Water Soluble Flavor Extracts

One of the most frequently asked questions we get is: Should I use a water soluble flavor extract or an oil-based flavor extract for my application?

To this we first ask, What are you cooking up?

You see, knowing when to use a non-oil-based food flavoring or an oil-soluble flavoring almost strictly depends on what you’re making.

Why Use Water-Based Food Flavoring:

By definition, water-based food flavoring is able to be dissolved in water. Your end goal should always be to create an application that holds its flavor, delivers the flavor potency you desire for optimal taste, and smells amazing.

To achieve this, the flavors you use must be able to intertwine with the other ingredients your application requires. Only then will your flavor come alive.

Such as in jams, a water-soluble flavoring will effectively complement the organic fruit flavor and enhance every element of the recipe.

Shop All Water-Soluble Flavor Extracts

What Products are Water Soluble Flavor Extracts Most Commonly Used In?

Water-based food flavorings are ideal for:

• Beverage: coffee, tea, water, smoothies, beer, winery, spirits
• Baked goods and to flavor frosting
• Condiments
• Candy centers
• Vinegar
• Jam and jellies
• Supplements

Water soluble flavorings are not appropriate for flavoring chocolate or hard candy due to their high water content.

Don’t see your application listed here? It probably needs an oil-soluble flavor or a hard oil flavor. Whatever your need, and whatever flavor you’re looking for, we have or can make a flavor for every application imaginable. Learn more about our other flavorings:

Oil-Soluble Flavors | Water-Soluble Hard Oils | Oil-Soluble Hard Oils

Our Approach to Water-Soluble Flavorings

Flavors are Bickford Flavors’ version of an extract.

Bickford flavorings are formulated to be stronger than an "extract,” where
1/2 teaspoon flavor = 1 teaspoon extract.

Additionally, we never dilute our flavorings in alcohol - with the exception on our pure vanilla, which contains 35% alcohol by volume. Our water-based food flavorings are suspended in a propylene glycol base.

Why? A water-soluble base suspension is superior to alcohol because water is a more neutral carrier than alcohol. It also imparts no added flavor and does not evaporate as rapidly when exposed to heat.

The end result? Our flavors do not “bake-out” like traditional, alcohol-based extracts do, giving you a better tasting, better smelling application.

All-natural, certified Kosher, and backed by our very own 100-year-old formulas, we have more than 100 flavorings and extracts that align with special diets and lifestyles.

Shop all water-soluble flavor extracts below, or learn about our ability to create a wide-array of application-specific custom flavors for several different industries: