Flavor Development & Food Quality

Nobody enjoys consuming dull, flavorless foods. The taste and quality of the foods we eat can be effected by many different details, from herbs and spices to preservatives and packaging. There are many ways to enhance food flavors and maintain food quality.

Processing

• How foods are processed can affect food flavor and quality, as well as nutritional value. Heat processing and canning can remove essential nutrients and enzymes from food; fresh and frozen foods contain more of these essential ingredients.

Spices and Herbs

• Spices and herbs are a classic way to enhance flavors in the foods we eat. From oils and salts to herbs such as garlic, basil, oregano and cayenne, spices and herbs can intensify the natural flavors in foods. They can also add additional flavors.

Flavor Combinations

• By adding foods to each other in combinations, new flavors are created. There are starches, fats, proteins, carbohydrates and sugars all waiting to be combined into to new tasty compounds. The possibilities of food combinations are endless.

Additives

• Preservatives and additives are added to foods to make them taste better, appear appetizing, and last longer. MSG, for example, or monosodium glutamate, is a sodium salt used to enhance flavor; however, some people experience discomfort after consuming it and others are allergic to it. Flavors added to foods can be natural or artificial and are commonly used in combination.