Flavoring agent from Salacca

Abstract

Most of the flavoring agents used in the food industry are synthetic or natural imitating ones while the demand for natural flavorings has increased. Salacca (Salacca wallichiana Mart.), a Thai fruit with fragrant aroma, was selected for a natural flavoring agent development. The blended mixture of Salacca in 25% ethanol (3.13 g: 1 ml) was filtered, and distilled at 50OC in vacuo. Three fractions of the distillates, 5, 10, and 10% of the original mixture, were collected. The distillates were mixed with the concentrate, the final 16% of the original mixture, in varying proportions; and 95% ethanol was then added to reach the final ethanol content of 18% v/v. Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA) was carried out among 9 trained panelists. Aroma was divided into 8 characteristic ones : mellow, salacca, sweet, sour, astringent, fermented, alcohol-like, and piercing. Varying combinations of distillates, 95% ethanol and concentrate exhibited similar desirable aroma to the fresh Salacca juice.