TFA Flavor Breakdown (Must Read for DIYers)

dhavoc;12969130 said:

Hello Everyone!

Ever wondered why some people taste different notes in different flavors? Or why "YMMV" applies? That is what this thread is for! My goal here is to help out DIYers. I stumbled upon TFA's "SPEC SHEETS & COMPONENTS" page last night and instantly became fascinated. They offer "MSDS FULL" for most flavors they make. For the most part, these are jumbled with various chemicals names that no one has heard of. Even using Google for many of them provides little insight. Anyway, without further ado, let's get down to business!

Here is a short list of flavor breakdowns. If there is significant interest, I will continue. If anyone has a specific TFA flavor that they would like to know more about, post it here and I will see what I can do.

Quick Rules: Please stay on-topic. Please do not ask, "What is your opinion on 'flavor name here'?" (There are other threads for this). Please do not ask me to breakdown other company's flavors (I do not have their MSDS's. If I find them, I will make another thread).

The format will be as follows:

Flavor:

• Listed Chemical Name

SYNONYM (Common Name - if applicable)
Description of flavor
Taste Characteristics at xxx ppm (parts per million - if applicable)

Brown Sugar:

• 3-methyl-1,2-Cyclopentanedione (See Maple Flavor - Cyclotene)
• 3-Hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone

MALTOL
Maltol has a caramel–butterscotch odor and in solution it has a jam-like odor. This compound is also reported to have a suggestive of fruity, strawberry aroma in dilute solution
Taste Characteristics: N/A

• Furfuryl Alcohol

Furfuryl alcohol has a very mild, warm, oily, “burnt” odor and a cooked sugar taste
Taste characteristics at 50 ppm: burnt, sweet, caramellic and brown

Caramel Candy:

• 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxy-Benzaldehyde (See Caramel Original - Ethyl Vanillin)
• 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy-Benzaldehyde (See Caramel Original - Vanillin)
• 2-Ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-pyrone (See Caramel Original - Ethyl Maltol)
• 2-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-Cyclopenten-1-one (See Maple Flavor - Synonym for Cyclotene)

Caramel Cappuccino:

• 2-(4-Methylthiazol-5-yl)ethanol

4-METHYL-5-THIAZOLEETHANOL
4-Methyl-5-thiazoleethanol has a disagreeable odor typical of thiazole compounds; somewhat pleasant, reminiscent of beef and nut-like

• 3-Hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone

MALTOL
Maltol has a caramel–butterscotch odor and in solution it has a jam-like odor. This compound is also reported to have a suggestive of fruity, strawberry aroma in dilute solution
Taste characteristics at 100 ppm: sweet, caramellic, cotton candy, with jamy fruity and berry notes

• Dihydro-5-pentyl-2(3h)-Furanone

γ-NONALACTONE (Coconut Aldehyde)
γ-Nonalactone has a strong odor reminiscent of coconut and a fatty, peculiar taste
Taste characteristics at 10 ppm: coconut, creamy, waxy with fatty milky notes

• 3-Methyl-Butanal

3-METHYLBUTYRALDEHYDE
3-Methylbutyraldehyde has a choking, powerful, acrid, pungent, apple-like odor. This compound is also reported to have a fruity, fatty, animal, almond odor

• Dihydro-5-octylfuran-2(3H)-one

γ-DODECALACTONE
γ-Dodecalactone has a fatty, peachy, somewhat musky odor and buttery, peach-like flavor
Taste characteristics at 1 to 10 ppm: sweet, fruity peach, milky fatty and waxy with a pulpy fruity mouthfeel

• 2-Hydroxy-3-methyl-2-cyclopenten-1-one (See Maple Flavor - Synonym for Cyclotene)
• Decan-5-olide

δ-DECALACTONE
δ-Decalactone has an oily, peach odor and taste
Taste characteristics at 2 ppm: waxy, coconut, lactonic, fatty, creamy, nutty and fruity

