Liquid smoke: composition, benefits and harms, contraindications

Lovers of fresh smoked meat or fish prefer to cook all sorts of goodies on their own in their smokehouse. Those who do not have a similar opportunity, resort to such a flavoring as liquid smoke. With its help, you can get real gourmet delicacies right in your kitchen, which greatly simplifies life and saves time. The benefits and harms of liquid smoke to the human body are important to study before use.

Natural preparation is safe for use in cooking

Chemical composition of liquid smoke for smoking

Liquid smoke is a food flavoring agent and is used to impart a characteristic smoky flavor and smoky aroma to meat, fish, or vegetables. This food supplement is made by mixing pure water and concentrated natural smoke. For this, chips or sawdust of deciduous trees (apple, alder, bird cherry, cherry) are burned at high temperatures, and the combustion products are collected in special condensers. The resulting liquid, colored amber or yellow-brown, has a rich aroma. Subsequently, all impurities are removed, and the already purified preparation is used for culinary purposes.

The chemical composition is as follows:

• acids (2.9-9.5%);
• phenols (0.2-2.9%);
• aldehydes and ketones (2.6-4.6);
• water (11-92%).

The ratio of the components depends on the manufacturer, who can add various synthetic food substances or natural seasonings to the liquid, which give the products a special taste and aroma.

Why is liquid smoke useful?

In conventional smoking, food is processed with unrefined combustion products, which contain various resins, carcinogens and tar. The aromatizer obtained by burning wood and filtered on special equipment is completely free of all harmful impurities. Therefore, with its correct use, it is absolutely incapable of harming human health.

In other words, we can safely say that in order to give food a smoked flavor, liquid smoke is more useful and safe for the body than natural smoke.

This is due to the fact that the shelf life of products processed with smoking preparations is in no way inferior, and often even exceeds, classical smoking.

Is liquid smoke harmful to the human body

Since liquid smoke contains no harmful compounds that can be harmful to health, this product is considered completely safe for humans. Harm is possible when unscrupulous sellers mask the musty smell of fish or meat with this food additive. In addition, it is important to follow the technology for preparing smoked meats and not exceed the permissible dosage of the drug, which is usually indicated in the instructions on the bottle.

Despite this, in some countries the sale of liquid smoke and products smoked with it is prohibited, since researchers in this field claim that it is the strongest carcinogen.

The drug is very concentrated, therefore a few drops are enough

However, the fact of the danger to health has not been proven, since accurate and reliable data on the effect of a flavoring agent on cancer cells have not yet been obtained.

Caloric content of liquid smoke

100 g of the preparation contains:

• proteins - 0.1 g;
• fats - 0.1 g;
• carbohydrates - 0.1 g.

Since the composition contains only water and various chemical components, the calorie content of this product is zero.

Contraindications to liquid smoke

This food supplement is best used with caution for people of the following categories:

• having diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, ulcer), since this product has a negative effect on the gastric mucosa;
• overweight, since the smell of smoked meats increases appetite in 90% of people;
• with individual intolerance.

Rules for the use of liquid smoke

It is absolutely easy to use this seasoning, and even for novice cooks the first time they get delicious smoked meats that are in no way inferior to products prepared by the standard method. However, it is important to adhere to certain rules:

• products (meat, fish, lard) must be fresh and of high quality;
• like any other spice, it is important to add liquid smoke strictly in the proportions indicated in the recipe;
• when buying, you should give preference to a natural rather than a synthetic drug;
• the marinade with the addition of flavoring should be distributed evenly over the entire surface of the product (ham, lard or meat) so that there are no uncovered areas and smudges.

Nutritionists say that fish and meat processed with this food additive should be included in the diet in moderation, since excessive consumption of smoked meats is a burden for the body of even an absolutely healthy person.

Application of liquid smoke

In cooking, the drug is used to impart smoked taste and aroma to products. It is mainly used during cooking:

• meat and meat-containing products (sausages, sausages), lard, poultry;
• cheeses (processed, suluguni, chechil);
• various types of fish (herring, mackerel, capelin, herring, etc.);
• baking vegetables in the oven.

In addition, some culinary specialists like to add a few drops of the drug to first courses, various sauces, salad dressings, sandwich spreads.

Liquid smoke gives food a piquancy and characteristic aroma, allows you to look at the everyday menu from the other side

There are two methods of using the drug for cooking smoked-flavored dishes at home:

1. At the stage of marinating products. A few drops of the drug are added to the marinade, in which the meat will be salted, after which it is baked or fried.
2. Season the finished product. In this case, the already prepared dish is evenly lubricated with a few drops of flavoring or sprayed with a spray bottle to give the original taste.

For smoked fish, you must first salt the carcass, then apply liquid smoke and hang the raw materials in a cool place for 24 hours. During this time, the food additive will completely saturate the whole seafood with its smell.

Conclusion

The benefits and harms of liquid smoke for the human body have not been fully studied. But we can say that it is still safe to use it, provided that the rules of use are followed. This unique food supplement makes it a real opportunity to enjoy homemade smoked meats without going out into the countryside and without having your own smokehouse.However, it is important to know when to stop and remember about contraindications, pampering yourself with such dishes only occasionally.

Reviews about whether liquid smoke is harmful or not