Product Description
Basic Information
Chemical Name and Structure
Bitters is usually a mixture of various bitter substances. The main ingredients include quinine, gentian root extract, etc. Quinine, with the chemical name of (8S,9R)-6'-methoxy-cinchonan-9-ol, has a molecular formula of . It is an alkaloid. There are structural units such as quinoline ring and methanol group in its molecular structure, which endow it with bitterness and certain pharmacological activities. Gentian root extract contains multiple bitter components, such as gentiopicroside. Its chemical structure contains an iridoid structure, which is also an important factor contributing to the bitterness.
Appearance and Properties
Bitters is generally in liquid form. Its color ranges from colorless to brownish-brown, depending on its ingredients and production processes. The liquid has a certain degree of transparency, but it may also appear slightly turbid due to the presence of some plant extracts and other components. Bitters has a strong bitter taste, and its odor varies according to different ingredients. It may have the fragrance of plants or the special smell of chemical raw materials.
Physical and Chemical Properties
Solubility
Bitters has a certain solubility in water. This is because its main components like quinine can form certain hydrogen bonds and other interactions in water. However, the solubility of bitters of different brands and formulations in water may vary due to the influence of the proportion of ingredients and other additives. Its solubility in organic solvents such as ethanol is usually good, which enables bitters to be well mixed when making some alcoholic bitter beverages.
Stability
Under normal storage conditions, bitters is relatively stable. However, if it is exposed to high temperature, strong light or extreme pH environments, its components may undergo decomposition or chemical reactions, resulting in changes in bitterness or a decline in other properties. For example, quinine may undergo protonation reactions in an overly acidic environment, affecting its chemical stability and the release of bitterness.
pH Characteristics
The pH value of bitters varies depending on its ingredients, but it is generally weakly acidic to neutral. Its acidity and alkalinity will affect the perceived intensity of bitterness and also have an impact on its chemical stability in different formulations. For example, adding bitters to some alkaline beverages may change its bitterness and overall taste.
Sources and Production Methods
Raw Material Sources
Quinine: It mainly comes from the bark of the cinchona tree. Quinine is obtained from the bark of the cinchona tree through extraction, refining and other processes. The cinchona tree mainly grows in some tropical regions of South America and Africa.
Gentian Root Extract: It comes from the roots of plants in the Gentiana genus. These plants are planted in temperate and cold-temperate regions around the world. When extracting gentian root extract, water extraction or organic solvent extraction methods are usually adopted to obtain the bitter components therein.
Production Process
The main bitter components such as quinine and gentian root extract are mixed according to a certain formula and proportion. During the mixing process, some auxiliary components such as solubilizers and preservatives may be added. The production process needs to strictly control the proportion of components and the mixing conditions to ensure the bitterness quality and stability of bitters. Then, through processes such as filtration and filling, the finished bitters are produced.
Quality Standards and Specifications
Component Standards
There are clear requirements for the content of the main components in bitters. For example, the content of quinine may be controlled within a certain range according to the use and strength requirements of the product, generally around 0.01% - 0.1%. There are also corresponding regulations on the content of gentian root extract to ensure the bitterness characteristics and quality of the product.
Impurity Limitations
Heavy Metal Content: There are strict limitations on the content of heavy metals such as lead, mercury and arsenic. For example, the lead content is usually not more than 1mg/kg, the mercury content is usually not more than 0.1mg/kg, and the arsenic content is usually not more than 1mg/kg to ensure that the product meets food safety standards.
Other Impurities: Residual extraction solvents, microorganisms and other impurities also need to be strictly controlled. Residual organic solvents may pose a hazard to human health, and excessive microorganisms may lead to product deterioration.
Bitterness Intensity Standards
The bitterness intensity of bitters is an important quality indicator. Usually, professional tasting panels or bitterness intensity testing instruments are used to evaluate the bitterness intensity, and corresponding standards are formulated according to different application scenarios (such as for beverages, pharmaceuticals, etc.).
Uses and Application Fields
Food and Beverage Industry
It is widely used in cocktails and mixed beverages. For example, adding bitters to an Old-Fashioned cocktail can add complex bitterness and aroma, balancing the sweetness and alcohol flavor in the beverage. In some non-alcoholic beverages such as soda water and fruit juice beverages, a small amount of bitters can also be added to increase the flavor layers and stimulate consumers' taste buds.
Pharmaceutical Industry
Quinine in bitters is an antimalarial drug and was widely used in the treatment of malaria in the past. Although there are now more advanced antimalarial drugs, quinine still has certain application value in some specific situations. In addition, bitter substances can stimulate the taste nerves. Adding an appropriate amount of bitters to some pharmaceutical preparations can mask the unpleasant odor of drugs and improve patients' medication compliance.
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