Flavor Sprays: Are They Really A Dessert-Lover's Dream?

Imagine an attractively decorated spray bottle filled with a light, texture-less substance devoid of carbohydrates, calories and fat. This liquid, when sprayed on a fat-free and nearly calorie-free cracker, imparts the perfectly sweet and delectable flavor of cheesecake. David Burke, an acclaimed Culinologist and master of the culinary arts, has made this dream a reality. His achievements with these novel flavor sprays fall into the scientific field of Culinology. Culinology is newly coined term meaning the area of culinary creation which combines food science and gourmet culinary traditions.

David Burke explains that “we are living in a health-conscious society where people are constantly searching for a way to a healthier lifestyle – Flavor Spray is the solution.” This water-based solution contains only two other ingredients: flavorings, both natural and artificial, and preservatives. Natural flavorings, according to the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, are “the essential oil, oleoresin, essence…which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit…vegetable…meet…dairy.” Meanwhile, artificial flavors are “chemically synthesized compounds…” The scientist in the back of the kitchen creating these flavorants is known as a flavorist. He studies the chemical reactions which take place on ones taste buds to produce what we perceive as flavor. He then locates organic or chemical products which contain these flavor-producing agents. The final product is taste-tested against the actual food the scientist is trying to emulate. For instance, a scientist has discovered a caramel flavorant which is now commonly used in packaged foods. Without going into the chemical properties of this equation which I can not even begin to understand myself, this compound is known as, “4,5-Dimethyl-3-hydroxy-2,5-dihydrofuran-2-one”

The word, "Culinology" is so new in fact, that it is not even in the dictionary yet! Nonetheless, it is building a strong following among respected chefs such as David Burke and Stephen Kalil. Hopefully, with the aid of such celebrity chefs, creativity, scientific background, devoted weight-watchers and healthy eaters, Culinology will achieve their vision of being a “universally recognized discipline,” in 2010.