Bioactive composition and promising health

benefits of natural food flavors and colorants:

potential beyond their basic functions
Komalpreet Kaur
Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, and
Rajan Sharma and Sukhwant Singh
Dr SSB University Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India

Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this review is to address the consumer’s preferences that have varied greatly in the past decade appraising the use of
flavor and aroma compounds in the development of functional foods rather than consuming artificial additives. A growing interest in natural
flavoring agents and preservatives have made the researchers to explore the other bio-functional properties of natural flavors beyond their ability to
give a remarkable flavor to the food.
Design/methodology/approach – In this review, five major flavoring agents used significantly in food industries have been discussed for their
bioactive profile and promising health benefits. Vanilla, coffee, cardamom, saffron and cinnamon, despite being appreciated as natural flavors, have
got impressive health benefits due to functional ingredients, which are being used for the development of nutraceuticals.
Findings – Flavoring and coloring compounds of these products have shown positive results in the prevention of several diseases including
carcinoma and neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Such effects are attributed to the presence of phenolic compounds, which
possesses free radical scavenging, anti-inflammatory antiviral and antimicrobial properties. These properties not only show a preventive mechanism
against diseases but also makes the food product shelf-stable by imparting antimicrobial effects.
Originality/value – This paper highlights the opportunities to increase the use of such natural flavoring agents over synthetic aroma compounds to
develop novel functional foods. Phenols, carotenoids and flavonoids are the major health-promoting components of these highly valued aroma
ingredients.
Keywords Antioxidants, Coffee, Antimicrobial activity, Flavor profile, Vanilla
Paper type General review

Introduction prolonged shelf life of the food. Antioxidants protect oxidative

Flavoring agents have been a part of our diet for hundreds of
years. The increasing demand for functional foods has enabled
scientists to explore the biofunctional components of flavoring
ingredients to meet the preferences of modern eating habits.
Polyphenols, carotenoids, esters, free amino acids, etc., are the
major components of the flavor profile of these ingredients.
Many of these compounds possess health benefits or
nutraceutical properties, which either prevent or delay the
onset of diseases of serious concern such as cancer,
cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases.
Antioxidant activity of plant extracts is due to the presence of
plenty of phytochemicals in them, which have got redox
properties. Thus, they act as free radical scavengers, chelators
of metal ions and singlet oxygen quenchers. Incorporation of
these compounds into food products elevate the antioxidant
content in them, which helps in preservation and results in the
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degradation of lipids and fats preventing the formation of toxic
compounds and development of rancidity. Natural
antioxidants reduce the concentration of free radicals in our
body induced by pollution, X-rays, ultra violet rays, alcoholism,
smoking and other adverse environmental conditions, and
thereby limiting the oxidative stress (Yashin et al., 2017).
There was a significant increase in the use of artificial flavoring
agents in the past few decades, and thus, modern lifestyle diseases
have also risen in this period. Thus, the use of natural food flavors
is now-a-days appreciated as modern consumers are concerned
about health issues. This has given the flavoring industry a great
opportunity to explore and identify natural flavors with health
benefits for the development of functional foods.
Flavor and pigment industry has been focusing on extraction
of bioactive compounds so as to improve the organoleptic
appeal of the food but it has no yet targeted the potential of
these ingredients for use as functional ingredients, which helps
in prevention of diseases (Martínez-Mayorga and Franco,
2014). Although poly-phenolic compounds comprise of
nutraceutical properties and show a positive effect against
several diseases, its use in food preparations at higher

Pigment & Resin Technology

49/2 (2020) 110–118 Received 5 February 2019
© Emerald Publishing Limited [ISSN 0369-9420] Revised 26 July 2019
[DOI 10.1108/PRT-02-2019-0009] Accepted 4 August 2019

