In this month’s column we evaluate ingredients from Lionel Hitchen, an independent family-owned company, founded in 1965 as a business sourcing, creating, manufacturing, and supplying the finest flavor ingredients. Lionel Hitchen, based in the UK, is now offering an extensive range of flavor ingredients to the food and beverage industries around the globe.
Organoleptic Evaluation Panelists
- Dr Andrea Albertino, Senior Flavorist, Esarom
- Dr Kavita Bhatnagar, C.E.O., Kanegrade Flavors & Ingredients
- John Forbes, Consultant, Ceressence Consultancy
- Dr Bimal Karmakar, Principal Flavorist, Givaudan
- Jack Nicol, Flavorist, IFF
- Britta Nobis, Senior Flavorist, Silesia
- Dr Maria Palassarou, Flavorist, Givaudan
- Dr Ján Peťka, Head of Flavor Development, Austria Juice
- Michele Pezzotta, Flavorist, Silesia Flavors
- Aine Walsh, Principal Flavorist, Keurig Dr Pepper
Yuzu Oil, 2-fold
Description: A folded oil obtained by high vacuum distillation of yuzu extract (Citrus junos).
FEMA #4862, CAS #233683-84-6.
Odor Descriptors @100%: Fresh, green, herbal, peely, zesty, seedy, terpenic, spicy-peppery, mandarin-clementine notes, albedo, pithy, floral anthranilate note.
Taste Descriptors @50ppm: Mandarin-tangerine notes, albedo, pithy, waxy, zesty, juicy, fresh, peely, seedy, terpenic, spicy-peppery, herbal, floral anthranilate note, hay coumarinic, slight rubbery petroleum.
Possible Applications: Its dominant fresh citrus character would complement, apart from yuzu flavors, all citrus profiles, especially mandarin, tangerine and clementine due to its characteristic albedo, pithy notes. The spicy, peppery element would make it a great addition to cola profiles, but could also give another dimension to savory tonalities. The green, seedy attributes could blend well in tropical fruit profiles, whereas the zesty, floral, coumarinic notes could complement honey flavors.
Blood Orange, Fresh
Description: A blend of blood orange and sweet orange oil components that capture the full fruit, concentrated by high vacuum distillation (Citrus sinensis and Citrus sinensis(L.) Osbeck).
FEMA #2825 and 4856 CAS #8008-57-9.
Odor Descriptors @100%: Juicy, fresh, fruity, estery, ripe, sweet orange, pulpy, peely, albedo, pithy, aldehydic, fatty, green, floral, orange essence notes.
Taste Descriptors @50ppm: Juicy, fresh, sweet orange, fruity, estery, ripe, floral, albedo, pithy, aldehydic, fatty, slight peely, herbal notes.
Possible Applications: Its characteristic juicy, fresh, sweet elements would complement various citrus tonalities, like blood orange and sweet orange profiles, as well as clementine, tangerine and mandarin due to its albedo pithy note. The estery, fruity character would make it a great addition to candy fruity tonalities, like Tutti Frutti, whereas its sweet, floral aspect might blend well on red berry and chocolate profiles.
The fresh blood orange ingredient would work in several orange applications as well as fruity candy applications. nastyakamysheva at Adobe Stock
HIPER Thyme
Description: A hexane extraction and distillation of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), further concentrated and purified by physical processes.
FEMA #3063, CAS #84929-51-1.
Odor Descriptors @100%: Herbal, fresh, camphoraceous, green, rosemary notes, earthy, slight wormwood character, medicinal, sweet honey notes, spicy-peppery, cooling sensation.
Taste Descriptors @20ppm: Camphoraceous, herbal, green, fresh, rosemary notes, earthy, medicinal, slight woody, spicy, peppery, honey notes, cooling sensation.
Possible Applications: The dominant fresh, herbal, camphoraceous character would complement herbal and spice blends flavors in a variety of tonalities and applications, from aperitif, punch and bitters to savory seasonings, broths and soup mixes. The woody, earthy notes would make it a great addition to lime-distilled profiles, and the additional thymol aspect would fit well on mandarin tonalities. The spicy, peppery element could benefit cola flavors, whereas the floral note might blend well with honey profiles.
Ginger, Supersoluble
Description: An acetone extract of African ginger root (Zingiber officinale R.) further concentrated and purified by physical processes.
FEMA #2523, CAS #84696-15-1.
