- Email: [email protected]
sauté flavors, recent flavor developments in the U.S.A.
G. Charalambous (Ed.), Food Flavors: Generation, Analysis and Process Influence © 1995 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved
265
STIR-FRIED/SAUTE FLAVORS, RECENT FLAVOR DEVELOPMENTS IN THE U.S.A. Arthur S. Kiratsous^ and Masashi Ishikawa^ ^T. Hasegawa U.S.A., Inc., 969 High Ridge Road, Suite 209, Stamford, CT 06905, U.S.A. ^T. Hasegawa Co. Ltd., 4-14, 4-Chome, Honcho, Nihonbashi, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo, Japan Abstract Stir-fried/saute flavors are new creations by the flavor industry. A new technology has been developed to create flavor systems applicable to ethnic foods, frozen entrees, snack foods, soups, etc. In the development, four important steps are involved. First, the analysis of headspace; second, the study of Maillard reactions and precursor formation; third, the heat treatment of the "flavor-base" components and fourth, the blending of the "flavor-base" with other flavor components. These flavors, while natural, require usage levels of 0.2 to 0.5%, are stable and come in oil soluble liquid or powder forms. These developments and future trends are discussed. 1. INTRODUCTION There is no doubt that the future of flavors has been promising and full of challenges. The emerging trends in the food industry; such as, consolidation, diet modification, health implications, etc., will undoubtedly have and will have its effects upon the flavor industry. So, much attention must be now given to healthiness, convenience, the environment and, in general, the lifestyle changes of the populations. Flavor suppliers will be offering to the food industry more creativity, services, partnerships and the challenge to adopt or use new flavor systems. The flavor industry now has to be proactive instead of reactive and must respond to these new challenges by the food industry in an informative, reliable and, in general, in a business-like approach. Today not only the ethnic, tropical and exotic flavors and their combinations are the introductions by the flavor industry, but also flavors for fat-free food systems and other innovative new concepts. The trend towards natural
266 flavors will continue and this demand will prevail, also, in the reduced and fat-free food systems. The flavors for fast foods will continue to flourish with flavors; such as, pizza, taco, nacho, hot green and red pepper, etc. The ethnic flavors also will continue to show strong demand and, in specific, their hot and spicy types that became so popular in the U.S.A. Lately, we can see a trend towards Thai, Indonesian and Indian types of flavors. Several new technologies are very exciting; such as, the supercritical CO2 extraction that gives the flavor creator new raw materials to use at low levels though achieving flavor quality unimaginable a few years back; such as, flavors with clarity and crispiness. Other developmental trends within the flavor industry include new encapsulations and natural isolation techniques. In the midst of these technological developments the flavor industry is also placing great emphasis on the relationship with their customers, the food companies. They are emphasizing the so-called partnerships to develop specialized flavors for special applications for a specific customer while the particular food product is in the developmental stages. It is fair for the flavor industry to say, also, that they are taking a proactive approach to develop flavors before the customers even thought of them or even started submitting requests for flavor samples. Mind-to-say that the flavor industry must offer to their customers flavors of high quality, affordable prices and complete services. Last but not least, the success and the growth of the flavor houses in the marketplace will depend upon how informed they are on market trends, needs of the food processors and the ability to develop new flavors and technology systems. Within this broad front, stir-fried/saute flavors are presented here as being well suited and as an excellent contribution to the development of ethnic foods; such as. Oriental, French, etc., in forms of ready-to-serve, frozen entrees, snacks, canned soups, pasta sauces, etc. These flavors perfectly fit the flavor profiles of popular ethnic cuisines as in the two aforementioned ones and come in both liquid and powder forms (Tables 1, 2 and 3 ) . 2. STIR-FRYING, REVIEW OF BASIC TECHNIQUES The Chinese, in fact, are masters of all sorts of cooking techniques, but by and large they are noted in the West for their stir-frying; a dramatic technique that is essentially the same as the French, culinary rivals to Chinese call it sauteeing. Saute comes from the Latin root for "to jump" which
267 Table 1 .
IN
EMERGING THE FOOD IN THE
TRENDS INDUSTRY USA
I'sfi (remls - Industrji consoliddion
Hodificaiion in diet snd lieallli
Reduce [al lo 301 of calories lacrease slarcli and fiber • CoDlrol ElOS inlake
Control calories • Reduce Ma*
Healiliji Foods Jill natural Mo idditives/Preservatives ' Reduced/Loi Fat • Lite/Light •lligli or added fiber
• Organic • Lo«/no Cholesterol • Reduced/Lofl Ma* • Reduced/Lo« suger ' Uded/higti Calciui
(FEHA 22ND ANNUAL PALL SVHPOSIUH. Nove«ber,7,199l)
268 Table 2
New Fjvducts Europe and the World iiiiiii
sssssssssssss^sasaESESSiiEi;
U.K.:
Hesiy-to-eat Porridge
^:^ES2^a;£^lk:^!^a^^sg^gaiLI^';:^^
Lincoln Sreen lager
(•icrowave)
Lo-Sar
Hoc caya (organic cereal beverage)
S s t Genany;
(low calorie chocolate)
Sadfrites
tioniaiin Fix-hig
rironaentally friendly\ /envi )er bag, potato chips / Vpaper
France;
Kecord liicrofast Pasta
Sojadines
Mry dough Bixes\ I pizza variety /
Le Garden
(seafood salads)
/cholesterol-free\ \new type cheese /
dppoUimis /flavored •ineral water\ \ no fats /
liaiongo /special grains\ V no fats /
Hollywood Stjile ( s u g a r f r e e c h e w i n g gum)
Spain;
Helados H^H /low f a t / c a l o r i o \ i c e croiia
\ j O'OOn I'.Niili^l'iKlUNr,
INT'L. . April 1991)
269 Table 3
Food and F l a v o r i n g Trends i n Japan
Healthiness
Developmental Trends in
Other Factors
Societal Factors
Foods and Beverages LOI / N o Fat for Single Member
LOf / N o Sugar
Gourmet
LOW / N o Calories
Families
LOf / N o Cholesterol LOf / N o Alcohol
Convenience
LOf / N o Salt
Eco-Friendly
High Calcium Ethnics
^
Higt Fiber Higt Minerals
Demograhics
T Natural
Flavors
Microwave /oven Flavors
Fatty
Flavors
Taste
Flavors
Enzyme
Flavors
Sugar
Flavors
Precursor Flavors
Salt
Flavors
Cooking
Twin Extruder
Flavors
Flavors
270 accurately describes what happens to the food in a stir-fry. The food, cut into roughly bite-size pieces, is rapidly tossed in hot oil, to which a seasoning mixture may be added at the end to produce a remarkably fresh-tasting result. This technique was invented by cooks for whom fuel was very scarce. Often they might have just a handful of twigs to produce a short-lived, intense flame. So, this scarcity of fuel caused the invention of stir-frying, a method in which foods are cooked at high heat for a short time to produce a fresh tasting, crispy and quick dish. The tools required for stir-frying are few and simple. A pot called wok, a broad hemispherical vessel with a surface that is friendly to oil, a lid to cover it, and a long handled spatula to toss the food around. The wok must be heavy in order to avoid burning the oil too quickly and the food to avoid sticking and scorching. One should mention here that wok is a Cantonese word for "pot", round bottomed specifically suited for the movements of stir-frying. As for the stir-frying process itself, it is composed of four basic steps; such as: 1.