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Komalpreet Kaur, Rajan Sharma and Sukhwant Singh Volume 49 · Number 2 · 2020 · 110–118

concentrations causes unacceptable bitter and astringent taste
(Soto-vaca et al., 2012).
The objective of this article is to give an insight into the
potential of natural food flavors and colors as functional
ingredients with health benefits beyond their ability to impart
characteristic function to the food. Many of the natural
flavoring agents have been used for medicinal purposes for
many decades because of their antimicrobial, antimutagenic
and antioxidant properties. Although there are several natural
ingredients showing health benefits, this article presents five
major flavors with their biofunctional profile and promising
health benefits, which are deliberately used in our daily life.
Bioactive composition and promising
applications of vanilla
Vanilla, being the most distinguished flavoring agent globally,
has been extensively used for culinary and medicinal purposes
since a long time in history. Beyond its ability to impart highly
acceptable flavor, it has got many medicinal and bio-functional
properties making it a highly valuable functional ingredient and
food preservative. There are about 200 aroma compounds
present in the vanilla, which plays an important role in
contributing to flavor and therapeutic functions in the food.
Vanillin contributes to the one-third of the total flavor present
in vanilla pods. Irrespective of the fact that Orchidaceae species
are known only for ornamental flowers, there are three varieties
of vanilla, which are economically efficient and commercially
available as flavoring agents, namely, Vanilla fragrans, Vanilla
tahitensis and Vanilla planifolia. Due to higher market value,
several adulterants are also present, which are able to mimic the
flavor of vanillin but are not capable of performing bioactive
functions. These include ethyl vanillin, piperonal and vanillin
isolated from lignins (Sinha et al., 2008). The bioactive
components and their health benefits are presented in Table I.
Due to the occurrence of functional compounds, vanilla has
got several bioactive properties including antimicrobial,
antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, hypolipidemic and antisickling
activities. When added to food products, antimicrobial activity
of vanillin helps in retarding the growth of spoilage
microorganisms and preserving the food for longer use.
Antifungal activity of vanillin has been reported against several
spoilage causing yeasts and molds (Fitzgerald et al., 2005) such
as Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans (Boonchird
and Flegel, 1982). Its antibacterial activity has been studied
against many gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria such as
Proteus vulgaris, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter erogenes and
Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes (Vaghasiya et al., 2004).
Antimicrobial activities of vanilla have made it a potential
candidate for its use in the development of antimicrobial films
for packaging purposes (Xavier et al., 2015). Antimicrobial
packaging of bakery products by using vanillin solution coated
paperboard showed a significant inhibitory action against three
major food pathogens, namely, S. aureus, B. cereus and E. coli.
(Rakchoy et al., 2009).
Vanillin also shows an inhibitory effect against sickle cell
disease. This is due to the formation of covalent bonds between
the aldehyde group of vanillin and hemoglobin present in red
blood cells (Hannemann et al., 2014). Vanilla has also been
reported to be useful in exhilarating the brain, enhancing
muscular power, preventing sleep and improving sexual
powers.
Anuradha et al. (2010) explored the effect of vanillin (vanilla
extract) as antioxidant and flavorant in biscuits. Vanilla extract

Table I Bioactive constituents and health benefits of food flavors

Source Bioactive constituents
Coffee Caffeine, CGA’s, caffeic acids and
hydroxyhydroquinones
Cardamom Limonene, 1,8-cineole, terpinolene,
myrcene, caffeic acids, quercetin,
kaempfrol, luteolin and
pelargonidin
Saffron Crocins (water soluble cartenoids),
safranal, flavonoids, gallic, caffeic,
ferulic, n-catechic, syringic,
salicylic and vanillic acids
Cinnamon Eugenol, limonene, terpieol,
catechins, proanthocyanidins,
tannins, linalool, safrole, pinene,
methyleugenol and benzaldehyde
Vanilla Vanillin, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde,
vanillic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic
acid
Health benefits
Protects against CVD’s, cancer,
diabetes, Parkison’s and liver
malady; promotes biofidobacteria
growth
Treats asthma, cardiac disorders,
stomatitis, sore throats, rectal
diseases, congestive jaundice,
gonorrhea and headaches
Acts as anti-mutagenic, anti-
carcinogenic, anti- diabetes, anti-
eczema Parkinson’s disease
possesses antiviral activity and
lowers LDL cholesterol
Acts as anti-inflammatory, anti-
carcinogenic, CVD’s lowering;
prevents diabetes, Parkinson’s and
Alzheimer’s diseases; treats dental
problems, melisma and acne and
oral candidiasis
Possesses antioxidant activity,
antisickling, hypolipidemic,
anticarcinogenic and antimicrobial
activities
Use in food products
Confectionary diary products
bakery and meat products
Baked goods, candies,
alcoholic and non-alcoholic
beverages, frozen deserts and
meat products
Milk and milk products;
curries, frozen desserts
Fish and meat products, diary
products and organic produce
Biscuits, ice creams, flavored
milk and confectionary
products
References
Borota et al. (2014);
Higdon and Frei (2006);
and Nissen et al. (2000)
Jamal et al. (2005); Verma
et al. (2009); and Sharma
et al. (2011)
Bolhassani et al. (2014),
Kadian and Garg (2012);
and Fukui et al. (2011)
Tzortzakis (2009), Liu
et al. (2014); and Todd
et al. (2013)
Sinha et al. (2008); and
Anuradha et al. (2010)

