Flavorings: History of the U.S. Flavor Industry

The U.S. flavor industry has its roots in the United Kingdom and Europe. Beginning in the early 1700s, natural plant and fruit extracts, essential oils, and distillates were prepared and sold. U.S. companies started using and manufacturing commercial flavors around 1850. Early flavors contained components derived from natural materials such as fruits and spices. One of the first synthetic aroma chemicals to be used in flavorings was citral, a chemical found in lemon that is characteristic of lemon flavor. The isolation, synthesis, and production of citral in the United States first occurred around 1900. Vanillin (vanilla) and cinnamic aldehyde (cinnamon) also became commercially available in the United States in the early 1900s.