I can see biodegradable packaging (which I’m sure gelatin is), but still, that’s going to be contaminated unless it’s produced-and-sold in a single place like a cafe. Shipping is so unbelievably dirty.

Fake grape I don’t like – it tastes like prune juice to me. Prune juice I don’t mind, actually, in the right context… but not as a sweet treat.

I guess the one other one I do like is fake cherry, but it depends on how it’s used. A lot of times it’s quite bad, and there seems to be a larger variance when it comes to fake cherry, unlike fake grape as you were discussing.

overall, vanilla did much better with custards and ice cream.

however for baked goods, vanillin did just as well or even better. either the heat breaks down the secondary flavors, or they are just masked anyway.

is it worth keeping both around for this reason? maybe not, but i don’t feel as bad when i get artificial vanilla in cookies and cakes any more.

an even deeper mystery is why is fake raspberry more often then not bright smurf blue?

From the article:

The edible packaging idea claims to be a reaction against the over-packaging of foods, which generates a huge amount of waste.
That concept is the brainchild of Harvard University professor David Edwards and Robert Connelly, who wanted to recreate natural foods such as fruits enclosed in an edible skin.

Fake grape is another one.  Grape popsicles, grape sodas (no matter what brand; I swear they’re indistinguishable from each other), Dimetapp… I love them all, but they don’t taste even remotely like any grape variety I’ve ever tasted.

Though I do wash my taters.  Mostly ’cause they just look dirty.

But your suspicions are correct: I’m gonna die.

EDIT: My point being that making the alternatives known to parents can be very valuable. And that’s the big one.

Apples come to mind, maybe lemon zest.  Not much else.

my daughter *hates* fake cherry…but loves fake banana and strawberry.  funny how artificial flavors can trigger such strong aversions.

Most artificial banana flavor is 3-methylbutyl acetate (isopentyl acetate), like the bananas in runts candy.  same with the fake banana circus peanuts.  i can’t stand the stuff.  bleck.

The chemical you are thinking of is isoamyl acetate, which is the primary flavor component of real bananas and is used in some of the better “fake banana” products, but is not nearly as common and more expensive to synthesize.  it doesn’t trigger the same disgust to my pallet as the former chemical.  Don’t ask me why.

quote:  “The ester 3-methylbutyl acetate (isopentyl acetate) is an artificial banana scent/flavor. While we perceive the smell of this compound as the smell of bananas, the chemical is not responsible for the scent/flavor of real bananas. Banana candies (runts for example) use 3-methylbutyl acetate as the artificial flavoring and any true banana lover could tell you that the candies taste different than the fruit.”

I agree vanillin can’t compare to a good vanilla.  even the vanilla subspecies affects the flavor of real vanilla as do the growing conditions.  i personally prefer Madagascar vanilla, but many prefer Tahitian or Mexican.

Most artificial strawberry flavoring components again are not components of real strawberry flavor.  The most common artificial strawberry flavor is very complex and actually a cocktail of over 50 chemicals:  Amyl acetate, amyl butyrate, amyl valerate, anethol, anisyl formate, benzyl acetate, benzyl isobutyrate, butyric acid, cinnamyl isobutyrate, cinnamyl valerate, cognac essential oil, diacetyl, dipropyl ketone, heptanoate, ethyl heptylate, ethyl lactate, ethyl methylphenylglydi-hydroxyphyenyl-2-butanone, alpha-ionone, isobutyl anthranilate, isobutyl butyrate, lemon essential oil, maltol, 4-methylacetophenone, methyl anthranilate, methyl benzoate, methyl cinnamate, methyl heptane, methyl naphthyl ketone, methyl salicylate, mint essential oil, neroli essential oil, nerolin, neryl isobutyrate, orris butter, phenethyl, alcohol, eosw, rum ether, gamma-unde-calactone, vanillin, and solvent.