The chemistry of Banana, smell and flavor

August 16, 2019 Fulvio Ciccolo

THE CHEMISTRY OF BANANA, SMELL AND FLAVOR.

Banana flavor in the '20s

The imitation of banana flavor has been achieved with a little success since the beginning, as the acetates (amyl and isoamyl, as well the amyl butyrate) have been proven to be present in nature and proved themselves to be excellent ingredients in a fairly faithful formulation.

The note of these esters is completed by a green woody note and a more volatile fruity note (amyl butyrate has a ripe fruity note)

The various formulators have sought to achieve the best result using other esters, essential oils (citrus species), and vanillin.

Looking at the formulas, realized approximately around 1920, with an approximate yield of 1 × 3000 For the aromatization use of hard candy, note that for 50% these aromas were made up of amyl acetate and amyl butyrate, generally in the ratio 2: 3 and for about another 20% amyl valerate.

In smaller proportions, other esters were used such as caprylate and ethyl nitrate. Citrus essential oils together with vanillin accounted for a maximum of 10%.

The above ratios were increased in formulations without essential oils, reaching the limit of:

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44% of amyl butyrate,
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43% amyl acetate,
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8% ethyl butyrate,
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4% vanillin,
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1% geranyl propionate.
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Some formulators have proposed the use of acetic aldehyde at about 10%, In formulas built for more than 50% of amyl acetate but containing strong floral notes of rose and violet, as well as coumarin, vanilla, and heliotropin (piperonal) altogether for about 10%.

Based on what has been said, it appears that the imitations of the banana aroma were rather elementary and that the range of constituents was very narrow.

Mid-modern times.

Indeed there is not much distanced from the aforementioned schemes even in the present while obtaining a substantial qualitative improvement of the formulations when it was possible to have esters with a high degree of purity.

A new conception of rounding off the formed note by the fundamental use of amyl acetate and isoamyl acetate, plus isoamyl butyrate, you could pursue using:

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benzyl butyrate,
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2-ethyl butyl acetate
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methyl heptenone
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isopropyl benzyl carbinol
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methtyl amyl ketone
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ethyl enanthate
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ethyl valerate
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hexyl acetate
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cyclohexanol esters (isovalerate, butyrate, and propionate)

Not all of these products have been identified among the constituents of natural flavors and therefore their use is conditioned by possible limitations.

The use of acetate and butyl butyrate may also be interesting.

There have been many studies on the formation of banana flavor, and in particular in the greatest number since 1950.

Naturally, the aromas of bananas from various cultivars and of different degrees of maturation have been studied, obtaining as it is logical not substantially different results about the presence of the most normal constituents very varied in proportions.

Proved the presence of:

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ethyl acetate,
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ethyl alcohol,
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2-pentanone,
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1-propanol,
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isobutyl acetate,
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2-butanol,
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n-butyl acetate,
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2-pentanol acetate,
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1-butanol,
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Isoamyl acetate,
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isoamyl alcohol,
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amyl acetate,
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trans-2-hexenal,
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2-pentenyl butyrate,
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n-hexyl acetate,
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isoamyl butyrate,
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1-hexanol,
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1-hexanyl acetate.
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It is interesting to note the presence of alcohols.
Generally, these components had never been taken into much consideration as they can give a good effect for the search for the slightly moldy woody note that is often associated with the green one in many types of natural banana flavor.

Try our Banana base!

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Sources

Fenaroli, Aromatizzazione

Photo by Mike Dorner on Unsplash