Food Aroma - Identifying the Chemistry of Smell

Aroma is an important sensory factor in the perception of food.  But what exactly makes a food smell pungent, or savory, or foul?  The chemistry of aroma, or smell, can be very complex.  There are an estimated 10,000 volatile compounds across all foods that can contribute to the specific smell of a given food.  Yet only a few hundred determine the aroma of the food we eat.

In this study, we developed a novel approach to identifying aroma compounds in foods.  Using a combination of GCMS and GC-SCD (sulfur chemiluminescence detector) along with employing metabolomic techniques, we were able to identify and quantitate key aroma compounds in various foods and beverages.  Samples include several aromatic beverages (beer, wine, spirits, and coffee) and foods (kimchi, soy sauce, and cheese).  

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the individual compounds that comprise the smell of foods.

2. Understand the analytical tools used to identify those compounds.

3. Learn about different approaches to measuring food aroma.