Odor Descriptors @100%: Fresh, pungent, woody, ginger root notes, spicy, earthy, herbal, citrus notes, sweet, honey, chocolate back end, warm sensation.
Taste Descriptors @20ppm: Spicy, peppery, woody, ginger root notes, earthy, herbal, citrus terpenic, fresh, Frankincense incense notes, slight brown notes, warm sensation.
Possible Applications: The characteristic spicy, woody, rooty elements would complement all ginger tonalities, from ginger ale and ginger beer to spice mix profiles. The spicy, peppery character could benefit cola flavors, whereas the floral aspect might blend well with honey profiles. Its woody, earthy, herbal notes would make it a great addition to various tea profiles, like green and black tea.
Serrano Chilli Oleoresin
Description: A natural extract obtained by solvent extraction and distillation of dried serrano peppers (Capsicum annuum L.), standardised for flavor and heat content.
FEMA #2233, CAS #68023-77-6
Odor Descriptors @100%: Spicy paprika, bell pepper notes, herbal, green, woody, smoky, grilled, roasted chilli, waxy, slight metallic.
Taste Descriptors @0.01%: Spicy, smoky, woody, roasted chilli, bell pepper notes, grilled, alliaceous, metallic, pickle, celery notes, intense heat sensation.
Possible Applications: The dominant spicy, smoky character would complement all chilli and bell pepper profiles, as also smoked and grilled tonalities. The spicy, peppery notes would blend well in spice mix flavors, as well as in ginger profiles. Its delayed but intense heat sensation would make it a great addition as a hot and burn booster in various savory tonalities.
The serrano chili oleoresin has a delayed but intense heat sensation. Brent Hofacker at Adobe Stock
Lovage Root Soft Extract
Description: A natural extract obtained by aqueous ethyl alcohol extraction and distillation of lovage root (Levisticum officinale L.).
FEMA #2650, CAS #8016-31-7.
Odor Descriptors @100%: Celery, brown notes like maple and chocolate, herbal, walnut, malt, dried fruit notes, spicy, fenugreek character, leathery, earthy.
Taste Descriptors @0.01%: Celery, vegetable notes, herbal, walnut, fenugreek character, liquorice, brown notes like maple, caramel and chocolate, slightly metallic, earthy, leathery, bitter, astringent.
Possible Applications: The characteristic sweet caramel notes would complement various brown tonalities when added at low levels, like maple, chocolate and toffee, as well as liquorice, but also dried fruit profiles, like raisins. Its earthy element would make it a great addition in nut profiles, like walnuts. The dominant vegetable character would blend well in various savory tonalities, from celery to seasoning and soups profiles.
HIPER Cassia
Description: A natural cassia extract obtained by acetone/hexane extraction and distillation of dried cassia bark (Cinnamomum cassia B.) to increase solubility.
FEMA #2257, CAS #84961-46-6.
Odor Descriptors @100%: Warm, cinnamic, sweet, woody, oak notes, spicy, dry, earthy, hay tonka, coumarinic, dried fruit notes.
Taste Descriptors @50ppm: Warm, cinnamic, sweet, woody, dry, spicy, clove, coumarinic, balsamic, powdery, slight tingling sensation.
Possible Applications: Its dominant warm, sweet, cinnamic character would complement all cinnamon tonalities, spice blends, like chai and bunspice, or dried fruit profiles, like plums and raisins. It would also blend well in bakery flavor profiles, like biscuit and cereals. The spicy clove note in combination with the warm tingling sensation would make it a great addition in cola flavors, as well as in brown spirits profiles.
HISPEC Lime
Description: A concentrated lime oil obtained by a series of physical processes including High vacuum distillation of cold pressed Tahiti (Persian) lime oil (Citrus latifolia T.).
FEMA #4744, CAS #8008-26-2.
Odor Descriptors @100%: Fresh, sweet lemon, zesty, lime peel notes, lime expressed oil profile, aldehydic, soapy, coumarinic.
Taste Descriptors @20ppm: Fresh, zesty, cold pressed lime peel, tangy, fruity lemon, aldehydic, soapy, coumarinic, floral, slight creamy note.
Possible Applications: Its characteristic fresh and zesty notes would complement various citrus tonalities, especially lemon- and lime-expressed profiles, for beverages, candies and cocktails with a distinct coumarinic note, like mojito and caipirinha. The fresh lemon element would also be a great addition in cola flavors, as well as in various savory tonalities providing a citrus note.
