SMOKE FLAVOURINGS
Prepared at the 57th JECFA (2001) and published in FNP 52 Add. 9 (2001), superseding tentative specifications prepared at the 55th JECFA (2000) and published in FNP 52 Add. 8 (2000). An ADI of “Provisional acceptance” was established at the 31st JECFA (1987).
SYNONYMS Wood smoke flavour, Smoke condensate
DEFINITION Complex mixtures of components of smoke obtained by subjecting untreated hardwoods to (a) pyrolysis in a limited and controlled amount of air, (b) dry distillation between 200o and 800o, or (c) superheated steam between 300o and 500o. Source materials must not contain detectable amounts of pesticides, wood preservatives, or other extraneous matter that may result in hazardous constituents in the wood smoke. The major flavouring principles of Smoke Flavourings are carboxylic acids, compounds with carbonyl groups and phenolic compounds.
During manufacture, wood smoke is subjected to an aqueous extraction system or to distillation, condensation, and separation for collection of the
aqueous phase, which serves to remove hazardous constituents, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The aqueous smoke fraction containing
water-soluble constituents may be diluted with water or be extracted with an edible vegetable oil to produce a smoke flavouring with higher levels of nonpolar constituents that may be further extracted using food-grade substances, such as propylene glycol or aqueous solutions of polysorbates.
Commercial products may also contain additives such as emulsifiers, antifoaming agents, and gums. Smoke flavourings may also be prepared in dry form with the addition of carriers, such as yeasts, flours, salt, phosphates, carbohydrates, and anti-caking agents.
These specifications apply only to the water-soluble distillates of condensed wood smoke, their aqueous/vegetable oil or polysorbate extracts and
concentrates of these. These specifications do not apply to products derived from the water-insoluble tars, to commercial products( as described in the previous paragraph), nor to pyroligneous acid, a by-product of the manufacture of charcoal by carbonation of wood in the absence of air.
Assay Acidity: 2 to 20% (as acetic acid) Carbonyls: 2 to 25% (as heptaldehyde) Phenols: 0.1 to 16% (as 2,6-dimethoxyphenol)
DESCRIPTION Light brown to dark amber liquids; smoky odour
FUNCTIONAL USES Flavouring agent, colour
