There are two types of flavors: natural and artificial. Natural flavors - essential oils, spices, extracts of various products - have existed since ancient times. And synthetic ones were first created in the XX century in the laboratory using a number of chemical reactions.
The history of natural flavors
Natural flavors are made from substances that exist in nature. These can be complex flavors and aroma additives, consisting of various essences, extracts, resins, essential oils, roasting, fermentation and heating products that cannot be distinguished from artificial flavors.
The difference is that all the elements used are not created by man, but exist in natural conditions.
Simpler and more familiar additives can also be called natural flavors. These can be spices, herbs, fruit juices or fruits, vegetable juices, and other foods. That is, these are all substances that can be used to give food or something a pleasant smell. The history of such flavorings goes back several thousand years; even in ancient times, people learned to use herbs and oils to improve the taste and aroma of products. It is impossible to say for sure who came up with the idea of improving the quality of food, and not its nutritional value. The first aromatic substances for the body appeared in ancient Egypt. There are suggestions that the first complex food flavorings were created in ancient Arab countries.
The history of artificial flavors
Artificial flavors also give food different flavors, but they are made by chemical reactions and are substances that cannot be found in nature. In their composition and structure, they are similar to natural flavors. In the 20th century, chemistry reached such a level of development that scientists could synthesize some substances artificially. For example, they created isoamyl acetate through complex chemical reactions and found it to have a banana or pear scent. As a result, this substance has come to be used to impart this aroma and flavor to food.
It is impossible to name the inventor of the artificial fragrance for sure, the first synthetic substances that emit pleasant smells were created by many chemists, but have not yet been used for the purpose of aromatization. Strawberry aldehyde was produced in the 19th century from acetophenone and ethyl alcohol, and later began to be used in the production of perfumes and in the food industry. At the beginning of the 20th century, some artificial additives began to be put into food.
In 1935, the first chemical-food aromatics plant was opened in the Soviet Union.
So far, there is no evidence that natural flavors are preferable to artificial ones: cinnamon is not necessarily healthier than cinnamaldehyde, and some synthetic substances do not contain harmful impurities.
