppm; and - Proline-isoleucine diketopiperazine at a concentration of 10.0 ppm to 400 ppm The flavor enhancer, comprising the components at the indicated concentrations.

2. The flavor enhancer according to claim 1, comprising 2-methylbutanal at a concentration of 3.00 ppm to 17.0 ppm, more preferably at a concentration of 5.00 ppm to 15.0 ppm, and most preferably at a concentration of 8.00 ppm to 12.0 ppm.

3. The flavor enhancer according to claim 1, comprising methylpyrazine at a concentration of 0.50 ppm to 7.00 ppm, more preferably at a concentration of 1.00 ppm to 5.00 ppm, and most preferably at a concentration of 1.20 ppm to 4.00 ppm.

4. The flavor enhancer according to claim 1, comprising 2,5-dimethylpyrazine at a concentration of 2.00 ppm to 12.0 ppm, more preferably at a concentration of 3.00 ppm to 10.0 ppm, and most preferably at a concentration of 4.00 ppm to 8.00 ppm.

5. The flavor enhancer according to claim 1, comprising 2,3-dimethylpyrazine at a concentration of 0.30 ppm to 1.50 ppm, more preferably at a concentration of 0.40 ppm to 1.00 ppm, and most preferably at a concentration of 0.50 ppm to 0.80 ppm.

6. The flavor enhancer according to claim 1, comprising trimethylpyrazine at a concentration of 1.00 ppm to 7.00 ppm, more preferably at a concentration of 1.50 ppm to 5.00 ppm, and most preferably at a concentration of 2.00 ppm to 4.00 ppm.

7. The flavor enhancer according to claim 1, comprising 2-methyl-3-furanthiol at a concentration of 0.05 ppm to 1.00 ppm, more preferably 0.10 ppm to 0.50 ppm, and most preferably 0.20 ppm to 0.30 ppm.

8. The flavor enhancer according to claim 1, comprising 2-acetylpyrrole at a concentration of 1.50 ppm to 8.00 ppm, more preferably 1.80 ppm to 5.00 ppm, and most preferably 2.00 ppm to 3.00 ppm.

9. The flavor enhancer according to claim 1, comprising furaneol at a concentration of 90 ppm to 180 ppm, more preferably 110 ppm to 150 ppm, and most preferably 120 ppm to 130 ppm.

10. The flavor enhancer according to claim 1, comprising norfuraneol at a concentration of 80.0 ppm to 500 ppm, more preferably 100 ppm to 300 ppm, and most preferably 120 ppm to 200 ppm.

11. The flavor enhancer according to claim 1, comprising sulforane at a concentration of 1.50 ppm to 15.0 ppm, more preferably 1.80 ppm to 10.0 ppm, and most preferably 2.00 ppm to 7.00 ppm.

12. The flavor enhancer according to claim 1, comprising proline-valine diketopiperazine at a concentration of 5.00 ppm to 200 ppm, more preferably 10.0 ppm to 100.0 ppm, and most preferably 15.0 ppm to 50.0 ppm.

13. The flavor enhancer according to claim 1, comprising proline-isoleucine diketopiperazine at a concentration of 20.0 ppm to 300 ppm, more preferably 30.0 ppm to 200 ppm, and most preferably 40.0 ppm to 100 ppm.

