Bitterant
Encyclopedia
A bitterant is a chemical that is added to a product to make it smell
or taste
bitter. Bitterants are commonly used as aversive agent
s to discourage the inhalation or ingestion of toxic substances.
Olfaction
Olfaction is the sense of smell. This sense is mediated by specialized sensory cells of the nasal cavity of vertebrates, and, by analogy, sensory cells of the antennae of invertebrates...
or taste
Taste
Taste is one of the traditional five senses. It refers to the ability to detect the flavor of substances such as food, certain minerals, and poisons, etc....
bitter. Bitterants are commonly used as aversive agent
Aversive agent
Aversive agents are unpleasantly flavored substances added to poisonous household goods in order to discourage children from consuming the poisonous household products. Aversive agents are not intended to be harmful, only unpleasant...
s to discourage the inhalation or ingestion of toxic substances.
Examples of use
- The addition of a bitterant to ethanolEthanolEthanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
denatures the product. - Bitterants are used in antifreezeAntifreezeAntifreeze is a freeze preventive used in internal combustion engines and other heat transfer applications, such as HVAC chillers and solar water heaters....
to prevent pet and child poisonings. - Gas dusters often use a bitterant to discourage inhalant abuse, although this can cause problems for legitimate users. The bitterant not only leaves an intolerably bitter flavor in the air, but also leaves a bitter residue on objects, like screens and keyboards, that may transfer to hands and cause problems (such as when eating) later.
Examples of bitterants
- DenatoniumDenatoniumDenatonium, usually available as denatonium benzoate and as denatonium saccharide, is the bitterest chemical compound known; with bitterness thresholds of 0.05 ppm for the benzoate and 0.01 ppm for the saccharide.It was discovered in 1958 during research on local anesthetics by Macfarlan...
is used in a variety of applications as an aversive agent. - Sucrose octaacetateSucrose octaacetateSucrose octaacetate is an acetylated derivative of sucrose. It is used commercially and industrially in a variety of applications. It is used as an inert ingredient in pesticides and herbicides...
- QuercetinQuercetinQuercetin , a flavonol, is a plant-derived flavonoid found in fruits, vegetables, leaves and grains. It also may be used as an ingredient in supplements, beverages or foods.-Occurrence:...
- BrucineBrucineBrucine is a bitter alkaloid closely related to strychnine. It occurs in several plant species, the most well known being the Strychnos nux-vomica tree, found in South-East Asia.While brucine is related to strychnine, it is not as poisonous...
- QuassinQuassinQuassin is a white bitter, crystalline substance extracted from the quassia tree. It is one of the most bitter substances found in nature with a bitter threshold of 0.08 ppm and it is 50 times more bitter than quinine....
See also
- Denaturation (food)Denaturation (food)Food is deliberately denatured when a substance, known as a denaturant, is added to render the food unpleasant to consume or poisonous. Aversive agents—primarily bitterants and pungent agents—are used to produce an unpleasant flavor. For example, the bitterant denatonium might be added to food used...
, the deliberate addition of an unpleasantly flavored or poisonous substances to food in order to prevent the consumption of the food for various reasons. - AdulterantAdulterantAn adulterant is a chemical substance which should not be contained within other substances for legal or other reasons. Adulterants may be intentionally added to more expensive substances to increase visible quantities and reduce manufacturing costs or for some other deceptive or malicious purpose...
, a substance added to food for deceptive or malicious reasons, for example to cheaply replace legitimate ingredients.