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food aroma and during consumption is a complicated process in which taste, mouthfeel, vision,
olfaction, the trigeminal system and even auditory signals contribute to the total appreciation of a
food product (Sheperd, 1995; Meiselman, 1996). When food is processed in the mouth, it is
subjected to changes in temperature, mechanical deformation and effects caused by saliva such
as dilution and enzymatic breakdown of certain food ingredients such as starch (de Wijk and
Prinz, 2005). Non-volatile compounds that are responsible for the basic tastes diffuse into the
saliva and subsequently reach the gustatory receptors. Furthermore, during oral processing and
after swallowing, volatile aroma compounds are released from the food matrix and are able to
flow to the olfactory epithelium, where they interact with olfactory receptors. During food
intake, the different senses interact in a non-linear way. Cross-modal phenomena, in which
aroma influences the perception of the taste (and vice versa) of a food product, have been
described (Stevenson et al., 1999; Hort and Hollowood, 2004; Pfeiffer et al., 2005). These
interactions are most prominent for sweetness and congruent aromas like strawberry and include
both synergistic and antagonistic effects. Additionally, perceived properties such as thickness
and creaminess may be enhanced by congruent aromas (Bult et al., 2007). Cross-modal
interactions have, in particular, been reported for semi-solid gelled food systems such as yoghurt
(Rolls, 2005; Hollowood et al., 2002; Weel et al., 2002; Cook et al., 2003a,b; Lethuaut et al.,
2004; Saint-Eve et al., 2004; Visschers et al., 2006).
In the human brain the orbitofrontal cortex is an important site where representations of the
various sensory properties of food converge. The orbitofrontal cortex is also the region where the
short-term sensory-specific control of appetite and ingestion is regulated (Rolls, 2004). Sensory
effects, generated by the sensory properties of food, are probably among the most important
factors leading to satiation and meal termination (Sorensen et al., 2003).
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Aroma compounds are present in food in a wide concentration range and their impact on food
aroma not only depends on their concentration, but also on their odor thresholds. The thresholds
of some odorous compounds in aqueous systems can be found in the literature
(http://www.leffingwell.com/odorthre.htm; http://www.leffingwell.com/ald1.htm; Ma, Chyau, &
Pan, 2004; Meynier, Genot, & Gandemer, 1998). Both threshold values and concentrations of the
single VOCs will contribute to the overall VOC equilibrium, which will determine the final food
aroma and flavor acceptance. Aroma compounds are mainly comprised of organic molecules
present in the liquid or gaseous state, and are characterized by a low molecular weight (<400 Da;
Soccol, Medeiros, Vandenberghe, Soares, & Pandey, 2008), most of them having a lipophilic
character. The main aroma compound classes are discussed as follows.
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food aroma incorporation systems are needed to warrant their successful inclusion and
protection, thus avoiding their degradation and formation of off-flavor and/or off-odor in the
final products. Recently, a series of emerging processing technologies (e.g., nonthermal
technologies, nanotechnology) have been explored as an alternative to conventional
technologies, in order to obtain safe products with sensory and nutritional attributes similar to
those of fresh products. These techniques aim to improve their sustainability and to reduce their
environmental impact, without disregarding the process performance parameters and the quality
and safety of food aroma compounds. This chapter provides an overview of the main natural and
technology-derived food aroma compounds, with a critical focus on the novel extraction and
delivery strategies, as well as on the effects of emerging food processing technologies on food
aroma.
