How do microorganisms contribute to food flavour development?

Flavour development is a complex process since it depends on using many ingredients for developing a product and how our sensory perception of the ingredients provides the overall flavour experience.

1. How do microorganisms
contribute to food
flavour development?
An Academic presentation by
Dr. Nancy Agnes, Head, Technical Operations,
FoodResearchLab
Group: www.foodresearchlab.com
Email: [email protected]

2. Flavour plays a crucial role in our everyday lives and is present in food products, beverages, dietary
supplements, and cosmetics.
Flavour development is a complex process since it depends on using many ingredients for
developing a product and how our sensory perception of the ingredients provides the overall
flavour experience.
Artificial flavours have been used for many years since they are relatively more economical.
However, they are associated with adverse effects like allergy, headaches, nausea, and
hyperactivity in children.
In the long term, artificial flavours can cause kidney and brain damage and respiratory depression.
In addition, artificial flavours are also linked to the causation of certain types of cancers.
The increasing consumer awareness has led them to seek natural alternatives to artificial flavours.
The shift towards natural flavours
Contd...

3. Microorganisms for food flavour
development
Natural flavouring compounds in food, beverages and dietary
supplements are used from plant extracts like plant essential oils.
Sourcing from plants may be resource and time-intensive.
Biotechnological advances have made it possible to synthesise
flavour even more economically using enzymes. Microorganisms
are relatively easy to culture and can produce flavours de novo. The
subsequent section will elaborate on the mechanism of food flavour
development.
Contd...

4. Mechanism of microorganisms for food
flavour development
Microorganisms contribute to flavour development by the following
mechanisms
FERMENTATION
Microorganisms such as bacteria and yeast are frequently used in
fermentation to convert ingredients into finished product.
They digest complex carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids into simpler
components, producing a diverse range of flavour compounds as
metabolic by-products.
Lactic acid bacteria, for example, convert lactose into lactic acid during
the fermentation of dairy products such as yoghurt and cheese, which
gives rise to the tangy flavour.
Contd...

6. DEVELOPMENT OF VOLATILE FLAVOUR COMPOUNDS
During their metabolic processes, microorganisms can produce volatile compounds like esters,
aldehydes, and ketones.
For example, yeasts contribute to the distinct flavour of bread and alcoholic beverages.
Contd...

7. BIOCONVERSION
Microorganisms facilitate the conversion of intermediate products or added precursors by a
process called bioconversion.
An example is the conversion of sesquiterpene valencene, a component of orange oil, into
sesquiterpene nootkatone, an important aroma compound of grapefruit.
Contd...

8. FLAVOUR DEVELOPMENT BY AGEING AND MATURATION PROCESS
Microorganisms can aid in flavour development during ageing and maturation processes.
This is especially noticeable in foods such as cured meats, wines, and cheese, where the action of
specific microbes over time results in the production of complex and desirable flavours [1].

9. CONCLUSION
Advances in biotechnology have led to the innovation in natural flavour
development. Microorganisms have been widely studied for this
purpose.
They are simple to grow and can develop flavour development by
various methods that include fermentation, development of volatile
flavour compounds, bioconversion and ageing and maturation
process

10. How the Food Research Lab can help
We are a team of food scientists and technologists who offer new product development services for food
and beverage start-ups.
Our global contract R&D facility enables the development of a wide range of food and beverage products
using the most efficient technologies.
We also abide by regulatory guidelines, such as Good Manufacturing Practices and ensure that we deliver
only high-quality products with excellent sensory and flavour profiles, guaranteeing their success.

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