Common thickener may mask polyphenol bitterness

The perception of astringent flavours of polyphenolic extracts of chokeberry, green tea and walnut significantly was significantly reduced by CMC, according to new findings published in Food Quality and Preference. While it is well known that food gums may influence flavour release and perception, Polish and Spanish researchers state that systematic investigations of food gums to lower the perception of bitterness of polyphenols “are still deficient” . The new study appears to go some way to answering such questions, and pointing to the potential of CMC as a potential key ingredient in potential future functional food formulation. Food gums like guar, xanthan, and arabic were not as effective at bitter masking, they note. “These results may be useful to prepare functional food characterised by the high antioxidant properties that could meet the consumers’ acceptance,” wrote the researchers, led by scientists from the Polish Academy of Sciences. Healthy foods = tasty foods The days were healthy products were deemed unappetising are coming to an end, and food manufacturers are acutely aware of the need to make healthy products taste good. Fortifying foods with polyphenols is limited by the inherent bitter taste of the compounds. Polyphenols are antioxidant compounds with health benefits reported to range from improved cardiovascular health, to protection against certain cancers and Alzheimer's. Data from Leatherhead Food International (LFI) shows that the world functional antioxidants market is increasing year on year by around 3 per cent, and was valued at US$ 400 million in 2004, and US$ 438 million in 2007. Europe, the US, and Japan account for 90 per cent of this market. With flavonoids and polyphenols reported to be 45 per cent of this functional antioxidant market, equivalent to almost US$ 200 million, it is no wonder that many companies are already offering such ingredients, including Naturex, Burgundy, Chr. Hansen, DSM, Futureceuticals, Danisco, Indena, Frutarom, Genosa, Natraceutical, Cognis, and ADM. Study details The researchers note formulated a range of model systems to test the ability of the three food gums and CMC to mask the bitter flavour of polyphenolic extracts of chokeberry, green tea and walnut. Results showed that CMC performed the best, followed by guar, xanthan, and arabic gum. Despite the promising results, the researchers called for additional study to elucidate the “ mechanisms of masking the astringency and to determine whether interactions of polyphenols with polysaccharides affects their antioxidant properties” . Source: Food Quality and Preference Published online ahead of print, doi: “The effect of polysaccharides on the astringency induced by phenolic compounds” Authors: A. Troszynska, O. Narolewska, S. Robredo, I. Estrella, T. Hernandez, G. Lamparski, R. Amarowicz

Common thickener may mask polyphenol bitterness

Formulating foods with the common hydrocolloid carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) may mask the bitter flavour of health-boosting polyphenols, says new research.

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