The Dictionary of Flavors: And General Guide for Those Training in the Art and Science of Flavor Chemistry

The Dictionary of Flavors defines flavors used in foods, beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), tobacco, and pet and animal foods.

Comparative flavor chemistry is a very useful tool in evaluating and describing homologous groups of similar chemical structures. Thus, the author has collected the GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) ingredients into chemically similar collections, where these structural relationships would dictate flavor attribute similarities. In this way, predictable aroma types can be more easily memorized.

In addition to the descriptions of flavor chemicals and natural products, there is also included perspectives from the fields of regulatory, sensory, chemistry, biology, pharmacology, bacteriology, psychology, economics and marketing.

In a field, where much of the knowledge is gained by experience, or handed down from mentor to apprentice, often times ideologies and concepts are very personal and empirical. Thus in regard to applications and characteristics, many comments reflect those of the author. At the same time, the reader is urged to reflect his or her own personality and input into interpretation and development of flavor applications.

This Dictionary will be useful to food scientist, flavor chemists, food and beverage production personnel, management and marketing personnel, and all those concerned with the flavor of foods and beverages.

Dolf De Rovira is a successful flavor chemist with over 25 years experience in flavors. In preparing this firstDictionary of Flavors, he has kept in mind that flavor creation is a field of scientific complexity, as well as creativity and challenge. He has, therefore, included information covering a wide number of product types, production methods and scientific disciplines in a practical and easy-to-understand format. Above all the author stresses the many areas that are useful to practicing flavorists or helpful in a creative-thought process.