Volatile Compounds in Food Systems: Consumer Perception, Biological Activity, and Novel Analytical Methods
A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Quality and Safety".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2023) | Viewed by 2170
Special Issue Editors
Interests: chromatography-mass spectrometry; metabolomics; analytical chemistry; bioactivity; flavor; consumer perception
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: volatile organic compounds; food aroma; food microbiology; food biotechnology; food chemistry; sensory evaluation; flavour chemistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
As consumers, we know that flavor, comprising aroma and taste, is one of the main traits determining food and beverage preferences. Specifically, aroma has been recognized to play a key role in food acceptance, as it is one of the first attributes perceived by the olfactory sense. Hundreds of volatile compounds compose food aroma, although only a small fraction contributes to consumer perception. These influential volatiles are referred to as “aroma-active” compounds, and their determination—together with aroma differentiators—is fundamental to improve flavor consistency and enhance consumer experiences. Some volatiles are naturally synthesized in raw food, such as terpenoids, aldehydes, and esters in fruits, but others are generated during food processing; fermentation results in specific volatiles from yeast metabolism, which participate in bread and wine aroma, while baking leads to Maillard volatiles with roasted notes such as pyrazines in cookies and coffee. Furthermore, some volatiles, particularly terpenoids, demonstrate biological benefits, including anticarcinogenic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiallergic activities; some of these properties could be beneficial for the food industry, such as antimicrobial effects against foodborne pathogens. Therefore, analyzing volatiles is essential, and the use of chromatography‒olfactometry/mass spectrometry or electronic sensing devices could complement sensory studies. The aim of this Special Issue is to gather research papers and review articles describing the influence of food volatiles in consumer preferences and health. Submissions dealing with the development of improved and novel analytical methods for determining volatiles are welcome.
Dr. Joana Pico
Dr. Maria Tufariello
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- volatile compounds
- terpenoids
- fermentation
- baking
- fruits and vegetable
- processed food and beverages
- consumer perception
- bioactivity
- chromatography‒mass spectrometry
- electronic sensing devices
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