The Difference Between Extract and Emulsions

When you’re baking, candy-making, or just about any food-making, adding fun flavoring is a great way to get your goods to pack a delicious punch. You have so many flavoring methods to choose from, though, so deciding which would do your baked goods the most justice can be difficult. Two of the most popular and effective methods are using extracts and emulsions. On the surface level, these two options may seem identical, but they’re actually quite different fundamentally. Check out this guide to learn the difference between extract and emulsions.

Flavor emulsions

Flavor emulsions are concentrated, water-soluble flavorings suspended in a base made up of mostly water. They’re perfect choices for baking and candy-making because they can withstand high temperatures without losing their flavor. Emulsions don’t “bake out” when the heat gets high, meaning they hold their flavor integrity.

What mainly sets a flavor emulsion apart from a flavor extract is that, due to the water-based element, the flavors taste purer. They also blend into the food item better than flavor extracts.

Flavor extracts

A flavor extract is a flavor concentrate suspended in a base made of alcohol. One of the most common household extracts is vanilla extract. The alcohol base helps the flavor last longer and still pack a powerful flavor. However, flavor extracts tend to lose their intensity during the baking process. The flavor can bake out at high temperatures because the alcohol evaporates and takes a bit of the flavoring with it. Therefore, their flavors do minimize when they reach high temperatures.

What makes flavor extracts different from flavor emulsions is that they last longer on the shelf while still providing major flavor.

No matter type which you choose to flavor your cookies, cakes, candies, and more, make sure to use delicious flavorings you trust. Check out our vast selection of emulsions and food flavoring extracts to start making your baked goods taste delicious by packing them with fun flavors.

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