When the oil is properly hot, add the fragrant ingredients; such as, ginger, scallions, garlic, chili, etc. These ingredients will infuse the oil with flavor and color. So, the primary ingredient when stir-fried will be fried in a seasoned oil. When the essence of the oil is pronounced and the spicy aromatics are infused in the oil, you can proceed to next step.
2.
Add the main ingredient or ingredients to the wok. Stir-fry by mixing rapidly so that all ingredients are coated with oil and the natural juices are seared in.
3.
Usually this step is not necessary unless one is stirfrying chunky vegetables. So, add water by lowering the temperature of the cooked materials in the wok in order to vigorously steam them. Cover the wok and heat gently until the water has been evaporated.
4.
When the food is cooked, uncover the wok and properly balance the seasonings, add some sesame oil for sheen and aroma or cornstarch for thickening.
In general, the stir-fried dishes are not watery and there should be a very small amount of liquid left in the wok except in cases where the dishes specifically are expected to be saucy.
271 3. STIR-FRIED FLAVORS As the name implies, these flavors refer to those developed by the process of stir-frying or stir-fried cooking. This method of cooking includes many dishes of oriental origin and, in specific, Chinese. These Chinese dishes became very popular in the U.S.A., Japan, Canada, Europe, etc. Typical examples of these dishes are: • Beef and green pepper plus leek, lightly fried in oil. Known as "shredded beef with green peppers". • Shrimp, leek and ginger, lightly fried and covered with tomato sauce plus hot spicings. Known as "sauteed shrimp with hot sauce". • Been sprouts plus chopped beef, fried with sauce and a variety of vegetables. All these stir-fried dishes contain about half or a third of the oil when compared to the same dishes prepared with deep fried ingredients; such as, deep fried chicken, fish, etc. In addition, the stir-fried dishes have light cooked aromas and the flavors of all ingredients are enhanced, adding a plus to their culinary and appetizing enjoyment. So, the flavor chemist taking notation of these unique and enhanced aromas created by the stir-frying method of cooking, worked with his creative ability and with the help of instrumental analysis to develop a new line of stirfried/saute \flavors. These flavors, being creations of excellent natiire, will contribute to the development of many new food dishes that will appear as frozen entrees, items in fast food chains and in restaurant menus (Tables 4,5,6 & 7). 4. CHARACTERISTICS OF STiR-FRIED FLAVORS From the viewpoint of a flavor chemist, the following features can be stated as the ones characterizing the stirfried flavors: ^ a. Meats, vegetables and seasonings combine with the uniquely fried oil to achieve exceptional flavor combinations reminiscent of the oriental dishes they represent. The effect of this brilliant cooking technique where foods are cooked at high heat for a short time producing remarkably freshly cooked aromas becomes a major challenge to a flavor chemist to research it and then reproduce it
272 Table 4 . N A T U R A L F L A V O R O R K A T I O N (OUTLINE)
S T I R —FRIK13
S T E P
O N E
F L A V O R
P R O C E D U R E S
A N A L Y S I S
Popular STIR-FRIED DISHES, using the following raw materials, are actually made and carefully ANALYZED. R A W
M A T E R I A L S
Meats chicken, pork, beef, etc. Seafoods shrimp, crab, oyster, clam, etc. Vegetables...carrot, celery, radish, cabbage, leek, onion, mushroom, etc. Seasonings...salt, sugar,vinegar, sauces, etc. Oils & Fats..vegetable oil, sesame oil, lard, fat Spices garlic, onion, anise, cinnamon, pepper, chilli, ginger, etc.
* EXAMPLES S T I R F R I E D High Heat Short Time Small Amount of Oil
* * *
OF COOKING
Chicken Chow Me i n Prawn w/Chilli Sauce * Chop-Suey
Shredded Beef w/Green Bell Pepper * Sauteed Mixed Vegetables * Etc. Etc. Etc.
Retention of Ingredient Flavor»Color, Nutrients
ft F L A V O R
A N A L Y S I S
Head Space Analysis S.D.Extraction Method (simultaneous distillation) Lyophilization Method Etc.
ft FLAVOR COMPONENTS G.C. - M.S. Volatile acids, ketones. ester, alcohols, N & r=0 S compounds etc
ft
Judge Key Compounds Make informed assumptions as to Precursors
273 Table 5. SXEF»
TWO
.
FI^AVOR
C R E A T I O N
As we know from our everyday experience, by heating food materials, various flavors develop that were non-existent in the original foods. Among the many reactions, a significant number are brought about by inter-reacting of the food components....especially the two important components, carbohydrates (sugars) and proteins(amino acids) by way of the well known.... M A I L L A R D
R E A C T I O N .
