ABSTRACT
Introduction Aroma substances that comprise food avors occur in nature as complex mixtures of volatile compounds. However, a vast majority of volatile chemicals that have been isolated from natural avor extracts do not elicit aroma contributions that are reminiscent of the avor substance. For instance, n-hexanal is a component of natural apple avor [1]; however, when smelled in isolation its odor is reminiscent of “green, painty, rancid oil.” Similarly, ethyl butyrate provides a nondescript “fruity” aroma to blackberries, raspberries, and pears, but it does not distinctly describe the avor quality of any of these individual fruits. It has long been the goal of avor chemists to elucidate the identity of pure aroma chemicals that possess the unique avor character of the natural fruit, vegetable, meat, cheese, or spice from which they were derived. Frequently, these unique avor substances are referred to as “character-impact compounds” [2].
