The flavor of bananawhich we find in candy and packaged sweets, does not correspond exactly to that of the fresh banana, do you agree? This flavor is given mainly byacetate of isoamilea chemical compound naturally present in different fruits, including apple, banana, grapes and fishing. Cheap and versatile, the acetate of Isoamile is used in the food industry to reproduce the taste of banana and other fruits such as pear. Although it is said that the artificial aroma is inspired by the variety of banana Gros Michelthe most widespread once but now replaced by the variety Cavendishthere is no concrete evidence to support this statement, even if a certain similarity seems to exist.
Banana’s flavor: what is the acetate of isoamile
Unlike fresh banana, with a sweet, creamy flavor and with floral shades, the banana taste that we find in many packaged products is artificial, obtained through chemical compounds. Among these, one of the main responsible for the “banana” flavor is theacetate of isoamile (C7 H14 OR2), a simple substance that gives the characteristic fruity aroma. This compound is widely used in the food industry to reproduce the banana flavor, but also of other fruits such as pear.
The acetate of Isoamile is a foreignin this case a chemical compound formed by the union ofisoamilic alcohol and of theacetic acideconomic to be produced, easily available and versatile. It has a smell that very reminiscent of that of mature banana.
However, it may be that you have happened to eat a banana taste candy but do not hear the flavor of the bananas that we actually buy and consume. This phenomenon has two main explanations. The first concerns the complexity of natural aromas: the banana contains a wide range of chemical compounds that define its flavor, while the acetate of isoamile reproduces only one dominantwithout the nuances given by the ripening of the fruit. The second explanation is linked to a curious story, which has to do with a now disappeared variety of banana, the Gros Michel.
The legend on the origin of banana soap in candies: the Gros Michel variety
An interesting aspect of banana artificial aroma concerns the theory according to which it would be inspired by the flavor of the Gros Michela variety that once dominated global trade. Also known as “Big mike“, this banana was appreciated for its intense and sweet taste, but in the 1950s of the last century it was almost completely swept away by”Panama disease“, one of the most well -known diseases of the plants caused by the mushroom Fusarium Oxysportum. The fruit was replaced by another variety, the Cavendishmore resistant but with a slightly different flavor.
It is said that themore pungent aroma of Gros Michel, due to a greater concentration of acetate of Isoamile, remained impressed in the food industry, giving rise to the characteristic artificial taste of the banana present in candies and sweets. However, There is no concrete tests that directly connect the artificial aroma to this variety. Some analyzes suggest that this variety had a more “intense and uniform” aromatic profile, which could explain the similarity with the synthetic aroma. Despite the charm of this theory, the sources verifiable in support of the connection between the Gros Michel and the artificial aroma are scarce or non -existent.