MAILLARD REACTION PRODUCTS differ according to heating conditions Generally, "the higher the temperature and longer the time of reaction, the stronger the resulting aromatic components ... with strong aldehyde like burnt notes. Differences also occur according to the ratio of sugars and amino acids, their concentration and pH, etc.
H e a t R e s L C t z i o n E>ca,ini>les of Amino A c i d s & GXxa.c:<3S€? (at loot) Amino Acid
Aroma of Reaction Products
glycine alpha-alanine
caramel like, weak beer like beer like
valine leucine
rye bread like, fruity, aromatic sweet chocolate like, toasted bread like, rye bread like
isoleucine serin
mouldy, fruity, aromatic maple syrup like
threonine methionine
chocolate like, maple syrup like overbaked sweet potato like, potato like
cysteine cystine
roasted/cooked meat like, sulfides roasted/cooked meat like, burnt turkey
proline roasted corn like, burnt proteins h y d r o x y p r o l i n e ... .baked potato like arginine histidine
popped corn like, butter scotch like butter like
glutamine phenylalanine
chocolate like spoiled caramel like, disagreeable violet like
MAIN AROMA COMPONENTS RESULTING FROM ABOVE REACTIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS
274 Table 6 , AROMA
COMPONENTS
.^^
A ^ ^^' ^^^«' AK.
X
:;i6: XJ: to 4«
R2'<,X'
j^2
fl2
R3^>^R'
R^-^rf
H
RCHjCHO
RltH^SOt/
R^COCOR^
RCHjSH
RlcHjSSCMjft^
275 Table 7. NATURAL
FLAVOR
COMI>ONENT
RECONSTRUCTION
R A W
M A T E R I A L S
Meats & Extracts Vegetables & Extracts Sugars 1 Nat. Amino Acids Enzyme Reaction Produc ts
Seafoods & Extracts Oils & Fats Yeast Extracts Spice Extracts (HAP/HVP)
^
H E A T P R O C E S S I N G CKNOW HOW) Determinants: Raw Material Ratio, Temperature & Time Adjusted According to Target Product (flavor)
*
STIR
NATURAL FRIED FLAVOR
BASE
4 BLENDING (OTHER NATURAL FLAVORS)
*
NATURAL
STIR FRIED FLAVOR
276 in his laboratory, pilot plant and then in production. b. The basic and original aromas of the meat, vegetables, etc. are enhanced. This specific enhancement contributes to maximization of their top notes and enjoyment of the finished food product by the consumers. 5. CONTRIBUTING TECHNOLOGIES TO STIR-FRIED FLAVORS In the development of stir-fried flavors, the following three techniques are involved: a. Head Space Analysis This method involves "on site/in process" analysis of freshly produced cooked aromas; e.g., roasting meats, boiling chicken, boiling vegetables on a GC before changes and deterioration develop. With this new technique, the rising top-note aromas are picked up and carried forward on nitrogen gas to an adsorbent. The adsorbed components being then desorbed are, consequently, subjected to analysis by GC-MS. In the past, the methods used were "static" distillation and solvent extraction. It involved heat which caused considerable destruction and/or changes in the aromatic components. This resulted in considerable imprecision in analyzing for and reproducing the true flavors. The new method of head space analysis solved much of these problems and allowed the flavor chemist to add fresh, more natural top notes to the created stirfried flavors. As a model illustrating the new method, we have attached diagrams (Diagram 1 and 2 ) . b. Maillard Reactions and Precursor Flavor Technologies Both technologies closely affect and relate to each other. They are positioned as intermediates in the flavor forming process and contribute much to the making of superior final stir-fried flavor. Up to the present time, it is well known to both flavor chemists and food technologists that Maillard reactions in flavor creation have been widely utilized and we do not feel the need in this presentation to expand any further on this subject. In other words, much has been said and written about the Maillard reactions already. On the other hand, as to flavor produced through precursors, many new studies have been recently conducted towards commercializing these intermediate products. It should be noted that these flavor "intermediates" are not the actual final aromas or flavors as, for example, in a stir-fried consumer product. They are rather, the ones
277 Diagram 1 .
T r a p p i n g M e t h o d i n Head
Space
Ana l y s i s of St r a w b e r ry
T e n a x GC
c 31 D Flow Meter
Circulator Pump
GXSSXS3: Chacoal
M •
/
:
^
20min T e n a x GC
278
^
CX3
CO
03
3(
CD CD
CO
0)
CO
s
Diagram 2
CD CD
1
279 upon stir-frying or cooking, formed to provide elements or building blocks for the final flavor creation. So, they are one step before the final flavor. Therefore, we are calling them precursors as being building blocks for final flavor formation. In developing a precursor flavor-intermediate, its aroma becomes the focal point. Its capture and description is indeed a difficult task and involves laborious procedures. This aroma or intermediate flavor must not only fit well within the final flavor formation, but also one will have to find out how it will be effected by the production process in making the final food product. These two aspects of precursor technology makes them totally different and considerably more complex to develop when one compares them with the conventional flavor creation. Let us discuss now an example of the aforementioned Chinese dishes; namely, "shredded beef with green peppers". To develop a good precursor flavor for this particular dish, it is necessary to precisely analyze and determine the aroma providing components that eventually undergo the stir-frying heat treatment and result in the final stir-fried flavor of this appetizing dish. In such a case, very close cooperation with the product development chemists of the food manufacturer from the stage of protocept development to prototype and finally to that of finished product is very essential. The resulting flavor very often is difficult or next to impossible to be duplicated or even closely reproduced by any competing flavor house. This, indeed, becomes very advantageous and a very important factor in marketing. Should such superior precursor flavors be eventually developed, then some presently unattainable flavors for frozen entrees, canned soups, sauces, etc., could become available to food technologists. Diagrams 3, 4, 5 and 6 provide reference material for these percursor flavors. c. Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction This is a method that has recently drawn much attention within the flavor industry. It uses carbon dioxide as solvent for extracting aromatic components. In this case, carbon dioxide is used in a supercritical fluid state with pressure and temperature being higher than 72.8 atmospheres and 31.5°C, at the so-called "critical points". The solvent must be well matched with the product being extracted and usually involves trial and error in determining the conditions for best extraction. The resulting aroma components are uniquely superior as compared to the classical extracts, providing many components thus far considered unattainable.