• Acetyl methyl carbinol

ACETOIN
Acetoin is a yellowish liquid with a bland, woody, yogurt odor and a fatty creamy “tub” butter taste. It is useful as a flavor ingredient in butter, milk, yogurt or strawberry flavors.
Taste characteristics at 10 ppm: sweet, creamy, dairy, and butter-like

• 2,3-Pentanedione

2,3-PENTANEDIONE (Acetyl Propionyl)
2,3-Pentanedione has a somewhat sweet odor similar to quinone. This compound has a penetrating, buttery taste on dilution
Taste characteristics at 1 to 5 ppm: sweet buttery, creamy, cheesy, slightly toasted dairy, with a rich baked goods nuance and a good mouthfeel

Caramel Original:

• 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxy-Benzaldehyde

ETHYL VANILLIN
Ethyl vanillin has an intense vanilla odor and sweet taste. It enhances fruity and chocolate odor impression
Taste characteristics at 50 ppm: sweet, creamy, vanilla, smooth and caramellic

• 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy-Benzaldehyde

VANILLIN
Vanillin has a characteristic, creamy, vanilla-like odor with a very sweet taste.
Taste characteristics at 10 ppm: sweet, typical vanilla-like, marshmallow, creamy-coumarin, caramellic with a powdery nuance

• 2-Ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-pyrone

ETHYL MALTOL
Ethyl maltol has a very sweet, fruit-like odor of immense tenacity and sweet, fruity taste with initial bitter-tart flavor
Taste characteristics at 70 ppm: sweet, burnt cotton, sugar candy-like with jamy, strawberry notes

• 3-methyl-1,2-Cyclopentanedione (See Maple Flavor - Cyclotene)
• OCTYL 2-FUROATE

Octyl 2-furoate has a waxy, caramel odor. This compound is also reported as having a sweet, fruity, heavy odor
Taste characteristics at 10 ppm: waxy, fatty, brown, brothy and mushroom-like with a green metallic nuance

Chai Tea Flavor:

• Triethyl citrate

TRIETHYL CITRATE (Citric Acid)
Triethyl citrate is odorless, but has a bitter taste

• 3-ethoxy-4-hydroxy-Benzaldehyde (See Caramel Original - Ethyl Vanillin)
• Dipentene

LIMONENE
d-, l- or dl-Limonene has a pleasant, lemon-like odor free from camphoraceous and turpentine-like notes
Taste characteristics at 30 ppm: sweet, orange, citrus and terpy

• 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxy-Benzaldehyde (See Caramel Original - Vanillin)
• 3-Cyclohexene-1-methanol,.alpha.,.alpha.,4-trimethyl-, acetate

TERPINYL ACETATE
Terpinyl acetate has a sweet, refreshing, herbaceous odor
Taste characteristics at 12.5 ppm: woody, citrus, spicy, floral, grapefruit and seedy

• 1,3,3-trimethyl-2-Oxabicyclo(2.2.2)octane

EUCALYPTOL
Eucalyptol has a characteristic camphoraceous odor and fresh, pungent, cooling taste
Taste characteristics at 5 ppm: cooling, fresh, oily, green, spicy, pine-like

Maple Flavor:

• 3-methyl-1,2-Cyclopentanedione

METHYLCYCLOPENTENOLONE (Cyclotene)
Methylcyclopentenolone has a sweet flavor somewhat similar to licorice. This compound is also reported to have a nutty odor, and a maple-licorice aroma in dilute solution
Taste Characteristics: N/ALike I said, if there is significant interest, I will gladly continue. If someone has a request on a flavor, I will do my best to post it as soon as possible. Some flavors do not have full MSDS's. If this is the case, then please accept my apology in advance! Hopefully this thread will provide some insight into why certain flavors act and taste certain ways.

Sources:​

Burdock, George A., and Giovanni Fenaroli. Fenaroli's Handbook of Flavor Ingredients.
Boca Raton: CRC/Taylor & Francis Group, 2010. Print.

"Perfumer's Apprentice." Perfumer's Apprentice. Perfumer's Apprentice, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2014.

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