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1 Scope
This standard is applicable to food flavor.
2 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
2.1 food flavor
concentrated formulated mixture (except formulated product having only salt taste, sweet taste or acid taste) consisted of food fragrance and (or) hot-work food spices and food supplementary essence, with or without food supplementary essence. Generally, it is not used directly for consumption, but for food processing
Note 1: Food essence and food seasonings shall be distinguished exactly: seasonings, a type of food, is usually eaten directly as food; Food essence can be a small part of seasonings.
Note 2: Food essence should be used in an appropriate amount according to production demand.
2.2 food supplementary essence
food additives and food ingredients essential for production, storage and application of food flavor. Food additives (except flavoring agent and acidness conditioner) have no function in final flavored product
2.3 food hot-work spices
a product or mixture prepared for food fragrance. They are the products made of food materials by food production process like cooking
2.4 specimen
specimens selected from the sample, used for testing
2.5 standard sample
the standard sample confirmed to be used for inspection by the technical division of an enterprise jointly with relevant department/ personnel upon verification and fragrance assessment of the samples
2.6 liquid flavor
Dissolvent flavor dissolved in oil or oil-soluble material, water or water-soluble material. Generally it exists as liquid at atmospheric temperature
2.7 emulsion flavor
oil-in-water flavor prepared by emulsification and homogenizing
2.8 paste flavor
flavors in forms of slurry or paste
2.9 mixed powder flavor
powdery flavor which scent and (or) fragrance components are mixed with solid dust carriers
2.10 capsuled powder flavor
Particle flavor which scent and (or) fragrance components are capsuled as core materials in solid walls
3 Technical requirements
3.1 Requirements on raw materials
Spiceries used for food flavor shall meet the requirements of GB 2760 National food safety standard - Hygienic standards for uses of food additives; food alcohol shall meet the requirements of GB 10343 Edible alcohols; and vegetable oil shall meet the requirements of GB 2716 National food safety standard - Hygienic standards for uses of food additives. Food supplementary essence allowable to be used are listed in as Annex A.
3.2 Sensory Requirements
Sensory requirements shall be consistent with those on Table 1.
Table 1 Sensory Requirements
Item Requirement Inspection method
Color / form a Standard sample of same model Sub-clause B.1, Annex B
Scent Standard sample of same model GB/T 14454.2
Fragrance b Standard sample of same model Sub-clause B.2
a During storage, portion of product may have slight turbidness, deposition or discolorment, which has no effect on use. Color/form verification may not be conducted for emulsion flavor.
b Fragrance test is not applicable to product with vegetable oil dissolvent.
3.3 Physical and chemical indexes
Physical and chemical indexes shall meet the requirements of Table 2.
Table 2 Physical and chemical indexes
Item Liquid flavor Emulsion flavor Powdery flavor Powdery flavor Inspection method
Mixed type Capsuled type
Relative density (25℃/25℃ or 20℃/20℃ or 20℃/4℃) DStandard sample ±0.010 — GB/T 11540
Refraction index (25℃ or 20℃) nStandard sample±0.010 — GB/T 14454.4
Moisture /% ≤ — 20.0 15.0 GB 5009.3 and Sub-clause B.3
Peroxide value a / (g/100g) ≤ 0.5 — Sub-clause 4.2.1, GB/T 5009.37-2003
Particle size (within specialized range) — ≤2μm and evenly distributed c — ≥90.0% Sub-clause B.4
Stability of raw liquor — Not laminated — Sub-clause B.5
Stability of thousandfold diluent d — Without floating oil or deposition — Sub-clause B.6
Content of heavy metals (based on Pb) (mg/kg) ≤ 10 GB/T 5009.74
Arsenic content (As) ≤3mg/kg (only abio-arsenic content test shall be conducted for food flavor with marine product component, and its abio-arsenic content shall not be larger than 1.5mg/kg) GB/T 5009.11 or GB/T 5009.76
Methanol content b /% ≤ 0.2 — GB/T 7917.4
Note: end-of-manufacturing inspection items include relative density, refraction index, moisture, particle size, stability of raw liquor, stability of thousandfold diluent; all test items shall be inspected in type inspection one time each year.
a Peroxide index test is only applicable to products with vegetable oil content ≥20%.
b Methanol content test is only applicable to products with food alcohol content ≥20%.
c Particle size of emulsion flavor is only adaptable to drinkable emulsion flavor.
d Stability of thousandfold diluent is only adaptable to drinkable emulsion flavor.
3.4 Microbiological criteria
Microbiological criteria shall meet the requirements of Table 3.
Table 3 Microbiological criteria
Item Liquid flavor Emulsion flavor Paste flavor Powdery flavor Inspection method
Mixed type Capsuled type
Aerobic bacteria count / (CFU/g or CFU/mL) - ≤5000 ≤30000 GB 4789.2
Coliform bacteria / (MPN/g or MPN/mL) - ≤3.6 ≤15 GB 4789.3
4 Labeling
Products shall be labeled in accordance with National food safety standard - General rules for labelling of food additives (GB 29924); relative density and refraction index needs not be tested for products with food hot-work spices, and their ingredient list on labelling shall be indicated with "food hot-work spices". Food flavor with marine product components shall be indicated with "having marine product component" on its labelling.
5 Others
As required by technology/process, colouring agent, sweetening agent and coffeine allowable in GB 2760 may be used on food flavor, and their types and doses shall be consist of those of the final foods.
1 Scope
2 Terms and definitions
3 Technical requirements
4 Labeling
5 Others
Annex A Supplementary materials allowable in food flavor
Annex B Inspection method
