**3. Application of licorice products for foods**

Pontefract cakes are made of licorice extract, molasses, sugar, and flour in the Yorkshire town of Pontefract, England, during the seventeenth century. In the nineteenth century, it was used extensively for confectionery [7]. Licorice extracts and glycyrrhizin have the following properties [8]:


Therefore, licorice extracts and glycyrrhizin are used as food additives in a variety of foods such as alcohol beverages, nonalcohol beverages, chewing gum, candy, chocolate, sweet snacks, ice cream, soy sauce, Japanese pickled vegetables, seafood delicacies, steamed fish paste, and sausages in Japan.

Research work by our company in 1994 resulted in a yeast that selectively hydrolyzed the terminal β‐glucuronyl linkage of glycyrrhizin to yield glycyrrhetic acid 3‐*O*‐mono‐glucuro‐ nide (MGGR), a potent sweetener (relative sweetness to sucrose: ×950, **Table 2**) [9, 10]. Moreover, MGGR has a flavor‐enhancing property (**Table 3**) [11].


**Table 2.** Relative sweetness intensity in water or 5% salt solution.


**Table 3.** Flavor‐enhancing effect of MGGR against cocoa, chocolate, and whipped cream.

**3. Application of licorice products for foods**

16 Biological Activities and Action Mechanisms of Licorice Ingredients

**2.** Improving foam stabilization and head‐forming characteristics

Moreover, MGGR has a flavor‐enhancing property (**Table 3**) [11].

**Table 2.** Relative sweetness intensity in water or 5% salt solution.

properties [8]:

of sucrose

**3.** Masking effect of bitter aftertaste

**4.** Flavor‐enhancing effect

**5.** Nonfermented sweetener

**9.** Depression of freezing point

paste, and sausages in Japan.

**10.** Full‐bodied umami and sweetening

**6.** Noncaramelization

**8.** Soften the saltiness

**7.** Heat stable

Pontefract cakes are made of licorice extract, molasses, sugar, and flour in the Yorkshire town of Pontefract, England, during the seventeenth century. In the nineteenth century, it was used extensively for confectionery [7]. Licorice extracts and glycyrrhizin have the following

**1.** High‐intensity sweetener, glycyrrhizin possesses about 200 times the sweetness potency

Therefore, licorice extracts and glycyrrhizin are used as food additives in a variety of foods such as alcohol beverages, nonalcohol beverages, chewing gum, candy, chocolate, sweet snacks, ice cream, soy sauce, Japanese pickled vegetables, seafood delicacies, steamed fish

Research work by our company in 1994 resulted in a yeast that selectively hydrolyzed the terminal β‐glucuronyl linkage of glycyrrhizin to yield glycyrrhetic acid 3‐*O*‐mono‐glucuro‐ nide (MGGR), a potent sweetener (relative sweetness to sucrose: ×950, **Table 2**) [9, 10].

**Glycyrrhizin MGGR Glycyrrhizin MGGR**

**Comparable sucrose concentration (%) In water In 5% salt solution**

 250 1400 - - 170 950 500 2800 170 950 500 2800 150 730 440 2400 100 500 320 1400
