ABSTRACT
The characteristic flavors of food and beverages as well as the pleasing scent of perfumery products are generally the result of extremely complex multisubstance mixtures, containing several hundred compounds with different chemical structures. So in most cases, the flavor impression or scent character that we perceive as a single sensation when we enjoy one of these products is a complex sensory impression of many individual substances in specific concentration ratio. These volatile components, which are present in only minor amounts (ppm to ppt range), decisively influence the enjoyment and the acceptance of foodstuffs, perfumes, and personal care or household products. Only in rare cases are individual components (‘‘flavor impact compounds’’) responsible for odor and taste.