280 Diagram 3.
Processed
Flavors
by M a i l l a r d
Reactions
Meat
/ Nuts
Development of - > Heat Processing Flavor
Coffee Beans
\ Cacao Beans
Water Soluble Components Sugar Proteins(Amino Acids) Organic Acids Polyphenol Fat Soluble Component
Degradation
->
Maillard Reaction
N Condensation
Strecker Degradation
CO
o c^ CD
»—. :=3
-*_>
c_>
-^-. .,,_> C=! O
^•->
.—.
^r=5
03
C_J>
c=: o
a->
c:=i^
V-.
Oc^
CO
CI1-.
Diagram 4
281
282 Diagrcun 5 .
Technology Supporting Stir Fried
Flavor
Mai Hard Reactoin
Heat Prepared Food
System
J Heating
Analysis of Aromatic Components
Evaluation & Analysis of Developed Aroma
I Assumption of
Assumption of Developmental
Precursors
Developmental Structure
Structure \
y
R e f e r e n c e
JL Animal/Botanical Preparation
Materials
by Heating
Extracts
Cooking
Oils/Fats Temperature
^ Reference-
Heating.^
Sugars
Flavor
HVP. HAP Moisture
Yeast Ex. Amino Acids
Etc.
Etc. /
J PRECURSOR FLAVOR
283 Diagrcun 6.
Precursor
Flavors
i
Heat Fermentat i on Enzyme Oxi dat i on
i
284 Under conditions properly developed, one also can obtain, on an individual basis, specific components. Such an approach can be applied to natural ground spices; e.g., ginger or pepper, where the most pleasant aromatic and flavorful parts can be obtained or as an individual component approach, according to the conditions applied, the hot component only can be obtained. Thus by applying this method, fine-tuned extractions from not only spices but coffee, vanilla, roasted nuts, roasted meats, etc. may be obtained. They provide an important source of new flavor raw materials for the final stir-fried flavors development and others unrelated to this presentation flavors. Diagrams 7 and 8 provide reference materials for this method. 6. CONCLUDING REMARKS In summary, the development of stir-fried/saute flavors reflect an entirely new approach to flavor creative technology. They respond to the food industry's need for flavor systems that are tolerant to the conditions of the microwave processing as well as the retort and freeze/thaw cycles required to manufacture convenience foods. These flavors are custom designed to achieve ethnic characters; such as, Chinese, French, Japanese, Thai, Indian, etc. Cooked fat notes are paired with specific meaty and spicy ones to fit the flavor profile of the aforementioned cuisines (Table 8). They are available as an oil-soluble liquid, as a spraydried powder or as plated on a carrier; such as, maltodextrin. Usage levels are within the range of 0.2% to 0.5%. They are stable in storage for six months as spraydried powder or for a full year as oil-soluble liquids.
285 Diagram 7.
Super Critical
CO, Extraction
u p CO CO 0) (-1
-60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60 80 I GO Temperature
FvC)
Method
286 Diagreun 8 .
The C o m p a r i s o n of Gas C h r o m a t o g rams by d i f f e r e n t
Extractions (From Same Natural Ginger)
Ginger oiI (Steam distil late)
Ginger oleoresin) (Acetone extract)
m
'U
'I'vLuA.X-Ji.A^
Ginger extract ( S u p e r - c r i t i c a l CG2 e x t r a c t )
\m \3
287 Table 8 . NATURAL STIR-FRIED/SAUTE FLAVOR SERIES Natural Stir-fried Chili Prawn Flavor Flavor Profile: Stir-fried prawn with chili sauce Use Level: 0.2 - 0.5% Solubility: Oil Soluble Natural Stir-fried Ham Flavor Flavor Profile: Stir-fried Chinese smoked ham Use Level: 0.2 - 0.5% Solubility: Oil Soluble Natural Stir-fried Vegetables Flavor Flavor Profile: Stir-fried vegetables Use Level: 0.2 - 0.5% Solubility: Oil Soluble Natural Stir-fried Chicken Flavor Flavor Profile: Saute spicy chicken Use Level: 0.2 - 0.5% Solubility: Oil Soluble Natural Stir-fried Pork Flavor Flavor Profile: Stir-fried pork with spicy notes Use Level: 0.2 - 0.5% Solubility: Oil Soluble Natural Stir-fried Beef Flavor Flavor Profile: Saute beef with spicy notes Use Level: 0.2 - 0.5% Solubility: Oil Soluble
288 7. REFERENCES 1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8
S. Brown, 1994: Future Flavors, Refrigerated & Frozen Foods, January 1994, pp 52-58, Vol. 5, No. 1, Stagnito Publishing, Skokie, XL, U.S.A. B. Crocker, Sizzling Stir-Fries, 1994. Prentice Hall, pp 1-93, N.Y.C., N.Y., U.S.A. Crompton & Knowles Corp., Saute' Flavors Add Quality to Microwave Foods, Food Product Design, April 1993, p. 91, Vol. 3, No. 4, Weeks Publishing Co., Northbrook, IL, U.S.A. J. Hsu, Personal communications, Westreco, Inc., New Milford, CT, U.S.A. I. Kuo, The Key to Chinese Cooking, 1982. Knops Publishing Corp., pp 42-58, N.Y.C., N.Y., U.S.A. F. LaBell, Sauteed Flavors Add Savory, Fried Taste, Food Processing, November 1992, pp 28-33, Vol. 53, No. 11, Putnam Publishing Co., Chicago, IL, U.S.A. B. Tropp, Modern Art of Chinese Cooking, 1982. William Morrow & Co., pp 63-70, N.Y.C., N.Y., U.S.A. Y. Unno, Natural Stir-fried/Saute Flavors, Bulletin, T. Hasegawa, U.S.A., Inc., Cerritos, CA, U.S.A., May 1993.
