Flavor Bites: cis-3-Hexenoic Acid

By: John Wright

Posted: October 15, 2009, from the November 2009 issue of P&F magazine.

Even the most popular raw materials are likely to emit a repulsive odor if smelled in their undiluted form, and cis-3-hexenoic acid (FEMA# 4493), with its unattractive miasma of stale sweat, is no exception. Intuitively, this raw material shows no visible flavor connections; the most natural reaction by flavorists, thus, would be to keep this ingredient out of sight and out of mind.

Although cis-3-Hexenoic acid has no real antecedents, flavorists have been exploring the potential of similar simple aliphatic acids, such as butyric acid (FEMA# 2221) and hexanoic acid (FEMA# 2559), for many years. As such, these ingredients were being used in dairy flavors and even in nondairy flavors, especially strawberry, where upon dilution the cheesy note possesses a useful, but barely detectable secondary character, and adds a little depth and realism to the flavor.

This is only an excerpt of the full article that appeared in P&F Magazine, but you can purchase the full-text version.