Sign in Subscribe

Important Synthetic Flavor Compounds - Part 6 (citronellol, geraniol, nerol, alpha-terpineol, menthol, citronellal, citral, alpha-ionone, beta-ionone, laevo-carvone)

Editor

• 6 min read

Part 6 - citronellol, geraniol, nerol, alpha-terpineol, menthol, citronellal, citral, alpha-ionone, beta-ionone, laevo-carvone

These are part of the 128 synthetic flavor compounds John Wright recommends in his book Flavor Creaction that every flavorist should know and worth with.

Citronellol

  • FEMA Number: 2309
  • Flavor Note(s): Floral, rose-like, citrus, waxy. It provides a sweet, fresh, and elegant rose character with a slight citrusy undertone.
  • Compounds That Render Similar Flavor Note: Geraniol (more intense, geranium-like), nerol (fresher, sweeter rose), rose oxide (more green, floral).
  • Compounds Often Used Together With: Used with geraniol, nerol, phenylethyl alcohol, and citronellal in rose and other floral flavors. Also used with citrus terpenes to add floral depth to grapefruit and orange flavors.
  • All Potential Applications: Rose flavors, citrus flavors (grapefruit, orange), berry flavors (strawberry, raspberry), and other fruit complexes where a floral nuance is desired. Used in beverages, candies, baked goods, and chewing gum.
  • General Usage Levels: Used at moderate levels. In finished products, typical usage ranges from 5 to 40 ppm, depending on the application.
  • Important Considerations for Flavorists: Clear, colorless to pale yellow liquid with a flash point >93°C . Store at room temperature in tightly sealed containers, protected from light. FEMA GRAS.

Geraniol

  • FEMA Number: 2507
  • Flavor Note(s): Sweet, floral, rose, fruity, with a citrusy-peach nuance. It is more intense and less fresh than nerol, with a characteristic geranium-like undertone.
  • Compounds That Render Similar Flavor Note: Nerol (fresher, sweeter rose), citronellol (softer rose), linalool (lighter, more citrus-floral).
  • Compounds Often Used Together With: Essential in rose, geranium, and other floral flavors. Used with nerol, citronellol, and phenylethyl alcohol to build complex rose profiles. Also used in peach, apricot, and citrus flavors to add floral sweetness.
  • All Potential Applications: Rose, geranium, peach, apricot, citrus, and berry flavors for a wide range of food and beverage applications.
  • General Usage Levels: Used at moderate levels. In finished products, typical usage ranges from 5 to 50 ppm.
  • Important Considerations for Flavorists: Colorless to pale yellow liquid. Sensitive to oxidation; store under inert gas in a cool, dark place in tightly sealed containers. FEMA GRAS.

Nerol

  • FEMA Number: 2770
  • Flavor Note(s: ) Sweet, floral, fresh, rose-like with a citrusy and fruity nuance. It is the cis-isomer of geraniol and is prized for its fresher, sweeter, and more delicate rose character compared to geraniol.
  • Compounds That Render Similar Flavor Note: Geraniol (more intense, less fresh), citronellol (softer rose), linalool (lighter, more citrus-floral).
  • Compounds Often Used Together With: Used with geraniol, citronellol, and phenylethyl alcohol to build authentic and complex rose profiles. Also used in citrus (especially lemon and bergamot) and berry flavors.
  • All Potential Applications: Rose, lemon, bergamot, strawberry, and other fruit flavors where a fresh, floral note is desired. Used in beverages, candies, and baked goods.
  • General Usage Levels: Used at low to moderate levels. In finished products, typical usage ranges from 2 to 30 ppm.
  • Important Considerations for Flavorists: Colorless to pale yellow liquid. Store in a cool, dry place in tightly sealed containers, protected from light. FEMA GRAS.

alpha-Terpineol

  • FEMA Number: 3045
  • Flavor Note(s): Floral, lilac, pine, woody, with a slight citrus nuance. It has a characteristic fresh, clean, and slightly terpenic aroma.
  • Compounds That Render Similar Flavor Note: Terpinyl acetate (more fruity-floral), gamma-terpineol, linalool (more citrus-floral).
  • Compounds Often Used Together With: Used with other terpenes and terpene alcohols in citrus, pine, and berry flavors. It is a common component of lime, orange, and other citrus oils and is used to add freshness and lift.
  • All Potential Applications: Lime, orange, berry, and mint flavors. Also used in spice blends and in some nut flavors. Used in beverages, candies, and baked goods.
  • General Usage Levels: Used at moderate levels. In finished products, typical usage ranges from 5 to 30 ppm.
  • Important Considerations for Flavorists: Can exist as a liquid or crystalline solid depending on purity and isomer ratio. Store in a cool, dry place in tightly sealed containers. FEMA GRAS.

Menthol

  • FEMA Number: 2665
  • Flavor Note(s): Cool, minty, peppermint, refreshing. It provides the characteristic cooling sensation and minty aroma.
  • Compounds That Render Similar Flavor Note: Isopulegol (cooling, but less intense), menthyl acetate (milder, fruity-mint), menthone (minty, less cooling).
  • Compounds Often Used Together With: Used with menthone, menthyl acetate, and peppermint oil in mint flavors. Also used with eucalyptol, camphor, and other cooling agents in confectionery and pharmaceutical applications.
  • All Potential Applications: Peppermint, spearmint, and other mint flavors. Used extensively in chewing gum, candies, oral care products, and pharmaceuticals for its cooling and flavoring properties.
  • General Usage Levels: Used at moderate to high levels. In finished products, levels can range from 10 to 500 ppm or higher, depending on the application.
  • Important Considerations for Flavorists: Colorless liquid or crystalline mass . Store at room temperature. The racemic form (FEMA 2665) is available, as well as the more common laevo-rotatory form (l-menthol). It can cause a strong cooling sensation and may be an irritant at high concentrations. FEMA GRAS.