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Komalpreet Kaur, Rajan Sharma and Sukhwant Singh
at a concentration of 0.4 per cent was compared with 0.2 per
cent synthetic vanillin. Natural vanilla extract biscuits exhibited
70 per cent radical scavenging activity at a concentration of
200 ppm, whereas it was 43 per cent in case of synthetic
vanillin. Krishnasree and Andallu (2013) studied the radical
scavenging activity of vanilla pods. Antioxidant potential of
methanolic extract, ethyl acetate and aqueous fractions was
comparatively higher than commercial vanilla essence, ethyl
acetate and hexane fractions with half-maximal inhibitory
concentration (IC50) values ranging from 64-485 m g/mL and
61-489 m g/mL, respectively. The natural vanilla extract
possesses higher antioxidant value than synthetic vanillin. The
antimicrobial activity of vanillin against fungi and bacteria was
verified by treating mango slices with vanillin solution before
packaging. Storage study of mango slices treated with 80 mM
vanillin solution for 1 min against bacteria (Pantoea
agglomerans, Aeromonas enteropelogenes and Sphingobacterium
spiritovorun) and fungi (Alternaria sp., Penicillium sp. and
Fusarium sp.) revealed delay in the onset of yeast, mold and
bacterial growth (Ngarmsak et al., 2006).
Antioxidant activity and health benefits of coffee
Coffee is a leading beverage globally and positions second, after
unrefined petroleum (Esquivel and Jiménez, 2012). The coffee
species, which are most popularized worldwide are Coffea
arabica and Coffea canephora or Robusta. Arabica coffee mix has
a distinct aroma and unrivaled quality while Robusta blend has
a more forceful flavor and contains higher amounts of caffeine,
soluble solids and cancer prevention agents (Farah, 2012).
Green coffee is majorly used in nutraceuticals as it is the major
source of chlorogenic acids (CGA’s). CGA’s are highly
absorbed and metabolized in the human body. Studies have
indicated that coffee is amongst the top 13 foods in polyphenol
concentration. Consumption of polyphenols by coffee
consumers is 500-1,000 mg as coffee contains around 100 mg
polyphenols per cup and their extraction is inexpensive and safe
(Esquivel and Jiménez, 2012). Caffeine, polyphenols, volatile
aroma compounds and heterocyclic compounds present in
coffee contains 2.5 mmoles/100 g of antioxidants (Carlsen
et al., 2010).
The significance of coffee is due to its rich bioactive
compounds, which are thought to be chlorogenic acids,
caffeine, trigenolline and melanoidins, nicotinic acid,
quinolinic acid, tannic acid and pyrogallic acid (Ludwig et al.,
2014). Among the CGA’s and subordinates, 17 CGA’s, 5
chlorogenic corrosive lactones, 2 cinnamoyl-amino corrosive
conjugates and 2 free cinnamic acids, caffeoylferuloylquinic
corrosive isomers and cinnamoyl-amino corrosive conjugates in
dissolvable coffee blends were distinguished (Rodrigues and
Bragagnolo, 2013). The amount of niacin in coffee ranges from
2 to 80 mg/100 g of coffee, which further depends upon the
type of coffee bean and roasting procedure (Adrian and
Frangne, 1991).
Melanoidins are Maillard reaction end products and their
main dietary sources are coffee and bread crust. In addition,
melanoidins found in coffee has higher antioxidant activity than
that of Beer (Morales and Jiménez-Pérez, 2004). Melanoidins
promotes bifidobacteria growth in the gut, thus contributing to
dietary fiber intake. In a study, melanoidins were incorporated
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in biscuits and resulted products had a better shelf life, more
antioxidants and no effect was observed on sensory
characteristics (Passos et al., 2017). Enrichment of
confectionary products (chocolates and cookies) with green
coffee extracts at the concentration of 0.5 per cent has been
reported to slow down the fat oxidation with 10 per cent
decrease in peroxide value, 15 per cent decrease in conjugated
dienes after 3 months of storage. Furthermore, an increase in
cohesiveness, thus, a more acceptable texture was documented
when 1 per cent coffee extracts were incorporated in
chocolates. In total, 300 g of biscuits with 1 per cent green
coffee extract provides 1,000 mg of polyphenols (Budryn and
Nebesny, 2013).
More so, the aftereffects of epidemiological research
proposed that coffee use may prevent a few common
sicknesses, including, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, Parkinson’s
illness and liver malady (Higdon and Frei, 2006). Hirose et al.
(2007) concluded that coffee use decreases the danger of
endometrial growth in Japanese women. Coffee and cancer are
inversely correlated and it has been proven to retard tumor
formation, ovarian cancer (if consumption is more than 4 cups/
day) (Jordan et al., 2004). Research by Butt and Sultan (2011)
concluded that direct use of coffee could be viable in bringing
down the low density lipoproetins (LDL)-cholesterol thereby
reducing the onset of cardiovascular diseases. The Pan
American Health Association suggests 3-4 mugs of coffee every
day for keeping up sufficient well-being.
Caffeine is amongst the most consumed bioactive
compounds found in coffee beans, cocoa and tea. Most of the
ingested caffeine comes from coffee (de Mejia and Ramirez-
Mares, 2014) and its range varies from 58 to 259 mg/dose
(D orea and da Costa, 2005). Numerous health benefits are
associated with its consumption and studies have reported that
intake of caffeine declines retention of glucose and diminishes
insulin affectability by 15 per cent. Also, caffeine is majorly
responsible for the discharge of catecholamines, which are vital
for the central nervous system signaling and the crucial
restorative agents (Hirose et al., 2007). It has also been
reported that caffeine improved union of long-haul
recollections in people. Studies have described caffeine as a
psychological enhancer. Leitzmann et al. (2002) have proved
that caffeinated coffee decreases the risk of gallstones in
women.
Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of
functional components of saffron
