Does anyone here have any knowledge or expertise in the use of volatile/essential oils in the making of soda? Specifically I'm trying to impart ginger flavor into a soda without actually buying fresh ginger and juicing it or grating and steeping. I've read about people who claim they use "distilled ginger oils," (aka: essential oil of ginger) in their soda but can't figure out how you would mix the oil with the carbonated water base. I've also seen ginger extracts for sale which, as far as I can tell, are just the essential oil of ginger dissolved in an ethyl alcohol base. This also doesn't seem appropriate for soda since you'd think the alcohol would throw off the flavor. Any information would be greatly appreciated!
Essential/Volatile Oils in Soda?
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See my root beer recipe here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f171/a...eer-scratch-no-kegging-yeast-required-482730/
I talk about this in fair amount of detail as I haven't seen anything like it posted online. This should work in most kinds of soda. But I do have to wonder, why not fresh ginger in ginger soda?
Anyway, hope it helps.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f171/a...eer-scratch-no-kegging-yeast-required-482730/
I talk about this in fair amount of detail as I haven't seen anything like it posted online. This should work in most kinds of soda. But I do have to wonder, why not fresh ginger in ginger soda?
Anyway, hope it helps.
Andre,
Thanks a lot for the great information! I've seen gum arabic in ingredient lists before, but never took the time to research what it was used for. I still wonder though if this is what commercial beverage companies use since you don't see it listed as an ingredient very often. The company I referenced in my OP does lists "natural flavors" as an ingredient; perhaps this includes gum arabic?
To answer your question, there are a few reasons. One, I was just curious how in the world they could be using oils in a soda without separation, and I had not been able to find any information about this practice anywhere. Second, I'm considering bottling my ginger ale eventually. Now, I've read threads on here by beer brewers who are able to produce ~400 bottles a day using $250 homemade bottling machines, but I've also read that bottling pre-carbonated sodas is a whole different ballgame - and much more difficult without high-dollar commercial bottling equipment due to the higher carbonation levels in soda. My point is that I have to consider the possibility of having to use syrup which would be impossible (as far as I know anyway...) with fresh ginger since boiling ginger down changes the flavor in a bad way. Thanks again for the info!
Thanks a lot for the great information! I've seen gum arabic in ingredient lists before, but never took the time to research what it was used for. I still wonder though if this is what commercial beverage companies use since you don't see it listed as an ingredient very often. The company I referenced in my OP does lists "natural flavors" as an ingredient; perhaps this includes gum arabic?
To answer your question, there are a few reasons. One, I was just curious how in the world they could be using oils in a soda without separation, and I had not been able to find any information about this practice anywhere. Second, I'm considering bottling my ginger ale eventually. Now, I've read threads on here by beer brewers who are able to produce ~400 bottles a day using $250 homemade bottling machines, but I've also read that bottling pre-carbonated sodas is a whole different ballgame - and much more difficult without high-dollar commercial bottling equipment due to the higher carbonation levels in soda. My point is that I have to consider the possibility of having to use syrup which would be impossible (as far as I know anyway...) with fresh ginger since boiling ginger down changes the flavor in a bad way. Thanks again for the info!
In commercial soda I have the feeling they either lump it in as you mentioned, or they may use a flavoring that doesn't require emulsification. If the synthetic flavoring isn't an oil, it may mix with water.
As to your ginger beer recipe, I still think you can get tons of ginger flavor from juicing fresh ginger and have it be much better the an oil. Cooking will change he flavor of ginger, but makes it much more mild. So if you cook the juice then add a bit at flameout you should get a very spicy drink.
In my opinion, mixing syrup is easier with no equipment or with very cheap equipment, but in the end you'll still need to pasteurize or add preservatives to guarantee no spoilage if you are bottling. Kegging is so much easier.
Bottling from a keg isn't as hard as you might think, but it does take time to tune a system. Right now I bottle direct from my perlick flow control faucets with the flow on ultra low. As long as they are purged first to cool everything I can fill liquid level to past the neck which gets me about a 2" headspace after foam settles. If I get a lot of foam for some reason, due to holding bottle wrong, or forgetting to purge, I can always cap with a previously used sanitized cap, the put back in fridge and wait for foam to settle before filling again and putting on the final cap. If I was filling lots of bottles I could imagine that a full pressure commercial style system might be better.
