POWDER FLAVORS VS LIQUID FLAVORS

Getting the right form of flavor is almost as important as choosing the right type. The advantages and disadvantages of powder and liquid flavors need to be clear in order to make the most of them. There are 6 factors to take into account:

ADDITION: powder flavors are homogeneously mixed with the rest of the raw materials or premix. That offers flexibility as dosage can be easily changed. Liquid flavors are applied on the surface, require specific equipment (extra maintenance) and the mix is not so homogeneous.

CARRIERS: both have a liquid aromatic essence. Powder flavors have an absorbent base with silicates and powder carriers. These aromatic essences are little or no soluble, therefore liquid flavors also require carriers which tend to be more expensive than those used in powder flavors.

TEMPERATURE: powder flavors are exposed to high temperatures, pressure and humidity which causes aroma losses. The liquid flavors, however, are not affected by temperature because they are applied after the thermal treatment.

DOSAGE: In pelleting processes a higher dosage is needed when using powder flavors to account for the aroma losses previously mentioned. Liquid flavors do not require an increased dosage because there are no losses to compensate, which make them ideal for those products that go through very high temperatures.

PERSISTENCE: powder flavors are present within the pellet so there is a gradual release of the aroma making them more persistent. Although liquid flavors have a more spectacular first impression, its persistence is limited because it suffers from faster evaporation. Oxidation can also be a problem when liquid flavors are applied alone due to greater contact with oxygen.

INFLAMMABILITY: powder flavors are not flammable thanks to their excipient’s nature. On the other hand, liquid flavors can be classified as flammable and extreme security measures in storage are required. They are usually ADR which means their transport will often have an additional cost.

This short summary shows the importance of choosing between powder and liquid flavors, which will depend on many factors like kind of product, target customer, desired effect, etc.