Crocus sativus L. is a perennial spicy herb belongs to Iridaceae
family and is derived from dried stigmas of Crocus sativus L. It is
known to be one of the expensive spices and is popular as “red
gold” in many countries. Saffron has been used as an important
dietary ingredient in different parts of the world as a spice,
colorant and flavoring agent in the preparation of foods and
cosmetics since decades. Saffron has been used in ayurveda and
has been used extensively used in the treatment of 90 medical
illnesses from ancient times. The important constituents of
stigmas are the carotenoids (e.g. crocetin, crocins, a-carotene,
lycopene and zeaxanthin), monoterpene aldehydes (e.g.
picrocrocin and safranal), monoterpenoids (e.g. crocusatines),
 Benefits of natural food flavors and colorants
Komalpreet Kaur, Rajan Sharma and Sukhwant Singh
isophorones and flavonoids (Melnyk et al., 2010; Mousavi and
Bathaie, 2011).
Crocin- a rare carotenoid, which is derived from the stigma
of C. sativus has been confirmed as a powerful antioxidant,
which is thought to be stronger than a-tocopherol, possesses,
neuroprotective properties, protects cells against oxidative
damage and fights certain cases of carcinoma (Bolhassani et al.,
2014). Carotenoids permit diffusion of oxygen and other
molecules through cell membranes. In addition, lutein and
zeaxanthin act against macular degeneration and senile
cataracts (Kadian and Garg, 2012). The crocetin present in
saffron is found to increase the yield of antibiotics. Safranal is
thought to extend the antibacterial and antiviral activity, thus
modulating the immune system of the body. In addition,
saffron is one of the richest sources of riboflavin.
Saffron strengthens the reproductive, respiratory, excretory
and central nervous system and acts as an immuno-stimulator
(Mousavi and Bathaie, 2011). It has been reported that
smelling saffron for 20 min could positivity affect hormonal
concentrations in females. This effect is useful for the treatment
of premenstrual syndrome, dysmenorrhea and disrupted
menstrual cycle (Fukui et al., 2011). It is globally used in eye,
skin and cytological disorders as anti-cataract, anti-eczema and
anti-anxiety disorders, respectively.
Saffron and its constituents act as an anti-mutagenic, anti-
carcinogenic, protects against cardiovascular disease, diabetes,
Parkinson’s disease, apoptosis and other conditions.
Antioxidants, the flavonoids, majorly lycopene found in saffron
minimized the risk of cardio vascular diseases’s and significant
impact has been observed on the heart health of participants.
Presence of crocetin in saffron lowers LDL-cholesterol level in
the blood, fights artherosclerosis, thereby preventing heart
attacks (Kamalipour and Akhondzadeh, 2011).
Oral administration of saffron strengthens liver and stomach;
decrease appetite; treat enlarged liver and spleen and acts as
carminative; prevents stomach ulcers; increase lipid
metabolism. Furthermore, saffron cures iron deficiency, fights
the Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, cures amoebic
dysentery, the measles and inflammation of the liver. Saffron
stigmas are found to be rich in gallic acid and pyrogallol
(bioactive compounds), which contributes generously in its
antioxidant activity and exhibits DPPH radical scavenging
activity. Also, floral components of saffron could act as
functional ingredients because of high-phenolic and
antioxidant content (Serrano-Díaz et al., 2012).
Cinnamon as a functional ingredient in value
added products
Cinnamon is obtained from the plant by drying the central part
of the bark and is sold in stick or powdered form. Cinnamon
belongs to the genus Cinnamomum of the Lauraceae family. It is
used as a spice and flavorant in baked goods, beverages, meat
dishes, cereals, savory dishes, pickles, soups and fruit
preparations and is known to possess therapeutic potential. It
acts as an antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-
carcinogenic, cardiovascular-disease-lowering compound,
prevents diabetes and acts as a neuroprotective agent against
Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.
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The chemical compounds found in cinnamon belong to two
chemical classes: polyphenols and volatile phenols. Essential
oils extracted from the bark and leaf are cinnamaldehyde
(cinnamic aldehyde, 3-phenyl-2-propenal) and eugenol (2-
methoxy-4-(2 propenyls) phenol), respectively (Singletary,
2008). Cinnamaldehyde contributes to the aroma and spicy
taste of cinnamon. Coumarin – a flavoring agent is found
substantially in cinnamon species. A study has reported a direct
relationship between the incorporation of cinnamon based
active packaging and inhibition of mold growth. In total, 6
per cent cinnamaldehyde nearly restricted the growth of
Rhizopus stolonifer after 72 h of the storage period in bread
(Rodriguez et al., 2008).
Cinnamon has reported possessing antibacterial activity
against gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram negative
bacteria (Escherichia coli). Escherichia coli is found to be more
rebellious to cinnamon essential oil than the gram positive
bacterium (Zhang et al., 2016). A clinical study on Helicobacter
pylori produced negative results for cinnamon consumption @
80 mg/day (Nir et al., 2000). In total, 1-6 g daily dose of
cinnamon reported the reduction of glucose, triglycerides,
LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol levels in people with
type-2 diabetes (Khan et al., 2003). In vivo studies have
documented the effect of Cinnamomum cassia bark extract
against Influenza virus, HIV-1 and HIV-2 replication (Hayashi
et al., 2007).
In the USA, cinnamon has GRAS (generally recognized as
safe) status as a food additive. Cinnamon is one of the most
popular flavors in the USA, which is used in snacks, bread,
rolls, bun, swirl, bar and pastries. The average daily dose of the
crude drug (cortex cinnamomi) is 2-4 g or 0.05-0.2 g of the
essential oil (Barceloux, 2009).
Studies on fish samples coated with 2 per cent chitosan and
1.5 per cent cinnamon oil documented to have a greater shelf