As to your ginger beer recipe, I still think you can get tons of ginger flavor from juicing fresh ginger and have it be much better the an oil. Cooking will change he flavor of ginger, but makes it much more mild. So if you cook the juice then add a bit at flameout you should get a very spicy drink.
In my opinion, mixing syrup is easier with no equipment or with very cheap equipment, but in the end you'll still need to pasteurize or add preservatives to guarantee no spoilage if you are bottling. Kegging is so much easier.
Bottling from a keg isn't as hard as you might think, but it does take time to tune a system. Right now I bottle direct from my perlick flow control faucets with the flow on ultra low. As long as they are purged first to cool everything I can fill liquid level to past the neck which gets me about a 2" headspace after foam settles. If I get a lot of foam for some reason, due to holding bottle wrong, or forgetting to purge, I can always cap with a previously used sanitized cap, the put back in fridge and wait for foam to settle before filling again and putting on the final cap. If I was filling lots of bottles I could imagine that a full pressure commercial style system might be better.
Andre,
I think you are spot on here! Thanks again for the info - I don't know if I ever would have figured this out on my own. You may find this article about gum arabic interesting:
http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/gum-arabic-soft-drink-supply-chain
I'm not sure how the soda companies are able to get away with not listing this as an ingredient. Perhaps if certain ingredients are below a certain quantity or are proprietary, the FDA allows them to be labeled as "natural/artificial flavors" even though gum arabic isn't exactly a "flavor" per se.
I've experimented with using simmered ginger only once (1 hour simmer) and found that it gave the drink a slightly "off" or rotten flavor similar to Reed's brand ginger brew. Fresh ginger added at flame out produced a much fresher, cleaner flavor in my opinion. I may revisit this topic with some more trials later on.
Pasteurization is something I will have to think about later as well. I'm sure that will also require expensive equipment to do on anything more than a micro-scale. First I need to get a few recipes dialed in.
You may like this really good thread I found on another forum about homemade bottlers. This guy's ingenuity is impressive. I intend to eventually build a single-head but expandable version of this bottler to see if it will work well with soda.
http://discussions.probrewer.com/showthread.php?26569-4-head-bottle-filler-for-275
I think you are spot on here! Thanks again for the info - I don't know if I ever would have figured this out on my own. You may find this article about gum arabic interesting:
http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/gum-arabic-soft-drink-supply-chain
I'm not sure how the soda companies are able to get away with not listing this as an ingredient. Perhaps if certain ingredients are below a certain quantity or are proprietary, the FDA allows them to be labeled as "natural/artificial flavors" even though gum arabic isn't exactly a "flavor" per se.
I've experimented with using simmered ginger only once (1 hour simmer) and found that it gave the drink a slightly "off" or rotten flavor similar to Reed's brand ginger brew. Fresh ginger added at flame out produced a much fresher, cleaner flavor in my opinion. I may revisit this topic with some more trials later on.
Pasteurization is something I will have to think about later as well. I'm sure that will also require expensive equipment to do on anything more than a micro-scale. First I need to get a few recipes dialed in.
You may like this really good thread I found on another forum about homemade bottlers. This guy's ingenuity is impressive. I intend to eventually build a single-head but expandable version of this bottler to see if it will work well with soda.
http://discussions.probrewer.com/showthread.php?26569-4-head-bottle-filler-for-275
Also, two quick questions: could you recommend a good online source of essential oils? I'm having a hard time finding them without an ethanol base.
How did you figure out how much gum arabic you would need to emulsify a given amount of essential oils? I noticed in your root beer recipe the ratio seems to be just about 10 parts gum arabic to 1 part essential oil (10.25 total g/mL oils to 100 g gum arabic).
How did you figure out how much gum arabic you would need to emulsify a given amount of essential oils? I noticed in your root beer recipe the ratio seems to be just about 10 parts gum arabic to 1 part essential oil (10.25 total g/mL oils to 100 g gum arabic).
My original source for oils has dried up. As I had mentioned, they last a long time and some I've had for 10 years. Around 10 years is the max usable life supposedly, but they still have a lot of flavor to me, maybe that rated life is for aromatherapy. I've heard good things about youngliving, but as of yet I haven't tried them. They seem expensive, but in the world of essential oils you really get what you pay for. Reputable companies are hard to find and it's pretty easy for them to pass off synthetic oil for natural.
