If you’ve ever tasted those “cherry-flavored” sodas or candies, you might be surprised by the fascination: what the hell, isn’t it almond-flavored!
Why does an artificial flavored “cherry taste” feel so unlike a cherry?
Cherry-flavored Coke, Nutshell netizens commented: “A cup of Coke with a weird almond flavor”, “inexplicable paint smell”, “as if sucking oil from a ballpoint pen” taste in the mouth”. It was rated as the top on the bizarre combat effectiveness index list of carbonated beverages by the Food Research Institute: “invincible in the world”… (see the end of the article for more comments from netizens)
Cherry flavor
What exactly does it do?
Benzaldehyde is a central ingredient in artificial cherry flavors, which gives it its signature “almond smell” (although there are also would say it has a “cherry aroma”, but I’m sure many would refuse to admit it). Sounds like a nasty chemical ingredient? Don’t worry, it’s still used in very small amounts as a flavor, and it’s also on the FDA’s “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) list.
Of course, formulators also add other ingredients to cherry essence to improve the flavor, including acetophenone, anisaldehyde, and more. There are also some differences in the formula of cherry flavor used in different products.
Several chemicals used to flavor artificial cherry flavors, of which benzaldehyde (top right) is an important one | Blog of flavor chemist Michael Colangelo
this thing
Does it have something to do with cherries?
Actually there is. Benzaldehyde is indeed a volatile substance naturally found in cherry fruit. And in multiple studies, it has been identified by researchers as one of the aroma substances in cherries.
For example, a study published in 2007 indicated that hexanal, (E)-2-hexenal, benzaldehyde, trans-2-hexen-1-ol, Both ethyl acetate and ethyl caproate are characteristic aroma substances in sweet cherry fruit. From this, fresh cherries should actually have a light “almond flavor”, just not as pronounced as the essence (in fact, the almond flavor is slightly more pronounced in cherry jam).
Then why
flavor and fresh cherries
So different?
First, there is a general explanation for the problem: The chemical composition of the aroma of foods such as fruit is quite complex, and artificial imitations often select only a small part of it strong>.
If a method such as gas chromatography is used to analyze volatile substances in fruits, there are often dozens of chemical components obtained. In theory, if you can collect all the volatile components and combine them according to the original proportions, you can restore 100% of the real fruit flavor, but it is too cost-effective to do so.
So, the practice is mostly just sticking to a few main ingredients, which will give the essence a “fruity” flavor that doesn’t feel like real fruit
strong>. There are certain differences in the “simulation degree” of different flavors. When a chemical such as vanilla (vanillin) occupies an absolute dominant position in the aroma, it is easier to achieve a higher degree of simulation, and if the composition of the aroma substances is complex , it will be more troublesome to restore. In addition to that, those fruit-flavored candies and beverages are also quite different from real fruit in terms of taste and texture.
A maraschino cherry | wikipedia
However, compared to other flavors, the gap between cherry essence and fresh cherry still seems to be too big. Is there any other hidden reason? There is a saying that the cherry flavor is not imitated by fresh cherries, but a pickled dessert called Maraschino cherry. This bright red and sweet pickled cherry is often found in desserts and cocktailsIt does have a stronger “almond flavor” than fresh cherries.
The traditional way to make this pickled cherry involves maraschino liqueur. This kirsch is made with both cherry pulp and crushed cherry pits, which gives it a more pronounced “bitter almond flavor” than fresh cherries. This “almond flavor” also characterizes maraschino pickled cherries. When the dessert made its way to the United States, there were also alternative versions that used almond extract directly to flavor the cherries because the original version was scarce and expensive.
From this point of view, cherry and “almond flavor” are indeed some fate.
One AI
So, have you ever had any cherry-flavored sodas?
Welcome the strong men to leave a message to exchange…
Xiang’s domineering attack on the little prince
No wonder some people commented that Coca-Cola’s cherry flavor is full of cyanide…
Science Chaser
It’s like arsenic-spiked syrup soda–toxic!
Sanglu
Cherry flavored, Dr.Pepper’s is slightly better than Coca-Cola. When I tasted it for a long time, I suddenly woke up – this is because the cherry flavor in it is relatively weak. (There is no love for life.)
Severus.Snape
acp134
Go back upstairs, Nianci An is not so unpleasant_
VisionOfLight
Drinked Buffett’s favorite cherry-flavored Coke once and nearly died of nausea. It seems that this life has nothing to do with money.
Wandering Snail 915
Fucked in just two days ago! I didn’t like the taste of almonds since I was a child, but I liked to eat cherries. When I saw the cherry-flavored cola, I couldn’t help but want to try it. As a result, I wanted to cry when I took a sip…
The cat of ylang-ylang
The feeling is – will it really not die after drinking it?
References
[1]http:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1671292707601862
[2] https:https://www.whatmikenose.com/flavorblog/
[3] http:https://www.uefap.com/reading/exercise/kavaler/kavaler7.htm
[5] https:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maraschino_cherry
[6]https:https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/21/magazine/who-made-that-maraschino-cherry.html
[7]http:https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127349094
Author: Rue
Edit: Window Knocking
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