life and better retention of quality attributes on refrigeration
(4 6 1 °C). Also, <6 log10cfu/g microbial load was reported
after 16 days of storage, which is less than the standard
permissible limit (Ojagh et al., 2010). In a study, the tomato
was exposed to cinnamon vapours @ 500 ppm/72 h, and
cinnamon oil was documented to act as a fungicide and 100 per
cent inhibition was observed after 10th day of inoculation
(Tzortzakis, 2009).
Soy protein isolate (SPI)-pectin complex film containing
cinnamon oil (0.2 per cent) inhibited the growth of microbial
flora (4.11 cfu/g) in dry tofu and used as a package for
extending shelf life of dry tofu for 16 days. The tensile strength
and elongation were dependent on the concentration of
cinnamon oil. In SPI-pectin composite films, SPI and pectin
were combined in different ratios (1:1; 3:1; 5:1; 6:1; 8:1 and
10:1) and concentrations of cinnamon oil were 0.05-0.3
per cent. Higher the concentration of cinnamon oil used,
greater was the zone of inhibition for both bacteria and mold/
fungi (Liu et al., 2014).
In total, 0.5 per cent cinnamon oil treatment for 1-2 min at 4°
C acts as an antimicrobial agent to completely eliminate a
variety of pathogens mainly salmonella spp. on organic
products such as organic baby, mature spinach, iceberg and
romaine lettuces and was more effective than 3 per cent H2O2
(Todd et al., 2013).
 Benefits of natural food flavors and colorants Pigment & Resin Technology
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Flavor profile of cardamom and its potential
health benefits
Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) is a herb belonging to
Elettaria and Amomum (green and black respectively) genera
of the ginger family Zingiberaceae. Volatile oil (2-4 per cent) is
the principal aroma-giving compound in large cardamom and
1,8- cineole is the major bioactive, which constitutes 60-80
per cent of the total volatile oil. The three varieties of large
cardamom Ramsey Golsey, Sawney contain 1.0-8.0, 2.3-5.0
and 1.8-2.5 per cent of essential oils, respectively (Gautam
et al., 2016).
Cardamom has been used to treat asthma, cardiac
disorders, indigestion (stomatitis), sore throats, rectal
diseases and congestive jaundice, gonorrhea, headaches and
as an insect repellent (Verma et al., 2009; Sharma et al.,
2011). Essential oil and oleoresin are the dominant
compounds of cardamom. Oleoresin comprises of 1,8-
cineole, 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furaldehyde, b -sitosterol,
a-terpineol, 2,3-dihydrobenzofuran (coumaran), terpinen-
4-ol, eugenol, trans-nerolidol, n-heptacosane and n-
nonacosane (Kapoor et al., 2008). Dried cardamom
contains 603 mg GAE/100 g of polyphenols (Neveu et al.,
2010). Polyphenols act as superoxide radical scavenging
compounds (Yadav and Bhatnagar, 2007).
Antimicrobial action of oleoresins and essential oils are
known to enhance the shelf life of various fruit juices illustrating
their ascendency over artificial and synthetic food additives. It
can be clearly seen from Table II, the antimicrobial effects of
functional components of natural flavoring agents against
several food spoilage organisms. A total of 1,8- cineol (43.7
per cent), a-terpineol (9.5 per cent), terpinene-4-ol (3.2 per
cent), spathulenol (2.7 per cent) and a-pinene (1.6 per cent)
were responsible for the preservation (Singh et al., 2006).
Cardamom oil is known to inhibit Listeria monocytogenes,
Lactobacillus plantarum, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia
coli O157, Salmonella typhimurium, Yersinia enterocolitica,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Aspergillus niger, Geotrichum candidum
and Rhodotorula when used in different concentrations
(Elgayyar et al., 2001).
Flavored ready to serve beverages were being prepared and
studies have reported that cardamom flavor was more
acceptable than any other blends (Amaravathi et al., 2014).
The use of cardamom essential oil on savoy cabbage has also
been documented. In total, 15 ppm cardamom essential oil has
reported a decline of microbial flora by 1 log unit from day 7.
The content of vitamin C was increased by 3 per cent when
compared to controlled atmosphere storage without the
addition of any essential oil, and no effect was observed on any
of the sensory attributes on storage (Krala et al., 2007).
To date studies have confirmed the extraction of twenty-six
compounds from essential oil of cardamom, which are a-
terpinyl acetate (38.4 per cent), 1,8-cineole (28.71 per cent),
linalool acetate (8.42 per cent), sabinene (5.21 per cent) and
linalool (3.97 per cent) as major bioactive components (Asghar
et al., 2017). Cardamom is rich in antioxidants and it
remarkably multiplies glutathione level and antioxidant
enzymes in the body by vivifying glutathione transferase and
glutathione peroxidase activity (Padmakumari Amma et al.,
2010).
Cardamom seed extract is used to treat dementia, insomnia,
nervousness and acts as central nervous system depressant.
Cardamom seeds act as an antimicrobial agent and are used to
maintain oral health. Also, a-terpinyl is useful in digestive aid,
relieves flatulence and acts against a number of pathogenic
organisms Mycobacterium smegmatis, Klebsiella pneumoniae,
Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium,
Enterococcus faecalis, Micrococcus luteus and Candida albicans
(Agaoglu et al., 2006). Seeds of cardamom possess antibacterial
potential and acts on the gram-negative bacterium. In addition,
Elettaria cardamomum illustrates hypo cholesterolemic,
hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory and antimutagenic properties
against very common sicknesses. Cardamom seed extract
prevents peroxidation of lipids, aggregation of platelets and
colon cancer (Suneetha and Krishnakantha, 2005).
Consumption of Cardamom seeds in a daily dose of 3 g for
3 months regularly reported a decrease in blood pressure,
increase in antioxidants and fibrinolytic activity in humans with
Stage 1 hypertension, whereas no change was observed on
blood fibrinogen and serum lipids (Verma et al., 2009).

