Aroma Perception of Rose Oxide, Linalool and α-Terpineol Combinations in Gewürztraminer Wine

Cis-Rose oxide was found to be an important chiral compound in Gewürztraminer wine, with an enantiomeric ratio range from 76 to 58%. The enantiomeric ratio showed an important influence on white wine aroma when other monoterpenes were present. The aim of this study was to evaluate rose oxide at different ratios and changes to aroma perception, and the interaction of rose oxide with linalool and α-terpineol. A wine model was made based on Gewürztraminer wine. Twelve models were created with different ratios of rose oxide and concentrations of linalool and α-terpineol. Triangle tests, check-all-that-apply (CATA) and descriptive analysis were used to evaluate the aroma of the wines. Results show that the rose oxide ratios of 70:30 and 65:35 were statistically different. Additional descriptive analysis showed that the ratios altered aroma when linalool and α-terpineol were at low and medium concentrations. At high concentrations, linalool and α-terpineol masked any influence from rose oxide. Understanding how monoterpenes alter aroma perception of white wine when at different combinations and concentrations is important to achieving desired wine qualities and helps provide information on how flavor chemistry results can be interpreted without having to run sensory analysis.

The Flavor Chemistry of Fortified Wines—A Comprehensive Approach

For centuries, wine has had a fundamental role in the culture and habits of different civilizations. Amongst numerous wine types that involve specific winemaking processes, fortified wines possess an added value and are greatly honored worldwide. This review comprises the description of the most important characteristics of the main worldwide fortified wines—Madeira, Port, Sherry, Muscat, and Vermouth—structured in three parts. The first part briefly describes the chemistry of wine flavor, the origin of typical aroma (primary, secondary and tertiary), and the influencing parameters during the winemaking process. The second part describes some specificities of worldwide fortified wine, highlighting the volatile composition with particular emphasis on aroma compounds. The third part reports the volatile composition of the most important fortified wines, including the principal characteristics, vinification process, the evolution of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the aging processes, and the most important odor descriptors. Given the worldwide popularity and the economic relevance of fortified wines, much research should be done to better understand accurately the reactions and mechanisms that occur in different stages of winemaking, mainly during the oxidative and thermal aging.

Flavor Chemistry of Virgin Olive Oil: An Overview

Virgin olive oil (VOO) has unique chemical characteristics among all other vegetable oils which are of paramount importance for human health. VOO constituents are also responsible of its peculiar flavor, a complex sensation due to a combination of aroma, taste, texture, and mouthfeel or trigeminal sensations. VOO flavor depends primarily on the concentration and nature of volatile and phenolic compounds present in olive oil which can change dramatically depending on agronomical and technological factors. Another aspect that can change the flavor perception is linked to the oral process during olive oil tasting. In fact, in this case, some human physiological and matrix effects modulate the flavor release in the mouth. The present review aims to give an overview on VOO flavor, with particular emphasis on the mechanisms affecting its production and release during a tasting.

361 Beef flavor chemistry and how it influences sensory perception

Flavor can be simply defined as the combination of taste and aroma. Taste refers to the five basic receptors: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami. Flavor is the perception of chemical compounds reacting with receptors in the oral and nasal cavities (aroma) in combination with taste. For beef, flavor is considered a primary eating quality trait. Flavor is developed during cooking through a combination of numerous chemical reactions, principally the Maillard reaction and oxidation of lipids. Any factor which mediates precursor compounds to these reactions may influence flavor chemistry and final perceived flavor. For the Maillard reaction, water-soluble compounds, such as free-amino acids and sugars, are essential and allow for the development of characteristic beef flavors. Likewise, oxidation of lipids, to a degree, provides beef -species-specific flavor. However, too much oxidation contributes to off-flavor. Both pre- and post-harvest factors may influence beef flavor precursor content and composition prior to cooking. Beef finishing diet is well understood to influence fatty acid composition. Meanwhile, carcass grade and muscle type each influence fatty acids. During post-mortem aging, free-amino acids and other metabolites accumulate in response to proteolysis. Recent work indicates that packaging type and retail environment also influence flavor precursor compounds. Finally, the aforementioned flavor pathways, lipid oxidation and the Maillard reaction, are initiated and accelerated during cooking. Therefore, degree-of-doneness and cookery type greatly influence beef flavor chemistry. These examples briefly depict how beef flavor chemistry may be influenced by common production factors, retail settings, and consumer preparation of beef. The resulting beef flavor dictates consumer liking of beef. Therefore, understanding beef flavor chemistry is integral to maintaining or increasing consumer satisfaction with beef.

Sensory Lexicons and Formation Pathways of Off-Aromas in Dairy Ingredients: A Review

Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the health benefits of dairy ingredients. However, products fortified with dairy proteins are experiencing considerable aroma challenges. Practices to improve the flavor quality of dairy proteins require a comprehensive understanding of the nature and origins of off-aroma. Unfortunately, existing information from the literature is fragmentary. This review presents sensory lexicons and chemical structures of off-aromas from major dairy ingredients, and it explores their possible precursors and formation mechanisms. It was found that similar chemical structures often contributed to similar off-aroma descriptors. Lipid degradation and Maillard reaction are two primary pathways that commonly cause aroma dissatisfaction. Traditional and novel flavor chemistry tools are usually adopted for off-aroma measurements in dairy ingredients. Strategies for improving aroma quality in dairy derived products include carefully selecting starting materials for formulations, and actively monitoring and optimizing processing and storage conditions.