265
STIR-FRIED/SAUTE FLAVORS, RECENT FLAVOR DEVELOPMENTS IN THE U.S.A. Arthur S. Kiratsous^ and Masashi Ishikawa^ ^T. Hasegawa U.S.A., Inc., 969 High Ridge Road, Suite 209, Stamford, CT 06905, U.S.A. ^T. Hasegawa Co. Ltd., 4-14, 4-Chome, Honcho, Nihonbashi, Chuo-Ku, Tokyo, Japan Abstract Stir-fried/saute flavors are new creations by the flavor industry. A new technology has been developed to create flavor systems applicable to ethnic foods, frozen entrees, snack foods, soups, etc. In the development, four important steps are involved. First, the analysis of headspace; second, the study of Maillard reactions and precursor formation; third, the heat treatment of the "flavor-base" components and fourth, the blending of the "flavor-base" with other flavor components. These flavors, while natural, require usage levels of 0.2 to 0.5%, are stable and come in oil soluble liquid or powder forms. These developments and future trends are discussed. 1. INTRODUCTION There is no doubt that the future of flavors has been promising and full of challenges. The emerging trends in the food industry; such as, consolidation, diet modification, health implications, etc., will undoubtedly have and will have its effects upon the flavor industry. So, much attention must be now given to healthiness, convenience, the environment and, in general, the lifestyle changes of the populations. Flavor suppliers will be offering to the food industry more creativity, services, partnerships and the challenge to adopt or use new flavor systems. The flavor industry now has to be proactive instead of reactive and must respond to these new challenges by the food industry in an informative, reliable and, in general, in a business-like approach. Today not only the ethnic, tropical and exotic flavors and their combinations are the introductions by the flavor industry, but also flavors for fat-free food systems and other innovative new concepts. The trend towards natural
266 flavors will continue and this demand will prevail, also, in the reduced and fat-free food systems. The flavors for fast foods will continue to flourish with flavors; such as, pizza, taco, nacho, hot green and red pepper, etc. The ethnic flavors also will continue to show strong demand and, in specific, their hot and spicy types that became so popular in the U.S.A. Lately, we can see a trend towards Thai, Indonesian and Indian types of flavors. Several new technologies are very exciting; such as, the supercritical CO2 extraction that gives the flavor creator new raw materials to use at low levels though achieving flavor quality unimaginable a few years back; such as, flavors with clarity and crispiness. Other developmental trends within the flavor industry include new encapsulations and natural isolation techniques. In the midst of these technological developments the flavor industry is also placing great emphasis on the relationship with their customers, the food companies. They are emphasizing the so-called partnerships to develop specialized flavors for special applications for a specific customer while the particular food product is in the developmental stages. It is fair for the flavor industry to say, also, that they are taking a proactive approach to develop flavors before the customers even thought of them or even started submitting requests for flavor samples. Mind-to-say that the flavor industry must offer to their customers flavors of high quality, affordable prices and complete services. Last but not least, the success and the growth of the flavor houses in the marketplace will depend upon how informed they are on market trends, needs of the food processors and the ability to develop new flavors and technology systems. Within this broad front, stir-fried/saute flavors are presented here as being well suited and as an excellent contribution to the development of ethnic foods; such as. Oriental, French, etc., in forms of ready-to-serve, frozen entrees, snacks, canned soups, pasta sauces, etc. These flavors perfectly fit the flavor profiles of popular ethnic cuisines as in the two aforementioned ones and come in both liquid and powder forms (Tables 1, 2 and 3 ) . 2. STIR-FRYING, REVIEW OF BASIC TECHNIQUES The Chinese, in fact, are masters of all sorts of cooking techniques, but by and large they are noted in the West for their stir-frying; a dramatic technique that is essentially the same as the French, culinary rivals to Chinese call it sauteeing. Saute comes from the Latin root for "to jump" which
267 Table 1 .
IN
EMERGING THE FOOD IN THE
TRENDS INDUSTRY USA
I'sfi (remls - Industrji consoliddion
Hodificaiion in diet snd lieallli
Reduce [al lo 301 of calories lacrease slarcli and fiber • CoDlrol ElOS inlake
Control calories • Reduce Ma*
Healiliji Foods Jill natural Mo idditives/Preservatives ' Reduced/Loi Fat • Lite/Light •lligli or added fiber
• Organic • Lo«/no Cholesterol • Reduced/Lofl Ma* • Reduced/Lo« suger ' Uded/higti Calciui
(FEHA 22ND ANNUAL PALL SVHPOSIUH. Nove«ber,7,199l)
268 Table 2
New Fjvducts Europe and the World iiiiiii
sssssssssssss^sasaESESSiiEi;
U.K.:
Hesiy-to-eat Porridge
^:^ES2^a;£^lk:^!^a^^sg^gaiLI^';:^^
Lincoln Sreen lager
(•icrowave)
Lo-Sar
Hoc caya (organic cereal beverage)
S s t Genany;
(low calorie chocolate)
Sadfrites
tioniaiin Fix-hig
rironaentally friendly\ /envi )er bag, potato chips / Vpaper
France;
Kecord liicrofast Pasta
Sojadines
Mry dough Bixes\ I pizza variety /
Le Garden
(seafood salads)
/cholesterol-free\ \new type cheese /
dppoUimis /flavored •ineral water\ \ no fats /
liaiongo /special grains\ V no fats /
Hollywood Stjile ( s u g a r f r e e c h e w i n g gum)
Spain;
Helados H^H /low f a t / c a l o r i o \ i c e croiia
\ j O'OOn I'.Niili^l'iKlUNr,
INT'L. . April 1991)
269 Table 3
Food and F l a v o r i n g Trends i n Japan
Healthiness
Developmental Trends in
Other Factors
Societal Factors
Foods and Beverages LOI / N o Fat for Single Member
LOf / N o Sugar
Gourmet
LOW / N o Calories
Families
LOf / N o Cholesterol LOf / N o Alcohol
Convenience
LOf / N o Salt
Eco-Friendly
High Calcium Ethnics
^
Higt Fiber Higt Minerals
Demograhics
T Natural
Flavors
Microwave /oven Flavors
Fatty
Flavors
Taste
Flavors
Enzyme
Flavors
Sugar
Flavors
Precursor Flavors
Salt
Flavors
Cooking
Twin Extruder
Flavors
Flavors
270 accurately describes what happens to the food in a stir-fry. The food, cut into roughly bite-size pieces, is rapidly tossed in hot oil, to which a seasoning mixture may be added at the end to produce a remarkably fresh-tasting result. This technique was invented by cooks for whom fuel was very scarce. Often they might have just a handful of twigs to produce a short-lived, intense flame. So, this scarcity of fuel caused the invention of stir-frying, a method in which foods are cooked at high heat for a short time to produce a fresh tasting, crispy and quick dish. The tools required for stir-frying are few and simple. A pot called wok, a broad hemispherical vessel with a surface that is friendly to oil, a lid to cover it, and a long handled spatula to toss the food around. The wok must be heavy in order to avoid burning the oil too quickly and the food to avoid sticking and scorching. One should mention here that wok is a Cantonese word for "pot", round bottomed specifically suited for the movements of stir-frying. As for the stir-frying process itself, it is composed of four basic steps; such as: 1.
