Protein function as flavor

Some proteins and the amino acids may add flavor. Amino acid may contribute bitterness sweetness and other flavor.

Amino acids, peptides and proteins supply the required building blocks for protein biosynthesis.

They directly contribute to the flavor of food and are precursors for aroma compounds during thermal or enzymatic reactions in production, processing and storage of food.

Hydrolyzed protein has been used for centuries to improve the taste of food products. For example, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) is specific to the protein source such as hydrolyzed soy protein.

This flavor enhancers obtained through chemical hydrolysis from vegetable protein such as yeast extract soy protein wheat gluten, corn gluten, defatted soy flour and defatted cottonseed. HVP also act as thickeners or nutrients in food.

The recent redevelopments have shown that the better result can be obtained using enzymatic reactions to produce HVP and other flavor –enhancing proteins.

HVPs are generally describe as favor donors, flavor enhancers or flavor donor/enhancer combination products. It is used to improve flavors in soups, dressing, meats, snack foods and crackers.

It is well known that peptides and amino acids, which are hydrolyzed protein products, do have a flavor. Amino acids taste bitter or sweet with the exception of aspartic and glutamic acid which have a sour taste. Amino acids also are used as additive.

Monosodium glutamate is a flavor enhancer added to many foods. The artificial sweetener aspartame is a dipeptide composed of aspartic acid and phenylalanine.
Protein function as flavor