ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the retention/release mechanisms of odorant/aroma compounds as a function of food composition. Aroma compounds activate olfactory receptors, via the orthonasal route, by smelling the food before consumption, and via the retronasal route during the in-mouth process. Food acceptability for the consumer is mainly driven by organoleptic properties and among them flavor perception. Orthonasal and retronasal olfaction differ in terms of odor quality and threshold, and the two modes have different impacts on consumption behavior. Most developed and developing countries are confronted with a rising rate of nutrition-related pathologies, notably obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes, which are related to unbalanced diets characterized by excess consumption of fat, salt, and sugar. The rate of aroma release from products is controlled by the volatility of the aroma compounds in the product and the resistance to mass transfer from product to air.