Table II Antimicrobial activities of different components of natural flavoring ingredients

Source Active compound Anti-microbial effect against References
Coffee CGA’S Listeria monocytogenes Ramos – Nino (1997)
Melanoidins Few Gram1ve and Gram-ve bacteria Rufián-Henares and Morales
(2008)
Caffeine Enterobacteria, streptococcus Mutans Almeida et al., 2006; and Daglia
et al. (2002)
Cinnamon Cinnamanaldehyde Staphylococcus aureus, E.coli; Helicobacter pylori Zhang et al. (2016); and Todd et al.
(2013), Nir et al. (2000)
Cardamom 1,8- cineole L. monocytogenes, L. plantarum, S. aureus and E. coli O157, Elgayyar et al. (2001); and Singh
Salmonella Typhimurium, Y. enterocolitica, P.aeruginosa, A. niger, G. et al. (2009)
candidum Rhodotorula.
a terpinyl M. smegmatis, K. pneumoniae, S. aureus, E. coli, S.typhimurium, E. Agaoglu et al. (2006)
faecalis, M.luteus, C. albicans
Vanilla Vanillin S. aureus, E. coli, Aeromonas enteropelogenes, Alternaria sp., Ngarmsak et al. (2006); and
Aspergillus Rakchoy et al. (2009)
sp., Penicillium sp., and Fusarium sp., Sphingobacterium spiritovorun