The ratio of gum arabic I went by taste. But I later read that about 5:1 (by weight) should be a good place to start...although it is a bit difficult to measure oils in those small quantities. Also, I like a bit more gum as it raises the viscosity and improves mouthfeel. There's many other herbs you can add to improve viscosity and head retention, but gum arabic seems to be the most neutral in flavor.
Interesting article on gum arabic, I know it's in many sodas, but as you say, I think there's a reason it's not listed. Mostly it's because it might give away the industry's secret! Oops! Oh well. Anyway, although nutrition facts printed on the product are necessary to sell any food product in the US, I'm actually not sure if a list of ingredients are...finding out from the FDA would be quite a chore, but I think companies list the main or some ingredients because it makes it easier on them.
I usually make a 5% solution of essential oil (or flavor chemical) in alcohol and then add that to water while stirring. Initially, it forms a barely visible cloudy emulsion which dissolves and becomes clear within a few seconds. Stirring is only sometimes necessary because, depending on material, without stirring, the emulsion can float to the surface and form a film. One milliliter of 5% solution per gallon of water is approximately 13 parts per million (ppm). You will probably need 1 to 5 ml/gal which is not enough alcohol to worry about. Also, you can substitute propylene glycol for alcohol.
Andre,
Thanks again for the great information. I'll be picking up some gum arabic soon and hopefully locating a quality source of essential oils. I agree that you've uncovered the soda industry's secret ingredient. Good work!
Aruzinsky,
Thanks for the suggestions! Are you saying that you make up solutions that are 95% ethanol and 5% essential oil? I ask because many store-bought oil emulsions I've seen are roughly 60%-80% ethanol if I remember correctly. I had considered the fact that because the oils are so potent, you may be able to dissolve them in alcohol and mix that concoction into your beverage without adding a noticeable amount of alcohol. Some research on the FDA's (or perhaps the ATF's?) website should reveal exactly how much alcohol can be present in a beverage before it must be considered "alcoholic."
Thanks again for the great information. I'll be picking up some gum arabic soon and hopefully locating a quality source of essential oils. I agree that you've uncovered the soda industry's secret ingredient. Good work!
Aruzinsky,
Thanks for the suggestions! Are you saying that you make up solutions that are 95% ethanol and 5% essential oil? I ask because many store-bought oil emulsions I've seen are roughly 60%-80% ethanol if I remember correctly. I had considered the fact that because the oils are so potent, you may be able to dissolve them in alcohol and mix that concoction into your beverage without adding a noticeable amount of alcohol. Some research on the FDA's (or perhaps the ATF's?) website should reveal exactly how much alcohol can be present in a beverage before it must be considered "alcoholic."
Yes. But, I use 96% ethanol purchased from a liquor store. More specifically, I buy Strawski Spirytus Luksusowy, imported from Poland, 750 ml for about $14, if I remember correctly. Most essential oils will completely dissolve in 96% alcohol at 5%, i.e., it is a solution, not an emulsion.
If you intend to sell your beverage, you should do that. I think the maximum allowable alcohol content in "alcohol free" beverages is 0.5%, but you will have to verify that. I was just saying that you won't be able to taste 5 ml of alcohol in 1 gallon of water (0.132%) which you said was your only concern. Later, today, I will more accurately determine the amount of alcohol needed by making some ginger ale. I will report the results in this thread.
Incidentally, you should use food grade (FCC) or drug grade (USP) essential oils. The only retail online source that I know of is http://shop.lorannoils.com/templates/product.aspx?ProductGuid=0540-0500&GroupGuid=7 .
Regarding the use of gum Arabic with essential oils in beverages, there are many cola recipes published online, e.g., http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenCola_(drink)#Concentrate_formula . Unfortunately, for T2 diabetics, such as I, sugar is not an option.
To use the term "non-alcoholic" you must have 0.5% ABV or less. I believe "non-alcoholic" also implies more than 0.0% ABV, which some beers also label, but seem to be more popular overseas.