When the oil is properly hot, add the fragrant ingredients; such as, ginger, scallions, garlic, chili, etc. These ingredients will infuse the oil with flavor and color. So, the primary ingredient when stir-fried will be fried in a seasoned oil. When the essence of the oil is pronounced and the spicy aromatics are infused in the oil, you can proceed to next step.
2.
Add the main ingredient or ingredients to the wok. Stir-fry by mixing rapidly so that all ingredients are coated with oil and the natural juices are seared in.
3.
Usually this step is not necessary unless one is stirfrying chunky vegetables. So, add water by lowering the temperature of the cooked materials in the wok in order to vigorously steam them. Cover the wok and heat gently until the water has been evaporated.
4.
When the food is cooked, uncover the wok and properly balance the seasonings, add some sesame oil for sheen and aroma or cornstarch for thickening.
In general, the stir-fried dishes are not watery and there should be a very small amount of liquid left in the wok except in cases where the dishes specifically are expected to be saucy.
271 3. STIR-FRIED FLAVORS As the name implies, these flavors refer to those developed by the process of stir-frying or stir-fried cooking. This method of cooking includes many dishes of oriental origin and, in specific, Chinese. These Chinese dishes became very popular in the U.S.A., Japan, Canada, Europe, etc. Typical examples of these dishes are: • Beef and green pepper plus leek, lightly fried in oil. Known as "shredded beef with green peppers". • Shrimp, leek and ginger, lightly fried and covered with tomato sauce plus hot spicings. Known as "sauteed shrimp with hot sauce". • Been sprouts plus chopped beef, fried with sauce and a variety of vegetables. All these stir-fried dishes contain about half or a third of the oil when compared to the same dishes prepared with deep fried ingredients; such as, deep fried chicken, fish, etc. In addition, the stir-fried dishes have light cooked aromas and the flavors of all ingredients are enhanced, adding a plus to their culinary and appetizing enjoyment. So, the flavor chemist taking notation of these unique and enhanced aromas created by the stir-frying method of cooking, worked with his creative ability and with the help of instrumental analysis to develop a new line of stirfried/saute \flavors. These flavors, being creations of excellent natiire, will contribute to the development of many new food dishes that will appear as frozen entrees, items in fast food chains and in restaurant menus (Tables 4,5,6 & 7). 4. CHARACTERISTICS OF STiR-FRIED FLAVORS From the viewpoint of a flavor chemist, the following features can be stated as the ones characterizing the stirfried flavors: ^ a. Meats, vegetables and seasonings combine with the uniquely fried oil to achieve exceptional flavor combinations reminiscent of the oriental dishes they represent. The effect of this brilliant cooking technique where foods are cooked at high heat for a short time producing remarkably freshly cooked aromas becomes a major challenge to a flavor chemist to research it and then reproduce it
272 Table 4 . N A T U R A L F L A V O R O R K A T I O N (OUTLINE)
S T I R —FRIK13
S T E P
O N E
F L A V O R
P R O C E D U R E S
A N A L Y S I S
Popular STIR-FRIED DISHES, using the following raw materials, are actually made and carefully ANALYZED. R A W
M A T E R I A L S
Meats chicken, pork, beef, etc. Seafoods shrimp, crab, oyster, clam, etc. Vegetables...carrot, celery, radish, cabbage, leek, onion, mushroom, etc. Seasonings...salt, sugar,vinegar, sauces, etc. Oils & Fats..vegetable oil, sesame oil, lard, fat Spices garlic, onion, anise, cinnamon, pepper, chilli, ginger, etc.
* EXAMPLES S T I R F R I E D High Heat Short Time Small Amount of Oil
* * *
OF COOKING
Chicken Chow Me i n Prawn w/Chilli Sauce * Chop-Suey
Shredded Beef w/Green Bell Pepper * Sauteed Mixed Vegetables * Etc. Etc. Etc.
Retention of Ingredient Flavor»Color, Nutrients
ft F L A V O R
A N A L Y S I S
Head Space Analysis S.D.Extraction Method (simultaneous distillation) Lyophilization Method Etc.
ft FLAVOR COMPONENTS G.C. - M.S. Volatile acids, ketones. ester, alcohols, N & r=0 S compounds etc
ft
Judge Key Compounds Make informed assumptions as to Precursors
273 Table 5. SXEF»
TWO
.
FI^AVOR
C R E A T I O N
As we know from our everyday experience, by heating food materials, various flavors develop that were non-existent in the original foods. Among the many reactions, a significant number are brought about by inter-reacting of the food components....especially the two important components, carbohydrates (sugars) and proteins(amino acids) by way of the well known.... M A I L L A R D
R E A C T I O N .
