The Interaction of Volatiles with Food Components

Binding of carbonyl flavours to canola, pea and wheat proteins using GC/MS approach

Interactions of homologous aldehydes (hexanal, heptanal, and octanal) and ketones (2-hexanone, 2-heptanone, and 2-octanone) to salt and alkaline-extracted canola and pea proteins and commercial wheat gluten were studied using GC/MS. Long-chain aldehyde flavours exhibited higher binding affinity, regardless of protein type and isolation method. Salt-extracted canola protein isolates (CPIs) revealed the highest binding capacity to all aldehydes followed by wheat gluten and salt-extracted pea protein isolates (PPIs), while binding of ketone flavours decreased in the order: PPIs>wheat gluten>CPIs. Two aldolisation products, 2-butyl-2-octenal and 2-pentyl-2-nonenal, were detected from the interactions between CPIs with hexanal and heptanal, respectively. Protein thermal behaviour in the presence of these compounds was analysed by differential scanning calorimeter, where decreased ΔH inferred potential conformational changes due to partial denaturation of PPIs. Compared to ketones, aldehyde flavours possessed much higher "unfolding capacity" (lower ΔH), which accounted for their higher binding affinities.

Wine matrix compounds affect perception of wine aromas

Wine is a complex alcoholic beverage. The wine matrix or the components that are present in the wine play an important role in the perceived aroma and flavor of the wine. The wine matrix is composed of two fractions, the nonvolatile fraction, which includes ethanol (in liquid phase), polyphenolic compounds, proteins, and carbohydrates, and the volatile fraction, which incorporates flavor and aroma compounds. Interactions among these compounds may arise through various mechanisms, thus affecting the sensory and chemical properties of the wine. The main focus of this review is to highlight recent research on wine component interactions and their effects on perceived aroma in the wine. An overview of the wine impact odorants and their determination using sensory and chemical methods is also provided in this paper.

Encapsulation of hydrophobic aroma in whey protein nanoparticles

Aroma-loaded nanoparticles (d < 300 nm) were prepared by cross-linking denatured whey protein through pH-cycling. The effect of nanoparticulation conditions and aroma concentration on the physicochemical characteristics of nanoparticles and aroma release profile was studied. Better retention of aroma was observed when ethyl hexanoate was added before nanoparticle formation. The highest aroma retention was obtained for nanoparticles produced at pH 5.0 and 5.5 without calcium addition. These nanoparticles are characterized by a less compact and more porous internal structure allowing a higher loading of aroma. Increasing aroma concentration increased the diameter and the voluminosity of the aroma-loaded nanoparticles. The percentage of aroma retention showed an increase from 7% to 24% over the tested concentration range while the value averaged 2% for native or denatured whey protein. Encapsulation of ethyl hexanoate in whey protein nanoparticles reduced the mass transfer of aroma at the surface of the matrix and improved its retention.

Effect of milk protein concentrate on lipid oxidation and formation of fishy volatiles in herring mince (Clupea harengus) during frozen storage

The effect of milk protein concentrate (MPC) at 0, 2, 4, and 6% on lipid oxidation and volatile formation in frozen stored herring mince (-18 degrees C) was evaluated by analyzing samples at 0, 2, and 4 months for fatty acid composition, volatiles, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Sensory evaluation was also conducted to assess the intensity of fishy odor, and the volatiles were analyzed using static headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SHGC-MS). The addition of 4 and 6% MPC to herring mince resulted in a 33% and 50% reduction of TBARS, respectively, at month 4 and lessened the intensity of fishy odor throughout storage. However, MPC did not protect fatty acids from enzymatic degradation unless it was added immediately after mincing. Volatile analysis using SHGC-MS showed that 4% MPC was able to reduce headspace volatiles associated with fishy odor. MPC is most effective for reducing 4-heptenal, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2-hexenal, and 1-penten-3-ol, which are known to be potent odorants associated with lipid oxidation.

Composition rather than viscosity modifies the aroma compound retention of flavored stirred yogurt

The influence of thickening agents (modified starch/pectin mixture 0 and 7 g/L) and mechanical treatment (low, medium, and high) on the retention of esters (pentyl acetate and ethyl pentanoate), aldehydes (hexanal and (E)-2-hexenal), and a lactone (gamma-octalactone) in low-fat flavored stirred yogurts were investigated under equilibrium conditions. In the range studied, the thickening agent and mechanical treatment had little influence on aroma compound retention compared to the decreasing effect of increasing dairy protein concentration on aldehyde retention and the "salting out" effect of carbohydrates on esters. Moreover, experiments in dynamic mode (study of the release of hexanal when yogurts were heated) showed, in the conditions studied, that heat and mass transfer coefficients were not influenced by any of the studied factors (thickening agents and mechanical treatment). These results under static and dynamic conditions are not related to the significant decreasing effect of thickening agents on apple sensory scores associated with hexanal, observed in a previous sensory study. Thus, this sensory effect of thickening agents may be due to sensory interactions between perceptions rather than physicochemical interactions.

Influence of physicochemical interactions between amylose and aroma compounds on the retention of aroma in food-like matrices

In food matrices, where starch is often used as a gelling or texturing agent, the occurrence of amylose-aroma complexes and their effect on the release of aroma compounds are difficult to determine. Indeed, thick or gelled systems are known to reduce the diffusion rate of flavor molecules, resulting in an increase of retention. Moreover, interactions between aroma compounds and matrix components might increase the retention of aroma compounds. The complexing behavior of three aroma compounds with amylose was studied by DSC and X-ray diffraction to determine the relative importance of these two factors. Their interaction properties were different: two of them formed complexes, and the third did not. These aroma compounds were added in food matrices containing different starches that induced different textures. Their retention was studied by static headspace analysis. The retention of aroma compounds appeared to depend on the amylose/amylopectin ratio of starch, both from the formation of complexes and by a viscosity effect.