Citronellal

  • FEMA Number: 2307
  • Flavor Note(s): Citrus, lemon, green, herbal, with a slight rose nuance. It is a key character impact compound in citronella oil and contributes to the fresh, peely note of lemon.
  • Compounds That Render Similar Flavor Note: Citronellol (the alcohol version, floral, less citrus), citral (more intense lemon, less herbal), lemonal.
  • Compounds Often Used Together With: Used with citral, citronellol, and other citrus terpenes in lemon, lime, and orange flavors. Also used in herbal and spice blends.
  • All Potential Applications: Lemon, lime, grapefruit, and other citrus flavors. Also used in herbal and spice flavors for beverages, candies, and baked goods.
  • General Usage Levels: Used at low to moderate levels. In finished products, typical usage ranges from 2 to 30 ppm.
  • Important Considerations for Flavorists: Colorless to slightly yellow liquid. As an aldehyde, it is prone to oxidation. Store in a cool, dark place in tightly sealed containers, preferably under inert gas. FEMA GRAS.

Citral

  • FEMA Number: 2303
  • Flavor Note(s): Powerful, sweet, lemon, citrus. It is the primary character-impact compound of lemon oil and has an intense, fresh, and peely lemon aroma.
  • Compounds That Render Similar Flavor Note: Lemonal, citronellal (less intense, more herbal), neral (the cis-isomer, softer lemon), geranial (the trans-isomer, more intense lemon).
  • Compounds Often Used Together With: An essential component in all lemon and lime flavors. Used with other citrus terpenes (d-limonene, citronellal) and aldehydes (decanal, octanal) to build authentic citrus profiles. Also used in berry and tropical fruit flavors.
  • All Potential Applications: Lemon, lime, orange, and other citrus flavors. Used extensively in beverages, candies, baked goods, and chewing gum.
  • General Usage Levels: Used at low to moderate levels. In finished products, typical usage ranges from 5 to 100 ppm, depending on the application.
  • Important Considerations for Flavorists: A mixture of the isomers neral and geranial. It is a very reactive aldehyde, prone to oxidation, cyclization, and polymerization. Must be stored under inert gas in a cool, dark place in tightly sealed containers. FEMA GRAS.

alpha-Ionone

  • FEMA Number: 2594
  • Flavor Note(s): Warm, woody, violet, floral, fruity (berry). It is the classic violet character with a warm, raspberry-like undertone.
  • Compounds That Render Similar Flavor Note: beta-Ionone (more violet, woody, less fruity), gamma-ionone, methyl ionone.
  • Compounds Often Used Together With: Used with beta-ionone in violet, raspberry, and other berry flavors. Also used in woody and floral complexes for confectionery and beverage applications.
  • All Potential Applications: Raspberry, violet, blackberry, and other berry and floral flavors. Used in candies, beverages, baked goods, and chewing gum.
  • General Usage Levels: Very potent. Used at low levels, typically from 0.5 to 10 ppm in the finished product.
  • Important Considerations for Flavorists: Colorless to pale yellow liquid. It can be a skin sensitizer. Store in a cool, dry place in tightly sealed containers, protected from light. FEMA GRAS.

beta-Ionone

  • FEMA Number: 2595
  • Flavor Note(s): Woody, violet, floral, fruity, raspberry. It is more woody and less fruity than alpha-ionone, with a deeper violet character.
  • Compounds That Render Similar Flavor Note: alpha-Ionone (more fruity-berry), gamma-ionone, methyl ionone.
  • Compounds Often Used Together With: Used with alpha-ionone in violet, raspberry, and other berry flavors. Also used in woody, cedar, and orris complexes for confectionery and beverage applications.
  • All Potential Applications: Raspberry, violet, blackberry, and other berry and floral flavors. Also used in some woody and tobacco flavors.
  • General Usage Levels: Very potent. Used at low levels, typically from 0.5 to 10 ppm in the finished product.
  • Important Considerations for Flavorists: Colorless to pale yellow liquid. It can be a skin sensitizer. Store in a cool, dry place in tightly sealed containers, protected from light. FEMA GRAS.

laevo-Carvone (l-Carvone)

  • FEMA Number: 2249
  • Flavor Note(s): Spearmint, caraway, dill. It is the primary character-impact compound of spearmint oil, providing the characteristic sweet, minty, and slightly herbal spearmint aroma.
  • Compounds That Render Similar Flavor Note: d-Carvone (caraway, dill, less minty), spearmint oil, carvyl acetate.
  • Compounds Often Used Together With: Used with spearmint oil, menthol, menthone, and other mint components in spearmint flavors. Also used with dill and caraway notes in pickle and culinary spice blends.
  • All Potential Applications: Spearmint flavors for chewing gum, candies, toothpaste, and mouthwash. Also used in dill pickle and other savory spice applications.
  • General Usage Levels: Used at moderate levels. In finished products, typical usage ranges from 10 to 200 ppm, depending on the application.
  • Important Considerations for Flavorists: Colorless to pale yellow liquid. Store in a cool, dry place in tightly sealed containers, protected from light. The safety evaluation for alicyclic substances used as flavor ingredients, including carvone, has been assessed by FEMA . FEMA GRAS. d

###

Sign up for more like this.

Enter your email
Subscribe