Flavourings

Flavourings are discussed or referred to in several entries (see additives; flavour; neuroanatomy of food flavour) but may merit separate consideration thanks to the ubiquity of synthesized or artificial flavourings in modern processed foods, and the importance of the flavouring industry (for it is significant enough to merit that description) to much of the world’s daily fare.

We deploy flavourings each time we add a herb or spice to a dish; and we employ flavour enhancers (see monosodium glutamate; salt; umami) to bring out already-present flavours. But these, we like to think, are natural and, by implication, harmless. Food manufacturers may subject their creations to more extreme conditions than a light flash in a sauté pan so will feed the need to put back flavours lost in the process, or add complementary flavours to accentuate those that remain.