My assumption is that all commercial sodas are 0.0% ABV and don't need to be labeled as such or as non-alcoholic. But if some alcohol is detected in a lab (when nutrition analysis is done) but less or equal to 0.5% ABV, then the designation "non-alcoholic" must be used in the US along with labeling the ABV %.
0.0% or equivalent labeling is just a marketing label from my understanding, but it could be that other countries require it for "beer" looking drinks.
As I said before, you can substitute propylene glycol. Or, you can just add essential oils directly to water in an electric blender running at high speed. In my experience, it will take about ten minutes in a blender for < 100 ppm of essential oils to dissolve. However, the blender method won't work with solid flavor chemicals such as vanillin whereas the method using a 5% solution in alcohol or propylene glycol will.
I have determined that 50 ppm of ginger oil suits my taste. It lacks bite, but the overall flavor and fragrance are stronger than those of Vernor's Ginger Ale. The flavor is maybe too strong the second time around while burping.
MrFoodScientist
Well-Known Member
I can tell you for certainty that the only time an ingredient can be left off of a label is if it is either used as a processing aid, so the actual content is negligible, or if it is something that can be lumped with other ingredients such as "spices" or "flavors" to preserve intellectual property. ingredients used for other purposes cannot be lumped with others. For instance garlic and onion are often used as vegetable components, and as such cannot be lumped in with "spices", whereas cumin for instance is only used as a spice, so it can fall under the more vague statement. Because gum arabic is used largely as an emulsifier, it cannot be listed under "flavors" to "hide" any "secrets". I don't know if it could be reasonably construed as a processing aid, but I would doubt it. And it certainly isn't being used in the way that the Guardian article describes it as "the glue that holds the sugar to the water" the author apparently doesn't understand what a true "emulsifier" does.
My experience with flavor oils is that in very low quantities, they don't need any emulsifier. Just a drop in your syrup and you're good to go. If you're combining a number of flavor oils, for a cola for instance, and that's your main flavoring component, I'd use the gum arabic. I have not done anything in alcohol, but bear in mind that most baking extracts are exactly that. Flavor in alcohol. I typically have no issue with them providing any extra flavor at all or contributing any significant alcohol content.
My experience with flavor oils is that in very low quantities, they don't need any emulsifier. Just a drop in your syrup and you're good to go. If you're combining a number of flavor oils, for a cola for instance, and that's your main flavoring component, I'd use the gum arabic. I have not done anything in alcohol, but bear in mind that most baking extracts are exactly that. Flavor in alcohol. I typically have no issue with them providing any extra flavor at all or contributing any significant alcohol content.
Although gum arabic provides little in terms of taste, I wouldn't put it past the FDA allowing it to be lumped under "natural flavor" with the argument that it allows the flavors to be tasted.
There's many other articles that link gum arabic to Pepsi/Coke products and the reason why they are so interested in the political state of Sudan, one of the world's leading producers of the gum. So it seems that although it's not listed, it must be in there at some quantity, although as mentioned maybe it's very small in their products as just enough to emulsify the oils and not enough to be considered taste or viscosity enhancing.
Either way, for my soda it's my emulsifier of choice. I've tried adding oils without it, and although you can get some flavor, with it the flavors mix very well and hit your tongue really nice. JMO
Thank you very much. All of this has been immensely helpful. Based on the ABV labeling stipulation and my desire to use only natural ingredients, gum arabic appears to be the way to go. I've ordered some oils and will be getting to work as soon as they arrive! Updates to follow.
MrFoodScientist
Well-Known Member
You wouldn't put it past the FDA? I would. Clearly you've never worked directly with any food regulatory agency. It does not impart flavor, therefore it cannot be labeled under natural flavor. See 21 CFR 101.4 and 101.100. The Coca Cola and Pepsi companies are interested because it affects their products, but their products are not limited to Coke and Pepsi. Mt. Dew is a Pepsi product and contains gum arabic. Fresca is a Coke product, it contains acacia (aka gum arabic).
Alexj
There are different grades of gum arabic/acacia. Be sure you order from somewhere that supplies it for food use (don't order from an art supply store), and it would be helpful if their product description mentions emulsification as one of it's uses. There are different species of acacia and some emulsify better than others. I ordered mine from herbco.com along with other bulk herbs and it works alright, not the best emulsifier, but it gets the job done.