MAILLARD REACTION PRODUCTS differ according to heating conditions Generally, "the higher the temperature and longer the time of reaction, the stronger the resulting aromatic components ... with strong aldehyde like burnt notes. Differences also occur according to the ratio of sugars and amino acids, their concentration and pH, etc.
H e a t R e s L C t z i o n E>ca,ini>les of Amino A c i d s & GXxa.c:<3S€? (at loot) Amino Acid
Aroma of Reaction Products
glycine alpha-alanine
caramel like, weak beer like beer like
valine leucine
rye bread like, fruity, aromatic sweet chocolate like, toasted bread like, rye bread like
isoleucine serin
mouldy, fruity, aromatic maple syrup like
threonine methionine
chocolate like, maple syrup like overbaked sweet potato like, potato like
cysteine cystine
roasted/cooked meat like, sulfides roasted/cooked meat like, burnt turkey
proline roasted corn like, burnt proteins h y d r o x y p r o l i n e ... .baked potato like arginine histidine
popped corn like, butter scotch like butter like
glutamine phenylalanine
chocolate like spoiled caramel like, disagreeable violet like
MAIN AROMA COMPONENTS RESULTING FROM ABOVE REACTIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS
274 Table 6 , AROMA
COMPONENTS
.^^
A ^ ^^' ^^^«' AK.
X
:;i6: XJ: to 4«
R2'<,X'
j^2
fl2
R3^>^R'
R^-^rf
H
RCHjCHO
RltH^SOt/
R^COCOR^
RCHjSH
RlcHjSSCMjft^
275 Table 7. NATURAL
FLAVOR
COMI>ONENT
RECONSTRUCTION
R A W
M A T E R I A L S
Meats & Extracts Vegetables & Extracts Sugars 1 Nat. Amino Acids Enzyme Reaction Produc ts
Seafoods & Extracts Oils & Fats Yeast Extracts Spice Extracts (HAP/HVP)
^
H E A T P R O C E S S I N G CKNOW HOW) Determinants: Raw Material Ratio, Temperature & Time Adjusted According to Target Product (flavor)
*
STIR
NATURAL FRIED FLAVOR
BASE
4 BLENDING (OTHER NATURAL FLAVORS)
*
NATURAL
STIR FRIED FLAVOR
276 in his laboratory, pilot plant and then in production. b. The basic and original aromas of the meat, vegetables, etc. are enhanced. This specific enhancement contributes to maximization of their top notes and enjoyment of the finished food product by the consumers. 5. CONTRIBUTING TECHNOLOGIES TO STIR-FRIED FLAVORS In the development of stir-fried flavors, the following three techniques are involved: a. Head Space Analysis This method involves "on site/in process" analysis of freshly produced cooked aromas; e.g., roasting meats, boiling chicken, boiling vegetables on a GC before changes and deterioration develop. With this new technique, the rising top-note aromas are picked up and carried forward on nitrogen gas to an adsorbent. The adsorbed components being then desorbed are, consequently, subjected to analysis by GC-MS. In the past, the methods used were "static" distillation and solvent extraction. It involved heat which caused considerable destruction and/or changes in the aromatic components. This resulted in considerable imprecision in analyzing for and reproducing the true flavors. The new method of head space analysis solved much of these problems and allowed the flavor chemist to add fresh, more natural top notes to the created stirfried flavors. As a model illustrating the new method, we have attached diagrams (Diagram 1 and 2 ) . b. Maillard Reactions and Precursor Flavor Technologies Both technologies closely affect and relate to each other. They are positioned as intermediates in the flavor forming process and contribute much to the making of superior final stir-fried flavor. Up to the present time, it is well known to both flavor chemists and food technologists that Maillard reactions in flavor creation have been widely utilized and we do not feel the need in this presentation to expand any further on this subject. In other words, much has been said and written about the Maillard reactions already. On the other hand, as to flavor produced through precursors, many new studies have been recently conducted towards commercializing these intermediate products. It should be noted that these flavor "intermediates" are not the actual final aromas or flavors as, for example, in a stir-fried consumer product. They are rather, the ones
277 Diagram 1 .
T r a p p i n g M e t h o d i n Head
Space
Ana l y s i s of St r a w b e r ry
T e n a x GC
c 31 D Flow Meter
Circulator Pump
GXSSXS3: Chacoal
M •
/
:
^
20min T e n a x GC
278
^
CX3
CO
03
3(
CD CD
CO
0)
CO
s
Diagram 2
CD CD
1
279 upon stir-frying or cooking, formed to provide elements or building blocks for the final flavor creation. So, they are one step before the final flavor. Therefore, we are calling them precursors as being building blocks for final flavor formation. In developing a precursor flavor-intermediate, its aroma becomes the focal point. Its capture and description is indeed a difficult task and involves laborious procedures. This aroma or intermediate flavor must not only fit well within the final flavor formation, but also one will have to find out how it will be effected by the production process in making the final food product. These two aspects of precursor technology makes them totally different and considerably more complex to develop when one compares them with the conventional flavor creation. Let us discuss now an example of the aforementioned Chinese dishes; namely, "shredded beef with green peppers". To develop a good precursor flavor for this particular dish, it is necessary to precisely analyze and determine the aroma providing components that eventually undergo the stir-frying heat treatment and result in the final stir-fried flavor of this appetizing dish. In such a case, very close cooperation with the product development chemists of the food manufacturer from the stage of protocept development to prototype and finally to that of finished product is very essential. The resulting flavor very often is difficult or next to impossible to be duplicated or even closely reproduced by any competing flavor house. This, indeed, becomes very advantageous and a very important factor in marketing. Should such superior precursor flavors be eventually developed, then some presently unattainable flavors for frozen entrees, canned soups, sauces, etc., could become available to food technologists. Diagrams 3, 4, 5 and 6 provide reference material for these percursor flavors. c. Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction This is a method that has recently drawn much attention within the flavor industry. It uses carbon dioxide as solvent for extracting aromatic components. In this case, carbon dioxide is used in a supercritical fluid state with pressure and temperature being higher than 72.8 atmospheres and 31.5°C, at the so-called "critical points". The solvent must be well matched with the product being extracted and usually involves trial and error in determining the conditions for best extraction. The resulting aroma components are uniquely superior as compared to the classical extracts, providing many components thus far considered unattainable.