14. One or more of the following: - 3-methylbutanal at a concentration of 1.00 ppm to 3.00 ppm, more preferably 1.50 ppm to 2.00 ppm, and most preferably 1.70 ppm to 1.90 ppm; - 1,2-dimercaptoethane at a concentration of 0.20 ppm to 2.00 ppm, more preferably 0.50 ppm to 1.00 ppm, and most preferably 0.70 ppm to 0.80 ppm; - 2-(1-mercaptoethyl)furan at a concentration of 2.00 ppm to 20.0 ppm, more preferably 5.00 ppm to 15.0 ppm, and most preferably 8.00 ppm to 10.0 ppm; 3-mercapto-2-butanone at a concentration of -0.05 ppm to 3.00 ppm, more preferably 0.08 ppm to 2.00 ppm, and most preferably 0.10 ppm to 0.20 ppm; 2-mercapto-3-pentanone at a concentration of -0.20 ppm to 2.00 ppm, more preferably 0.70 ppm to 1.20 ppm, and most preferably 0.90 ppm to 1.00 ppm; 3-mercapto-hexan-4-one at a concentration of -0.50 ppm to 2.00 ppm, more preferably 0.80 ppm to 1.50 ppm, and most preferably 1.00 ppm to 1.20 ppm; 2-ethyl-3,6-dimethylpyrazine at a concentration of -0.10 ppm to 2.50 ppm, more preferably 0.20 ppm to 2.00 ppm, even more preferably 0.30 ppm to 1.50 ppm, and most preferably 0.35 ppm to 1.00 ppm; 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine at a concentration of -0.05 ppm to 1.00 ppm, more preferably 0.10 ppm to 0.40 ppm, and most preferably 0.15 ppm to 0.25 ppm; phenylacetaldehyde at a concentration of -0.20 ppm to 2.00 ppm, more preferably 0.22 ppm to 1.80 ppm, and most preferably 0.25 ppm to 1.60 ppm; 4-methylpentanoic acid at a concentration of -3.00 ppm to 15.0 ppm; more preferably 6.00 ppm to 12.0 ppm, and most preferably 7.00 ppm to 11.0 ppm; 5-hydroxy-5,6-dihydro maltol at a concentration of -4.00 ppm to 40.0 ppm; more preferably 8.00 ppm to 30.0 ppm, and most preferably 10.0 ppm to 25.0 ppm; 2-methylthiazolidine at a concentration of -0.20 ppm to 2.50 ppm, more preferably 0.70 ppm to 1.50 ppm, and most preferably 1.00 ppm to 1.20 ppm; 2-isopropylthiazolidine at a concentration of -0.50 ppm to 2.50 ppm, more preferably 1.00 ppm to 2.00 ppm, and most preferably 1.50 ppm to 1.80 ppm; 2-isobutylthiazolidine at a concentration of -2.00 ppm to 4.00 ppm, more preferably 2.50 ppm to 3.50 ppm, and most preferably 3.00 ppm to 3.20 ppm; 2-sec-butylthiazolidine at a concentration of from -1.00 ppm to 5.00 ppm, more preferably from 2.00 ppm to 3.00 ppm, and most preferably from 2.30 ppm to 2.70 ppm; 4,5-dimethylthiazole at a concentration of from -0.10 ppm to 1.00 ppm, more preferably from 0.15 ppm to 0.50 ppm, and most preferably from 0.20 ppm to 0.30 ppm; 2,5-dimethyl-3-furanthiol at a concentration of from -0.05 ppm to 1.00 ppm, more preferably from 0.07 ppm to 0.50 ppm, and most preferably from 0.10 ppm to 0.20 ppm; 2-methyl-3-mercaptothiophene at a concentration of from -0.10 ppm to 1.00 ppm, more preferably from 0.20 ppm to 0.50 ppm, and most preferably from 0.25 ppm to 0.30 ppm; 2-methyl-5-(1-mercaptomethyl)-thiophene at a concentration of from -1.00 ppm to 10.0 ppm, more preferably from 3.00 ppm to 5.00 ppm, and most preferably from 3.50 ppm to 4.00 ppm; 2-mercaptopropionic acid at a concentration of from -10.0 ppm to 50.0 ppm, more preferably from 20.0 ppm to 40.0 ppm, and most preferably from 25.0 ppm to 30.0 ppm; valine-valine diketopiperazine at a concentration of from -0.20 ppm to 0.25 ppm, more preferably from 0.20 ppm to 20.0 ppm, even more preferably from 0.30 ppm to 10.0 ppm, and most preferably from 0.40 ppm to 0.50 ppm; valine-alanine diketopiperazine at a concentration of from -0.40 ppm to 20.0 ppm, more preferably from 0.60 ppm to 10.0 ppm, and most preferably from 0.70 ppm to 0.80 ppm; proline-alanine diketopiperazine at a concentration of from -0.50 ppm to 70.0 ppm, more preferably from 0.80 ppm to 50.0 ppm, and most preferably from 1.00 ppm to 20.0 ppm; and / or proline-leucine diketopiperazine at a concentration of from -10.00 ppm to 750 ppm, more preferably from 15.0 ppm to 500 ppm, and most preferably from 17.0 ppm to 200 ppm, The flavor enhancer according to claim 1, further comprising one or more of the above.

15. The flavor enhancer according to claim 1, wherein the flavor agent preparation is a solid flavor agent preparation, preferably granular or powdered.

16. A food product comprising a flavor enhancer according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

17. A method for imparting a chicken flavor to a food product, the method comprising the step of adding a flavor enhancer according to any one of claims 1 to 15 to the food product.

18. A method for preparing a flavor enhancer according to any one of claims 1 to 15, the method comprising the following steps: (i) providing starting materials, and (ii) reacting the starting materials in a microwave oven and simultaneously drying the resulting materials to obtain a flavor enhancer. The method includes wherein the starting materials include at least a protein source or a protein fragment or other materials having an amino functional group.