Hello,
Is there a way or a technique to reduce the odor of the powders?
Please explain more about your problem with so called " powder" odor…
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Sure, I mean that some food powders have pungent odors, is there a way to mitigate its smell. For example, Asafetida, is known for its strong pungent odor, is there a way to reduce its odor effect in food when prepared?
Asafoetida is a gummy substance, and it has been used for its pungent odour due to sulfur containing compounds present in it. It is used in traditional food preparations in very small amounts to add that ‘specific garlicy’ flavour and pungency to the food. Hence it is quite strange that you wish to use asafoetida but don’t wish to have that smell, then what is the purpose of even having it there? Or probably you are using in very high amounts that the pungency + bitterness are both in action.
Usually the odour goes away while it is being cooked and mixed up in the food.
Also to note that too much of asafoetida is not good for health.
You may contact some flavour companies and ask for masking agents, but then the purpose of using asafoetida is probably lost. As a food technologist, we should never aim to add more and more ingredients (additives) to food making it unhealthy- now a days this is very common (on a commercial perspective).
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I don’t see the point of removing it in certain powdered mixes for Indian food…Its already an accepted peculiarity in those mixes.
Users of those seasoning mixes find it normal.and if they don’t smell it upon opening seasoning mixes supposed to contain it, they will say its expired(?)
When I was in Karnataka years back ,I asked that question to a regular user if the smell is offensive she says its not.but " fragrant and genuine…
To her knowledge and experience, nobody’s yet got poisoned from it as its medicinal and useful condiment
The more I searched for information about it, the more I agree with that old lady and I got used to it.
I did try testing and using it in the food lab doing some cooking tests.Regardlesss of quantity I use ,the odor just vanished in the cooked food.
Therefore, I don’t see the point of worrying about it, but get used to it…
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@hassan.sara101
I THINK…you need to familiarize with Asofoetida
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2225411016302863
So that your worries will be alleviated…
If you love mixes with asoefoteida but find the odor offensive, during food preparation, either you cover your nose or much better,get used to the smell…
Often its original smell is lost in the cooked food anyway.
Thank you for your response, I just gave asafoetida as an example to explain my point, I’m not working on it. But again thanks for the info.
Thanks again for your response but this is not my point, I just gave an example. My question is simply if there is a way to remove to reduce the odors of the powders that have awful smell in food products.
The lesson here, certain unique products are made because users demand them for convenience.Its part of their cultural heritage. They are not for individuals that don’t need it.
What other people find exotic and offensive is actually pretty natural to the intended native consumers.
There are lots of stinky foods in many regions of the world and often its the Travellers that find it offensive never the natives that cherish it.
As a food professional understanding the science if not the in depth chemistry of such substances will broaden your perspective that may in the end makes you get used to it and even try it yourself and even got to enjoy it in the end.
.
Thats my personal experience in my travels.
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i guess this discussion wont reach anywhere, because the person is not really READY to explain the issue properly. May be confidential issues…also the item picked (asafoetida) doesn’t seem to match what he is doing…
From.years in R& D divulging one ingredient that is offensive to you personally does not affect the confidentiality of what you are formulating. You just have to state it in a" jocular" manner that readers will find funny and unsuspecting.,but will give the idea of what you mean…
There are lots of offensive smelling materials that range from strong spice concoction, flavoring materials, additives etc in food formulation mixes
You don’t mask that In the formulation as its a functional part of it .
As a formulator you just have to wear appropriate protective equipment while doing such formulation task…
If you complain that you find it offensive to work with such material, that you had to " hide" it in the recipe then you have chosen a wrong career…
Therefore her complaint is unqualified as it shows her weakness unbecoming of a food professional.
You are right, thank you, Mr. Roy.