I moved from London to New Jersey in 1995. It was a relatively easy transition between two cultures that have so much in common. The biggest shock was root beer. Similar rustic concoctions in the UK had made the transition from sassafras to aniseed, but root beer had become an evil, wintergreen-dominated, monstrosity.
It is simply a question of history and background, methyl salicylate in Europe has very unattractive medical associations, which do not apply in the U.S. Despite this logic, root beer revulsion left me with a distinct disinclination to use methyl salicylate in formulations, something I had to work to overcome.
The persistently moderate levels of methyl salicylate (FEMA# 2745, CAS# 119-36-8) in such a wide range of foods helped to slowly change my mind. At such levels methyl salicylate did not project an intrusive wintergreen note, rather it made a significantly positive contribution to rounding out the profile.
Note that the dose rates given throughout this article are the levels suggested for use in flavors intended to be dosed at 0.05% in ready-to-drink beverages or a simple bouillon.
Berry Flavors
Blackberry: Berry flavors, as a category, all benefit from a moderate level of methyl salicylate, adding attractive complexity and rounding out the middle of the profile. Fifty ppm is a good place to start.
Blackcurrant: This is even more true for blackcurrant flavors and the best level of addition to blackcurrant flavors is correspondingly higher, around 100 ppm.
Blueberry: The same 100 ppm level is also ideal for blueberry flavors, providing a significant counterbalance to linalool.
Loganberry: Loganberry flavors only need a more modest addition of methyl salicylate. Thirty ppm is ideal.
Raspberry: Thirty ppm is also a better level in most raspberry flavors, perhaps a little higher in black raspberry profiles.
Strawberry: All types of strawberry flavors gain significant authenticity from the addition of around 100 ppm of methyl salicylate.
Thirty ppm is a reasonable addition to honey flavors, perhaps a little less for very floral honey flavors.Adobe Stock
Other Fruit Flavors
Acai: Acai flavors are currently in vogue and have an interesting profile. Methyl salicylate makes a good addition at around 50 ppm.
Apricot: Methyl salicylate is especially effective in apricot flavors, smoothing the obvious impact of gamma-decalactone. Levels vary, but 60 ppm is a reasonable place to start.
Cherry: The smoothing effect in cherry flavors obviously applies to benzaldehyde, but the ideal level of addition is similar, around 50 ppm.
Cranberry: Methyl salicylate is particularly useful in cranberry flavors, rounding out the profile very attractively. One hundred ppm is a good place to start.
Damson: Much more subtle levels are more appropriate for damson flavors. Levels can vary, but between 10 ppm and 20 ppm is a good starting point.
Fig: Similar levels apply equally to all styles of fig flavors. The effect is subtle but definitely noticeable.
Grape, Concord: Twenty ppm is also a good level in Concord grape flavors, in this case helping soften the anthranilate note.
Mandarin, Dancy: The usefulness of methyl salicylate in tangerine flavors also relates to the anthranilate note, but the level is very subtle, around 5 ppm.
Nectarine: Nectarine flavors can vary in profile and, in consequence, the ideal level of methyl salicylate is hard to pin down. Somewhere in the range between 20 ppm and 60 ppm should work.
Passionfruit: Methyl salicylate has a pleasant effect on the profile of passionfruit flavors, offsetting the tropical esters. Twenty ppm is ideal.
Peach: Higher levels are better in peach flavors. One hundred ppm rounds out the relatively high level of gamma-decalactone.
Plum: Plum flavors have a modest relationship to peach flavors, but the lactone note is less important. Twenty ppm of methyl salicylate is an effective level.
Sapodilla: Sapodilla flavors are interesting to work on. They can accommodate quite a lot of methyl salicylate, up to 200 ppm.
Watermelon: Levels f this ingredient in watermelon flavors can vary considerably, but 20 ppm is a reasonable starting point.
Alcoholic Drink Flavors
Brandy: Methyl salicylate is not an obvious component of distilled spirit flavors, but a hint, 5 ppm, adds realism to brandy flavors.
Rum: Rum flavors, particularly dark rum flavors, can make use of a slightly higher level of this raw material, around 20 ppm.
Tequila: Tequila is the one category where methyl salicylate really shines. One hundred ppm is the ideal level of addition.
Whisky: With all styles of whisky flavors we are back to a subtle effect. Start at 10 ppm.
Tequila is the one category where methyl salicylate really shines.Adobe Stock
Other Flavors
Cream: Given my comments about root beer, it must seem very eccentric to add methyl salicylate to any dairy flavors. Eccentricity is laudable, so why not try a touch, at the lower end of single-digit ppm levels, in a fresh cream flavor? It is certainly interesting.
Cucumber: Similar levels are also worth trying in cucumber flavors, a profile that is desperately in need of some added complexity.
Ham: Meat flavors might seem to be about as unlikely a home for this raw material as dairy flavors. Nevertheless, 50 ppm is a welcome addition to ham flavors.
Honey: Adding methyl salicylate to honey flavors is not so much a stretch of the imagination. Thirty ppm is reasonable, perhaps a little less for very floral honey flavors.
Peppermint: Methyl salicylate is highly useful in peppermint flavors, helping bridge the gap between cheap arvensis and desirable piperita. One hundred ppm works well in peppermint flavors.
Root Beer: I have probably said enough about root beer flavors. This is the most obvious use of methyl salicylate and the levels of use reflect that, up to 10,000 ppm.
Tea: Tea flavors, as a general category, can all make good use of this ingredient. The lowest levels, around fifty ppm, work well in red tea flavors. One hundred ppm is ideal in black tea flavors. Styles of green tea flavors vary, but up to 200 ppm of methyl salicylate is not out of place.
Tomato: Thirty ppm of methyl salicylate enhances all tomato flavors but is most effective in fresh tomato styles.
Vanilla, Bean: It is hard to think of a flavor category that requires a more complex mixture of ingredients than vanilla bean flavors. Methyl salicylate is a useful member of that multitude at levels of addition around 10 ppm.
