Scientists have found a way of making oranges taste like grapefruit;
using a form of fruit alchemy, researchers at the University of Oxford have developed a way of modifying naturally occurring compounds in oranges to alter their smell and taste.
They say this could provide a new cheap and plentiful source of grapefruit aroma and flavouring for drinks, food and the perfume industry.
The technology uses a modified enzyme to convert a compound called valencene found in oranges into the complex molecule responsible for the distinctive taste and smell of grapefruit.
Known as nootkatone, this molecule is large and complex, meaning it is difficult to synthesis artificially.
Instead industry relies upon it being purified from grapefruit – an expensive and time consuming process.
It takes around 400 tons of grapefruit to produce just 2lbs of the flavouring.
Yet grapefruit is one of the most commonly used essential oils in the perfume industry and is also widely used to flavour confectionary, soft drinks and other foods.
Dr Luet Wong, a chemist at the University of Oxford who developed the new technology, said: ‘The process requires little energy and generates almost no waste in contrast to conventional chemical processes.
‘The real benefit is that the end product is completely natural.'
A spin-off company called Oxford Biotrans is now developing the technology so it can be used to create flavours on an industrial scale.
As the orange industry is much larger than that of the grapefruit, there is far more of the compound valencene available.
The company are now working with flavour and scent firm De Monchy Aromatics to manufacture the grapefruit compound from oranges.
It is unlikely the technology could be used produce whole oranges that taste like grapefruit as there is not likely to be much market for it.
However, it could be used to create new types of orange juice that smell and taste like grapefruit.
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