1925 - First serial liquorice production in Germany

Food chemist Julia Bornhorst on the use of liquorice root

What is liquorice actually made of?

Julia Bornhorst: Liquorice is obtained as an extract from the root of the liquorice plant. It is harvested, grated, extracted and then further processed as a raw liquorice mass, depending on the desired product. The thickened root extract is often mixed with sugar, glucose syrup, flour and potato starch. The flavour of liquorice ranges from extremely sweet to intensely salty. And flavourings such as aniseed oil, fennel or menthol are often added to cater for different tastes. For the very salty flavours, ammonia (ammonium chloride) is sometimes added. The black colour that liquorice sweets usually have is sometimes artificially enhanced with the colouring agent E 153, i.e. activated charcoal. Liquorice is an extremely versatile sweet, as it can be processed into sweets, sticks, syrup or powder.

In our part of the world, the expression "to grate liquorice" has been coined. What do you mean by that?

Julia Bornhorst: People like to use this saying to flatter someone. And this saying really comes from liquorice, because the liquorice root is grated and used to be used as a sweetener, due to the sweetener glycyrrhizin. Because liquorice tastes sweet, this was symbolically transferred to 'sweet words' . The flattering metaphor of liquorice was already known to people in the 17th/18th century.

Alexander the Great gave his troops liquorice to make them less thirsty. What does liquorice do when you chew it?

Julia Bornhorst: Liquorice actually has several functions when chewed. Firstly, it stimulates the flow of saliva, can have a cleansing effect on the teeth and can even contribute to remineralisation, which is beneficial for dental health. The flow of saliva is also perceived as helpful in cases of dry mouth, as it keeps the oral mucosa moisturised and gives us the feeling that we need to drink less, although the water balance is not actually replenished. Alexander the Great gave it to his troops not only to quench their thirst, but also to combat hunger. There are studies and expert opinions that suggest that liquorice can even curb the appetite, as it improves blood circulation and thus stimulates the metabolism. This makes you feel full more quickly. However, studies on this are still in their infancy and more is needed to better understand all of this. Another effect of chewing liquorice is that it has an anti-inflammatory effect and can therefore relieve irritation in the throat and inflammation of the stomach lining.

Until the 1970s, liquorice was still available as a medicine in pharmacies in Sweden. What was it used to treat?

Julia Bornhorst: It was very complex, because the health benefits seen in liquorice are the promotion of digestion and the antioxidant effect. It alleviates stomach complaints, has an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect, is expectorant, is used to lower liver values and strengthens the body's defences. This is why it used to be prescribed for a wide variety of illnesses. The main active ingredient here is glycyrrhizin. Today, liquorice is hardly used for medicinal purposes due to its possible side effects, as long-term use or even an overdose can lead to nausea and vomiting, high blood pressure, potassium deficiency and cardiac arrhythmia.

HARIBO began producing liquorice products 100 years ago. Since then, liquorice has been better known to us as a sweet. How much sugar does it contain?

Julia Bornhorst: In addition to the sugar that is often contained in liquorice, liquorice extract (glycyrrhizin) is also used to enhance the sweetness. It has to be said that glycyrrhizin has 50 times more sweetening power than sugar. The sugar therefore enhances the sweetness of the liquorice extract, so to speak. Many of our liquorice products have around 40 to 50 grams of sugar per 100 grams of product, i.e. we have just as much sugar in liquorice as in other fruit gums, sometimes even more than in cola. Given the high sugar content of liquorice, it should really only be eaten in moderation.

Liquorice varieties from Holland are among the best, and Calabria has the best growing regions. But it is also popular as an alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink. But too much is not good either. What does it do to the body?

Julia Bornhorst: The critical substance is glycyrrhizin. It affects the hormone balance, but also the mineral and water balance. So if we eat an excessive amount of liquorice, this can lead to sodium and water accumulation and at the same time to a loss of potassium. The consequences are muscle weakness, increased blood pressure and water retention. Interactions with certain medications such as digoxin, diuretics and antihypertensive drugs such as antihypertensives are also possible. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) therefore recommends a maximum consumption of 100 mg of glycyrrhizin per day, which corresponds to approx. 50 - 70 grams of normal liquorice. Sensitive people who have a problem with high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease or diabetes, for example, should generally steer clear of liquorice.

Ammonia is also added to some products. But that's not for children, is it?

Julia Bornhorst: That's right, ammonium chloride liquorice is definitely not for children, and for good reason. Salmiak, or rather ammonium chloride, is not just a harmless additive, but a chemically active substance that can have physically noticeable effects. It is a white, salty-hot tasting salt that is used in the food industry under the additive code E510, particularly in highly salty liquorice. In higher doses, ammonium chloride leads to hyperacidity of the blood and to impairment of the normal ion balance, which can then cause nausea, vomiting and neurological disorders.
This is why labelling is mandatory in Germany. If the ammonia content (ammonium chloride) exceeds 20 grams per kilogram, the labelling 'adult liquorice - no children's liquorice' is mandatory. There are three types of liquorice: children's liquorice, adult liquorice and strong liquorice. The labelling is necessary because, according to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), ammonium chloride is harmful in higher doses.

In the classic film "Gold Rush", the actor Charles Chaplin was able to eat his shoes and shoelaces because these props were made of liquorice. Which type of liquorice do you like best?

Julia Bornhorst: I have to admit that I don't really like eating liquorice. It's too tart and too bitter for me. I might eat a salted liquorice herring once in a while, but that's about it. I like it really sweet.

Uwe Blass

Julia Bornhorst studied and completed her doctorate at the Westfälische Wilhelms University of Münster. She worked for five years at the Institute of Nutritional Science at the University of Potsdam. She has been a professor of food chemistry at the University of Wuppertal since January 2019.