Guarana Paste

#### Guarana Paste. Although cocoa is not included in the monographs on natural flavor materials in this book (the author considers it primarily a nutriment), a few brief notes will be spent on a similar but less known and quite interesting material: **Guarana Paste**. Guarana paste is made from the pulverized, roasted seed of **Paullinia Cupana **(paullinia sorbilis), a Brazilian tree. The seed looks almost like a chestnut when it is fresh. The roasted seed is pulverized and triturated with a small amount of water to form a dough which is then shaped into bars or balls and left to dry in the sun or on a grill over open fire. The product which is known as **Guarana Paste **serves locally as a substitute for chocolate. It is distinguished by its combination of a chocolate- like flavor and a cola-like effect. It contains more caffeine than any other known natural product and it is accordingly a powerful stimulant. The caffeine content can amount to *5% *while the content of tannin is about 25%. Mixed with manioc flour or other starch material, the Guarana Paste can be baked to a bread; diluted with water, the paste can serve as a refreshing tonic. Sweetened with sugar (like cocoa paste) the guarana paste forms the so-called "Brazilian chocolate". **Guarana Extracts **are commercially available. A "standard" liquid extract is prepared with diluted alcohol and it is adjusted to a content of 4% caffeine. One part by weight of the liquid extract is equivalent to one part by weight of an average quality of guarana paste. **Guarana**** ****Paste**** **produces interesting Aromadistilates (see Part One of this book) with sherry wines, cognac or rum. These distillates can be useful as flavor bases for the development of liqueur flavors, cordial flavors, pudding or soufflé flavors and other food flavors.