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The efficiency of listed flavoring and coloring agents in food
products with respect to their bio-functional properties against
other agents is shown in Table III.
Toxicity or overdose of natural flavors and
colorants
The presence of a toxic compound, coumarin, in cassia
cinnamon has raised safety concerns. Intake of coumarin in
substantial amounts on a daily basis may pose a health risk to
individuals who are more sensitive to this compound. After
reviewing accumulated human data, the German Federal
Institute for Risk Assessment in 2007 reaffirmed the tolerable
daily intake of 0.1 mg/kg of coumarin (Abraham et al., 2010).
Saffron and its major components were found to be safe after
oral administration in many animal studies (Hosseinzadeh
et al., 2013). It has been documented that saffron and crocin (in
doses of 15 mg twice daily) did not show toxic effects on
thyroid, liver, kidney and hematologic systems even in
schizophrenic individuals (Mousavi et al., 2015). However, it
has been shown that exposure to very high levels of saffron may
increase the miscarriage rate in pregnant females (Bostan et al.,
2017). No toxicity has been reported in the literature for
cardamom seeds. However, there are reports that confirm
cardamom seeds to trigger the formation of gallstones
(Sengottuvelu, 2011). Acute oral toxicity and dermal toxicity
tests of cardamom recorded the LD50 values in animal tests,
were greater than 5 g/kg (Govindarajan et al., 1982). Also,
ingestion of high amounts of coffee has been associated with
toxic effects. Symptoms of caffeine overdose may include
agitation, seizures, dyspnea, cardiac arrhythmia, nausea,
vomiting, hyperglycemia and hypokalemia (Higdon and Frei,
2006). The suggested amount of caffeine is normally 400 mg
per day (equivalent to 4-5 cups of coffee) for healthy adults.
The lethal dose is estimated at 100-200 mg/kg of body weight.
High caffeine consumption can also worsen preexisting health
conditions, such as anxiety. Similarly, vanillin can also cause
potential damage to human liver and kidney (FAO/WHO
Codex alimentarius 1993). It has been reported to cause
headaches, nausea and vomiting. Therefore, monitoring the
levels of these compounds is of great importance and has always
been the target of researchers. (Filik et al., 2017; Ali et al.,
2017).
Conclusion
At present, consumers are strictly against the use of synthetic
additives in food products, thus alarming the researchers to
focus on natural derivatives of plants with the high-value flavor
profile. Polyphenols, carotenoids, esters, free amino acids, etc.,
are components of natural plant-based ingredients, having
functional properties and offers health benefits and
antimicrobial activities. The mechanism behind functional
properties of these ingredients, namely, antimicrobial,
antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic, anti-
carcinogenic, etc., is complex and still not understood
completely, hence, gives an opportunity to the future scientists
to investigate deeply the mode of action and figure out the
correlation between these properties.

