A Review on the Production of Food Flavorings by Biotechnological Methods

Flavor is one of the most important characteristics of food, which is directly related to the acceptance of the product by consumers. The increasing trend in the consumption of food flavoring compounds has motivated the production of food flavors therefore the global demand for natural flavors and aromas is continuously increasing. Plants and microorganisms are the main sources of flavor and aroma compounds such as terpenoids, aldehydes, methyl ketones, but due to their production in lower concentrations, the isolation and extraction of such value-added chemicals is expensive. Therefore, the biotechnological production of flavor compounds has been considered.

In the last decade, research has been carried out in the field of biological production of flavoring compounds. In this study, main biotechnological methods including the use of enzymes, microorganisms, tissue plants and cell culture have been investigated.

Conventional techniques for producing flavor compounds are not sufficient in terms of quantity and variety due to the rising market demand. Current flavor production methods use chemical synthesis, which can produce a greater number of flavors in less time. However, the demand for natural products has created the need for new methods to produce flavoring compounds labeled as natural origin. Biotechnological production is an attractive alternative to flavor production because it occurs under mild conditions, has high selectivity, produces no toxic waste, and produces products that can be labeled as "natural." Natural flavoring compounds obtained by biotechnological processes play an increasing role in the food, cosmetic, chemical and pharmaceutical industries due to the increasing consumer demand for natural food additives.

Emerging techniques in biotechnology have enabled industries to produce compounds that might be considered natural. There is no doubt that these technologies will become more important factors in the production of flavoring chemicals in the future due to their many advantages.