280 Diagram 3.
Processed
Flavors
by M a i l l a r d
Reactions
Meat
/ Nuts
Development of - > Heat Processing Flavor
Coffee Beans
\ Cacao Beans
Water Soluble Components Sugar Proteins(Amino Acids) Organic Acids Polyphenol Fat Soluble Component
Degradation
->
Maillard Reaction
N Condensation
Strecker Degradation
CO
o c^ CD
»—. :=3
-*_>
c_>
-^-. .,,_> C=! O
^•->
.—.
^r=5
03
C_J>
c=: o
a->
c:=i^
V-.
Oc^
CO
CI1-.
Diagram 4
281
282 Diagrcun 5 .
Technology Supporting Stir Fried
Flavor
Mai Hard Reactoin
Heat Prepared Food
System
J Heating
Analysis of Aromatic Components
Evaluation & Analysis of Developed Aroma
I Assumption of
Assumption of Developmental
Precursors
Developmental Structure
Structure \
y
R e f e r e n c e
JL Animal/Botanical Preparation
Materials
by Heating
Extracts
Cooking
Oils/Fats Temperature
^ Reference-
Heating.^
Sugars
Flavor
HVP. HAP Moisture
Yeast Ex. Amino Acids
Etc.
Etc. /
J PRECURSOR FLAVOR
283 Diagrcun 6.
Precursor
Flavors
i
Heat Fermentat i on Enzyme Oxi dat i on
i
284 Under conditions properly developed, one also can obtain, on an individual basis, specific components. Such an approach can be applied to natural ground spices; e.g., ginger or pepper, where the most pleasant aromatic and flavorful parts can be obtained or as an individual component approach, according to the conditions applied, the hot component only can be obtained. Thus by applying this method, fine-tuned extractions from not only spices but coffee, vanilla, roasted nuts, roasted meats, etc. may be obtained. They provide an important source of new flavor raw materials for the final stir-fried flavors development and others unrelated to this presentation flavors. Diagrams 7 and 8 provide reference materials for this method. 6. CONCLUDING REMARKS In summary, the development of stir-fried/saute flavors reflect an entirely new approach to flavor creative technology. They respond to the food industry's need for flavor systems that are tolerant to the conditions of the microwave processing as well as the retort and freeze/thaw cycles required to manufacture convenience foods. These flavors are custom designed to achieve ethnic characters; such as, Chinese, French, Japanese, Thai, Indian, etc. Cooked fat notes are paired with specific meaty and spicy ones to fit the flavor profile of the aforementioned cuisines (Table 8). They are available as an oil-soluble liquid, as a spraydried powder or as plated on a carrier; such as, maltodextrin. Usage levels are within the range of 0.2% to 0.5%. They are stable in storage for six months as spraydried powder or for a full year as oil-soluble liquids.
285 Diagram 7.
Super Critical
CO, Extraction
u p CO CO 0) (-1
-60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60 80 I GO Temperature
FvC)
Method
286 Diagreun 8 .
The C o m p a r i s o n of Gas C h r o m a t o g rams by d i f f e r e n t
Extractions (From Same Natural Ginger)
Ginger oiI (Steam distil late)
Ginger oleoresin) (Acetone extract)
m
'U
'I'vLuA.X-Ji.A^
Ginger extract ( S u p e r - c r i t i c a l CG2 e x t r a c t )
\m \3
287 Table 8 . NATURAL STIR-FRIED/SAUTE FLAVOR SERIES Natural Stir-fried Chili Prawn Flavor Flavor Profile: Stir-fried prawn with chili sauce Use Level: 0.2 - 0.5% Solubility: Oil Soluble Natural Stir-fried Ham Flavor Flavor Profile: Stir-fried Chinese smoked ham Use Level: 0.2 - 0.5% Solubility: Oil Soluble Natural Stir-fried Vegetables Flavor Flavor Profile: Stir-fried vegetables Use Level: 0.2 - 0.5% Solubility: Oil Soluble Natural Stir-fried Chicken Flavor Flavor Profile: Saute spicy chicken Use Level: 0.2 - 0.5% Solubility: Oil Soluble Natural Stir-fried Pork Flavor Flavor Profile: Stir-fried pork with spicy notes Use Level: 0.2 - 0.5% Solubility: Oil Soluble Natural Stir-fried Beef Flavor Flavor Profile: Saute beef with spicy notes Use Level: 0.2 - 0.5% Solubility: Oil Soluble
288 7. REFERENCES 1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8
S. Brown, 1994: Future Flavors, Refrigerated & Frozen Foods, January 1994, pp 52-58, Vol. 5, No. 1, Stagnito Publishing, Skokie, XL, U.S.A. B. Crocker, Sizzling Stir-Fries, 1994. Prentice Hall, pp 1-93, N.Y.C., N.Y., U.S.A. Crompton & Knowles Corp., Saute' Flavors Add Quality to Microwave Foods, Food Product Design, April 1993, p. 91, Vol. 3, No. 4, Weeks Publishing Co., Northbrook, IL, U.S.A. J. Hsu, Personal communications, Westreco, Inc., New Milford, CT, U.S.A. I. Kuo, The Key to Chinese Cooking, 1982. Knops Publishing Corp., pp 42-58, N.Y.C., N.Y., U.S.A. F. LaBell, Sauteed Flavors Add Savory, Fried Taste, Food Processing, November 1992, pp 28-33, Vol. 53, No. 11, Putnam Publishing Co., Chicago, IL, U.S.A. B. Tropp, Modern Art of Chinese Cooking, 1982. William Morrow & Co., pp 63-70, N.Y.C., N.Y., U.S.A. Y. Unno, Natural Stir-fried/Saute Flavors, Bulletin, T. Hasegawa, U.S.A., Inc., Cerritos, CA, U.S.A., May 1993.