Table III Efficiency of listed flavoring and coloring ingredients in comparison to other agents
Food product Flavorant Dose and response References
Meat products Cinnamaldehyde 1,000 ppm level can be used as an alternative to synthetic antioxidants in raw and Naveena et al.
cooked chicken patties and it increases the antioxidant potential (2014)
Green tea extract 3,000-6,000 ppm has been used to effectively in reduce lipid oxidation Rababah et al.
(2011)
Cereal grains Cinnamon oil 1,000 mg/kg treatment has inhibited aflatoxin B1 by 78% Sinha et al.
(1993)
Clove oil 1,000 mg/kg treatment has inhibited aflatoxin B1 by 76% Sinha et al.
(1993)
Egg quality Saffron It has been used at the rate of 20 mg/kg of hen’s diet and has improved yolk color; lower Botsoglou et al.
yolk malondialdehyde, thus higher oxidative stability (2005)
Oregano It has been used at the rate of 5 g/kg of hen’s diet; no improvement in yolk color Botsoglou et al.
(2005)
Fresh lettuce Cardamom 15 ppm has been used as a preservative for lettuce and it exhibited an antimicrobial Krala et al.
effect (2007)
Thyme It has been used in the concentrations of 5,000-10,000ppm to exhibit an antimicrobial Bagamboula
effect et al. (2004)
Food additive Cinnamon It has been found to be a better superoxide radical scavenger than BHT; and posed Murcia et al.
inhibitory effect on oxidation by 56.4% (2004)
Mint It exhibits inhibitory effect on oxidation by 53.9% Murcia et al.
(2004)
Fresh fruits Vanillin It has been used at the rate of (0.3% w/w) and was found to be most effective in terms Rojas-Graü et al.
of sensory quality; vanillin in both concentrations used (0.3 and 0.6% w/w) not (2007)
exceeded yeasts and molds count by 3 log CFU g 1
Oregano The growth rate of yeasts and molds was inhibited in samples coated with the maximum Rojas-Graü et al.
concentrations of oregano oil (0.5% w/w) not exceeding 3 log CFU g 1 (2007)

115
 Benefits of natural food flavors and colorants
Komalpreet Kaur, Rajan Sharma and Sukhwant Singh
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Corresponding author
Rajan Sharma can be contacted at: ranchanrajan@gmail.
com