No offense was intended towards the FDA. I'm sure they work hard and do their job. I just meant simply that I don't rely or trust government regulatory agencies for accurate information that I'm looking for. Guess I should have been more specific.
Have you tried glycerin?
Incidentally, it may interest you to know that there is a problem with Hires and McCormick Root Beer Extracts which contain gum arabic. After about ten years of storage, the extracts solidify. The flavor is still good, but it is very difficult to dig the extracts out of the narrow mouthed bottles. I have several bottles, some never opened. I've been tempted to smash the bottles, dissolve the contents, and filter out the broken glass, but I decided that is too risky. I feel cheated by Hires and McCormick, so forgive my prejudice against gum arabic.
MrFoodScientist
Well-Known Member
Sorry, I didn't mean to come off as such a jerk. Working in the food industry just puts me more on the defensive than I probably need to be. I think there's just so much misconception out there suggesting that "big food" and the FDA are out to secretly poison the world by slipping in "unprounceable" ingredients into things when no one is looking. Sometimes it feels like people think we're the Illuminati or something when in reality we're just trying to safely make tasty things to eat.
Aruzinsky,
It sounds like you need to clean out your pantry. I think typically the recommended shelf life of flavorings is 6 to 12 months.
Do you throw away your unused vanilla extract after 12 months? I don't.
The legally relevant fact is that there is no expiration date printed on the box or label. The scientifically relevant fact is that the flavor has not significantly deteriorated. Had Hires used alcohol or propylene glycol instead of gum Arabic, the extract would be perfectly useable today.
Have you tried to use a needle to get at the solution below the gum? My guess is that with a small drill bit or small needle, you could probably get it out without resorting to smashing the bottles.
Just dissolve it in your emulsifier of choice afterwards as most of the gum will have settled out.
This settling is true when making your own flavoring using oil and gum arabic if you don't use them right away. You can blend them and put in a small jar (like a baby food jar) with a wide mouth. But I find that generally I like to experiment even if I have a recipe that I know I like, so I generally keep my oils all separate.
Well I got my shipment of oils and gum arabic from Lorann a few days ago. They all smell nice except the ginger... ironically enough since I'm making ginger ale. The ginger oil is no good. It actually doesn't smell or taste anything like fresh or cooked ginger - as in... not even close. It's quite unpleasant. I should have known though since an ounce of their ginger oil was around $5, whereas doTERRA is getting $32 for 10 mL and doTERRA is only "therapeutic grade." It really is nearly impossible to find companies selling essential oils that are specifically listed as being "food grade" or "FDA approved." In fact, Lorann is the only one I've seen. So it looks like it's fresh ginger or nothing for my ginger ale unless I happen upon another flavor company.
I haven't had a chance to taste any of the other oils but, like I said, they do smell good and "fresh." Updates to come.
I haven't had a chance to taste any of the other oils but, like I said, they do smell good and "fresh." Updates to come.
Yeah too bad about the ginger oil. I think some plants oil distillation is a lot easier. Fresh ginger isn't so consistent, but I think it tastes good! Good luck on the other oils
The extracts are a homogeneous solid mass, maybe, five time harder than Jello. I suspect that, over a ten year period, the polymer chains of gum Arabic grew.
You mean it is nearly impossible to find a retail source. It is very easy to find wholesale sources, e.g.,
http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog/product/aldrich/w252204?lang=en®ion=US
This ginger oil:
http://www.whitelotusaromatics.com/product/ginger-fresh-essential-oil
is claimed to be suitable for "culinary perfumes" which implies edible, but I have no experience with this company.
I found this Indian company that sells food grade CO2 extracted ginger oil in small quantities:
http://www.lalaessentialoils.com/ginger.html
also ginger oleoresin:
http://www.lalaessentialoils.com/ginger-oleoresin-30-voc.html
and many ginger ale recipes include capsaicin to add bite:
http://www.lalaessentialoils.com/capsicum-oleoresin-1-capsaicin.html
http://www.lalaessentialoils.com/ginger.html
also ginger oleoresin:
http://www.lalaessentialoils.com/ginger-oleoresin-30-voc.html
and many ginger ale recipes include capsaicin to add bite:
http://www.lalaessentialoils.com/capsicum-oleoresin-1-capsaicin.html
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