Diffusion of aroma compounds in stirred yogurts with different complex viscosities

Addressing flavor challenges in reduced-fat dairy products: A review from the perspective of flavor compounds and their improvement strategies

In recent years, the demand for reduced-fat dairy products (RFDPs) has increased rapidly as the health risks associated with high-fat diets have become increasingly apparent. Unfortunately, lowering the fat content in dairy products would reduce the flavor perception of fat. Fat-derived flavor compounds are the main contributor to appealing flavor among dairy products. However, the contribution of fat-derived flavor compounds remains underappreciated among the flavor improvement factors of RFDPs. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the flavor perception mechanism of fat and the profile of fat-derived flavor compounds in dairy products. Furthermore, the characteristics and influencing factors of flavor compound release are discussed. Based on the role of these flavor compounds, this review analyzed the current and potential flavor improvement strategies for RFDPs, including physical processing, lipolysis, microbial applications, and fat replacement. Overall, promoting the synthesis of milk fat characteristic flavor compounds in RFDPs and aligning the release properties of flavor compounds from the RFDPs with those of equivalent full-fat dairy products are two core strategies to improve the flavor of reduced-fat dairy products. In the future, better modulation of the behavior of flavor compounds by various methods is promising to replicate the flavor properties of fat in RFDPs and meet consumer sensory demands.

Determination of Aroma Compound Partition Coefficients in Aqueous, Polysaccharide, and Dairy Matrices Using the Phase Ratio Variation Method: A Review and Modeling Approach

The partition of aroma compounds between a matrix and a gas phase describes an individual compound's specific affinity toward the matrix constituents affecting orthonasal sensory perception. The static headspace phase ratio variation (PRV) method has been increasingly applied by various authors to determine the equilibrium partition coefficient K in aqueous, polysaccharide, and dairy matrices. However, reported partition coefficients are difficult to relate and compare due to different experimental conditions, e.g., aroma compound selection, matrix composition, equilibration temperature. Due to its specific advantages, the PRV method is supposed to find more frequent application in the future, this Review aims to summarize, evaluate, compare, and relate the currently available data on PRV-determined partition coefficients. This process was designed to specify the potentials and the limitations as well as the consistency of the PRV method, and to identify open fields of research in aroma compound partitioning in food-related, especially dairy matrices.

Retention of aroma compounds: an interlaboratory study on the effect of the composition of food matrices on thermodynamic parameters in comparison with water

BACKGROUND

Partition coefficients give an indication of the retention of aroma compounds by the food matrix. Data in the literature are obtained by various methods, under various conditions and expressed in various units, and it is thus difficult to compare the results. The aim of the present study was first to obtain gas/water and gas/matrix partition coefficients of selected aroma compounds, at different temperatures, in order to calculate thermodynamic parameters and second to compare the retention of these aroma compounds in different food matrices.

RESULTS

Yogurts containing lipids and proteins induced a higher retention of aroma compounds than model gel matrices. The observed effects strongly depend on hydrophobicity of aroma compounds showing a retention for ethyl hexanoate and a salting out effect for ethyl acetate. A small but noticeable decrease in enthalpy of affinity is observed for ethyl butyrate and ethyl hexanoate between water and food matrices, suggesting that the energy needed for the volatilization is lower in matrices than in water.

CONCLUSION

The composition and complexity of a food matrix influence gas/matrix partition coefficients or aroma compounds in function of their hydrophobicity and to a lower extent enthalpy of vaporization.