Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition
Flavour sensations in food are highly influenced by the aroma and taste compounds. Reviewing the extensive literature of recent years in this field has shown that the reconstitution of flavour based on aroma and taste compounds poses numerous problems. These are of different nature and include among others (a) chemical transformations among these compounds, (b) changes in the concentrations of the compounds responsible for the perceived flavour, (c) interactions among the chemical compounds that enhance or reduce a specific flavour sensation, and finally, (d) the complexity of the different food matrices and its influence in the flavour perception. Another difficulty that flavour scientists must face is how to properly model and visualize the complex relationships existing between the chemical composition of foods and the flavour perception. These problems have repercussions on the reconstitution of the flavour signature of food based on the natural concentrations of its key aroma and taste compounds. Therefore, the main aim of this review is to deal with all these issues to propose potential solutions for a robust transformation in a science-based quality approach.