Interactions between artificial saliva and 20 aroma compounds in water and oil model systems

The interactions between saliva components and 20 aroma compounds in water and oil model systems were systematically evaluated as a function of saliva composition and saliva/model system ratio. Air/liquid partition coefficients of dimethyl sulfide, 1-propanol, diacetyl, 2-butanone, ethyl acetate, 1-butanol, 2-pentanol, propyl acetate, 3-methyl-1-butanol, ethyl butyrate, hexanal, butyl acetate, 1-hexanol, 2-heptanone, heptanal, alpha-pinene, 2-octanone, octanal, 2-nonanol, and 2-decanone were determined by static headspace gas chromatography. Chain length of compounds within the homologous series determined the extent of interactions with the model system or saliva. Salts in the artificial saliva hardly interacted with aroma compounds. On the other hand, saliva proteins lowered retention of highly volatile compounds and increased retention of less volatile, hydrophobic compounds. Significant differences in volatility of compounds when artificial saliva or water was added indicated that saliva could not be sufficiently replaced by water. The model system/saliva ratio influenced air/liquid partitioning of the aroma compounds significantly for both model systems. Although saliva composition affected volatility of the aroma compounds, the saliva/model system ratio was of much greater influence.

Effect of pH on retention of aroma compounds by beta-lactoglobulin

Interactions between volatile compounds and BLG in aqueous solution were studied using static and dynamic headspace techniques (exponential dilution). The intensity of interactions between methyl ketones (C7-C9), ethyl esters (C6-C9), limonene, myrcene, and beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) were estimated by determination of the relative infinite dilution activity coefficients (gamma(r)). For a constant pH value, the methyl ketones retention by BLG increased significantly with the hydrophobicity of the volatiles, whereas the retention reached a maximum for ethyl octanoate in the ester series, indicating a possible steric hindrance. For limonene and myrcene an unexpected increase in headspace concentration or "salting out" effect was noticed for acid pH. The variations of the retention according to the pH increase of the medium from pH 3 to pH 11 could be related to structural modifications of the BLG. The retention increase observed between pH 3 and pH 9 resulted from the flexibility modification of the protein, allowing better accessibility to the primary or the secondary hydrophobic sites, whereas the dramatic decrease observed at pH 11 was the consequence of the alkaline denaturation of BLG. Electrostatic interactions occurring at pH 7.5 could also explain the observed retention increase.

Effect of ultrasound emulsification on cheese aroma encapsulation by carbohydrates

The encapsulation of liquid cheese aroma (20%) in different carbohydrate matrices by spray-drying was investigated. Carbohydrate stabilized emulsions have been prepared by two emulsifying methods, ultrasonic or Ultra-Turrax treatments, and have been compared in terms of emulsion stability and encapsulation efficiency. The use of ultrasound is particularly effective to obtain a stable emulsion with maltodextrin as support, which is known for poor emulsification properties. In the same way, the spray-dried maltodextrin microcapsules were more effective for retaining cheese aroma when ultrasound (12.7 g/100 g of dry powder) was used for the emulsification step rather than Ultra-Turrax (10.7 g/100 g of dry powder). In terms of encapsulation efficiency, the best system of cheese aroma encapsulation is obtained using ultrasound for the emulsification step and modified starch as support (94.3%). With this support, the positive effect of ultrasound resulted in a lower microcaspsule size and in a higher aroma retention than when Ultra-Turrax was used (83.3%). Studies on the aroma profiles showed changes after encapsulation that depend not only on the nature of the support and the emulsification method but also on the interactions between the aroma compound and the matrix. In terms of flavor quality, the best system of cheese aroma encapsulation is obtained using ultrasound and maltodextrin as support.

Study of interactions between food phenolics and aromatic flavors using one- and two-dimensional (1)H NMR spectroscopy

Changes in flavor release and aroma characteristics in a medium including food phenolics may be attributed to an intermolecular interaction between flavor compounds and phenolics. To investigate the interaction, one- and two-dimensional NMR studies have been carried out on the binding of two phenolics, gallic acid and naringin, with three aroma compounds, 2-methylpyrazine, vanillin, and ethyl benzoate. Evaluation of thermodynamic parameters and intermolecular nuclear Overhauser effects reveals that gallic acid can interact more strongly with aromatic flavors than naringin. The supramolecular complexation is also dependent on the structural nature of the flavors, with 2-methylpyrazine and vanillin interacting more strongly than ethyl benzoate. The interaction is principally pi-pi stacking between the galloyl ring and the aromatic ring of the aroma compounds, but secondary hydrogen-bonding effects help to stabilize the complex and enhance the specificity.

Soy flavor and its improvement

A highly characteristic and often undesirable flavor associated with soy protein materials largely explains the slower-than-expected progress over recent years in the development of high-protein foods based on soya. Apart from the inherent flavor of the bean, different flavors are produced on processing and on storage. Major problems are the absence of an attractive positive flavor, the presence of off-flavors of several kinds, the tenacious binding of such flavors to the soy protein molecules, and the difficulties of removing and/or masking these unacceptable qualities. This review provides a reappraisal of current literature evidence relating to each of these aspects and summarizes published patents of processes for soy flavor improvement.

Flavor potentiators

This review provides extensive presentation and evaluation of data relative to flavor potentiation, including the historical, chemical, organoleptic, metabolic, physiological, and consumptive properties of the commonly available flavor potentiators, which are primarily monosodium glutamate and 5'-nucleotides. In addition, their food occurrences, mode of action, manufacturing procedures, and methods of analyses will be discussed. Also, attention will be given to miscellaneous compounds that possess flavor potentiating properties.