Quentin Reyt grabs a package of Doo Wap brioche, turns it over and reads the list of ingredients: “Aromas (contains alcohol)”.
“It's both surprising and not surprising, remarks this flavourist, at the head of the Your flavorist company.
Alcohol is a very common solvent to help us solubilize our raw materials.
He extracts a brioche from its bag and sniffs it: "It's vanilla flavoring."
In his beaker, he mixes powders and viscous liquids: vanillin, guaiacol, balsam of Peru, acetoin, anisaldehyde... ethanol, which is alcohol.
He fills his container and places a magnetic stirrer in it.
Five minutes later, here is our vanilla flavor.
“What surprises me, however, is that the mention “alcohol” is generally indicated for flavored drinks, not for foods like this brioche.
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So in order to see more clearly, we found a professional charter published by the Syndicate of soft and crispy panification, which represents the biggest brands of French brioches: Pasquier, Jacquet, Barilla (parent company of Harrys, owner of Doo wap).
“When alcohol is used as a spray aroma carrier, it is then necessary to label it in the finished product, can we read on the site of the professional union.
Except to be able to prove that alcohol has no role of conservation”.
"So, there, we understand that the aroma is not only used for the purpose of flavoring but for the purpose of preserving the product", deciphers Quentin Reyt.
For the experiment, we brought a homemade chocolate chip brioche, made to measure, without aroma.
The scientist puts a drop of his potion on it and brushes it on the surface with a brush.
“Normally, manufacturers use a spray instead.
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Contacted by email, Harrys confirmed that its aroma actually plays a preservative role.
But the brand assures that the quantities are so small that they pose no risk to children, pregnant women or sensitive people.
Another category of consumers could be worried: Muslims, who in theory should not consume any alcohol, or else in negligible concentrations... To find out more, and to find out the result of our blind tasting, press “play”.