Aconitic Acid

Aconitic Acid
Aconitic acid is a flavoring substance which occurs in the leaves and tubers of Aconitum napellus L. and other Ranunculaceae.

Transaconitic acid can be isolated during sugar cane processing, precipitation as the calcium salt from cane sugar or molasses.

It may be synthesized by sulfuric acid dehydration of citric acid but not by methanesulfonic acid method.

It is used in a maximum level, as served of 0.003 percent for baled goods, 0.002 percent for alcoholic beverages, 0.0015 percent for frozen dairy products, 0.0035 percent for soft candy, and 0.0005 percent or less for all other food categories.
Aconitic Acid

Wild Marjoram

Wild Marjoram
So-called “wild marjoram” is really origanum vulgare which grows freely in temperate regions and is also cultivated all over the world.

Wild marjoram, winter marjoram and pot marjoram, are closely associated species but wild marjoram resemble the oreganos.

The hardiest and the tallest of origanums, wild marjoram grows as a garden escape in the America Northeast where it was introduced from Europe for its medicinal uses.

Wild marjoram is used the most in medicine, while sweet marjoram is preferred in the kitchen.

Most commercial crops and essential oil distilled from them originate in those countries bordering the Mediterranean and in Mexico.

What is known in commerce as “oil of Wild Marjoram” is usually obtained from Thymus masticina, L. and herb which grow in the foothills of Seville and Almeira in Spain.

This plant is usually harvested when in full bloom during June/ August and distilled in field stills to give about 0.2% of a brownish essential oil.

Two types of oil of wild marjoram are recognized – the thymol-type and the carvacrol type, depending on the constituent phenols present.

The botanical name, origanum, means “Joy of the Mountain”, and cannot imagine a more appropriate name for this fragrant plant. It is used to cure rheumatism.

Herbalist told that to smell wild marjoram frequently keeps the person in good health.

Wild marjoram is mainly a medicinal plant, but where conditions are favorably dry and sunny its leaves develop enough flavor for culinary uses.

The ancient Greeks believed that of marjoram grew on a tomb the dead person was happy; “may many flower grow on this tomb, and marjoram and the narcissus growing in water and around Thee may all Roses grow,” was an old prayer.

The availability of wild marjoram is a prerequisite on the preparation of Italian, Spanish and most dishes of Mediterranean or Latin American origin.

About 2.46 ml is sufficient for 473 ml of food material.

Wild marjoram goes well with omelets, Italian sauces, tomato dishes, vegetable casseroles, any kind of pizza, hamburgers, pork dishes, beef, lamb, and veal roasts, wild fowl, fried chicken, minestrone and bean soups. Broths, cheese spreads, shrimp sauce, tossed salads and the following vegetables: broccoli, eggplant, dried beans, cabbage lentils, onions, tomatoes and mushrooms.
Wild Marjoram

Cornmint Oil

Cornmint Oil
Mentha arvensis. About 7,100 tons of cornmint oil (sometimes incorrectly called Chinese peppermint oil) are produce annually.

It is almost al converted into menthol (2,800 tons) and dementholized oil (4,300 tons).

China accounts for around 65% of the world production and India accounts for most of the remainder.

Dried plants yield 2,5% oil by steam distillation.

Cheap synthetic menthol has reduced the demand for cornmint oil into the main markets in the United States, Western Europe and Japan.

The major quantitative components of the dementholized oil typically:

35% laevo menthol
30% laevo menthone
8% iso-menthone
5% limonene
3% laevo menthyl acetate
3% piperitone
1% octan -3-ol

Cornmint oil contains about 1% of pulegone which is suspected of being toxic.

The raw oils are rectified to remove some of the front and back fractions. Careful blending of fractions can reduce the characteristically harsh odor of cornmint oil but it still remains much less attractive than peppermint oil. Adulteration of cornmint oil is not a commercially attractive proposition.

Most cornmint oils are used to give cheap peppermint flavor to a wide range of application, often blended with true peppermint oil. It is more frequently used in blended flavors that peppermint oil because of its price advantage.
Cornmint Oil

Glucose Syrups/High Fructose Syrups

Glucose Syrups/High Fructose Syrups
Glucose syrups, also known as corn syrups in the United States, are defined by European Commission (EC) as ‘a refined, concentrated aqueous solution of D(+)-glucose, maltose and other polymers of D-glucose obtained by the controlled partial hydrolysis of starch.

Glucose syrups were first manufactured industrially in the nineteenth century by acid hydrolysis of starch.

Hydrochloric acid was normally used, because sulphuric acid cause haze in syrups due to insoluble sulphates.

The source of starch can vary; in United States corn is widely used, whereas in other part o the world wheat, potato and cassava starch also employed.

The method is non specific, but of conditions are tightly controlled, it is possible to make products with a reasonably consistent carbohydrate profile.

Enzymes are also use to hydrolyze starch to glucose syrups, and these give a greater degree of control over the sugar profile of the resulting syrup.

The availability of commercial isomerizes enzymes in the 1970s, which are capable of converting glucose to fructose, allowed significant development of the production of high-fructose corn syrups with fructose levels of 42% an a sweetness level equivalent to sucrose.

Use of separation technology allowed further refinement of these products to give 55% fructose syrups.

These types of syrups are used extensively in the soft drinks, particularly in the United States.

In soft drinks, glucose, syrups are used to provide sweetness and mouthfeel to products and occasionally specific physiological properties in sports and energy drinks.
Glucose Syrups/High Fructose Syrups