Search

Seeds of Parkia biglobosa, also called African locust bean seeds (ALBSs), are used to produce a condiment by subjecting them to cooking, alkaline fermentation, and drying. The objective of this work was to monitor the evolution of the composition of ALBS during spontaneous fermentation. Results showed that the seeds at initial time contained mainly proteins (45%) and lipids (36%). During fermentation, the conversion of this initial composition took place to produce ammonium, free amino acids, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that accounted for 2%, 10%, and 1.5% dry basis, respectively, which explains the typical flavor of fermented ALBS. This release was also concomitant with biogenic amine production. Along with ammonium and SCFA release, pyrazines were the major volatile organic compounds. Composition modulation was well represented by a Verhulst equation in which the dynamic could be modified by the initial composition of the seed, the pre-cooking step, and the fermentation conditions (temperature and aeration). Practical applications: For nutritional and sustainability reasons, re-integration of vegetable in general and legumes, in particular in our diet, is a current trend. However, only dish that are appealing to consumers are concretely adopted. Fermentation of legumes is interesting in more than one way. It does not involve heat, so thermolabile molecules can be preserved and the financial and energetic costs are low. Biological interesting molecules are produced from the metabolism of microorganisms, and among them, volatile organic compounds that contribute to enhance the flavor of legume dishes. Soumbala is a meal and/or condiment obtained from the fermentation of African locust bean (Parkia biglobosa) seeds (ALBSs), a legume widely spread in west Africa. The final typical sensory properties are known to be due to the alkaline fermentation step by Bacillus species. This paper presents the kinetics of release of various compounds during spontaneous fermentation that may impact the sensory and nutritional properties of the final product. More precisely, the dynamic of the production of free amino acids, free fatty acids, volatile compounds, and biogenic amines are presented and discussed to give insights into the succession of important reactions to control the sensory and nutritional qualities of fermented ALBS (FALBS). This paper shows that further research are necessary to better understand and control the quality of not only FALBS but also similar protein-rich legumes to modulate the quality of the final products.

Citrus juices can be cold-concentrated by crossflow microfiltration (CMF) in order to obtain functional foods enriched in carotenoids, flavonoids and pectins. The work aimed to characterize the organoleptic quality of this type of micronutrient-dense foods through their aroma profile and sensory analysis. Two citrus concentrates with and without a diafiltration step were compared.Both citrus products were very different, linked to aroma compound, sugar and organic acid contents. Due to its sugar/acidity balance and its better aromatic profile responsible for the citrus-floral flavour, the concentrate without diafiltration was preferred by the sensory panel. Thanks to a simple transfer model, we showed that retention of volatiles clearly varied from one aroma compound to another. The terpene hydrocarbons were the most retained by the membrane during CMF, probably because they were strongly associated with insoluble solids by adsorption.Even though the process modified their organoleptic profiles, both citrus-based products were well rated and can be consumed directly as pleasant functional drinks. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Post-harvest processing (PHP) modifies the quality of the coffee and increases the value of coffee production. The choice of PHP to apply depends primarily on the available infrastructure, local climatic conditions and the desired end-value. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of PHP on the physico-chemical characteristics of green and roasted coffee beans and their sensory attributes. Coffee cherries from IAPAR 59 cultivar were processed as natural coffee (CN), semi-dry coffee (CD), de-pulped coffee (CP) and floating coffee (CF). Total and reducing sugars, phenolic compounds, chlorogenic acids, lipids, proteins, caffeine and water content were determined in coffee beans collected during (10thday) and at the end of each processing. The roasted beans and their sensory attributes were also analyzed. The greatest changes at the ending point of the processes were found in total and reducing sugars, phenolic compounds, chlorogenic acids and lipids contents. The PHP presented different weight loss to achieve the same visual brown color and luminosity. Beverage sensory attributes were influenced by the PHP: CN and CP coffees presented similar intensities of coffee aroma, but higher intensity of green grassy aroma, and taste were found in CF and CN coffees. Aroma and taste precursors were modified during the PHP and these were associated to husk removal of the coffee beans, suggesting an activation of the germination metabolism during the PHP. This study allowed the characterization of the effects of the different post-harvest processing on the roasted coffee beans and provides the foundations to monitor their efficiencies in the future. Made available in DSpace on 2022-01-25T14:00:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Flavor-precursors-and-sensory-attributes.pdf: 573175 bytes, checksum: 368650d928db2098f3cb1c6ea8173d83 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2020

Cocoa pod-opening delay and bean fermentation promote the organoleptic quality of chocolate. The present research investigated the changes in the volatile fingerprint of cocoa harvested at a traditional plantation. Cocoa beans extracted from 2-days pod-opening delay were simultaneously fermented for 5 days using container and then sun-dried to 7-8% moisture content at five different locations: Akoupé, San Pedro, Soubré, Djekanou and Daloa. The aromatic analysis were done on cocoa using the HS-SPME-GC/MS technique. Professional panelists evaluated the sensory perceptions of the chocolate. The results shows that cocoa fermented in both Daloa and Soubré regions were differentiated by 2,3-butanediol while those processed in other regions presented highest acetoin content. However, fermented cocoa from Soubré region exhibited most amount of 2,3-butanediol, diacetate A whereas 2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine differentiated those from Daloa region. Sensory properties of chocolate were not linked to the aromatic compound precursors profile of beans. The fermentation performed in San Pédro region promote both the generation of more desirable aromatic compounds of cocoa and sensory attributes of the finished chocolate. The fermentation location generates a greater differentiation of the volatile fingerprint of cocoa and the sensory perceptions of the finished chocolate.

Gari is a roasted fermented granular product made from cassava in many African countries. It is consumed raw, or added with water, or cooked into a paste. Up to now, gari enriched with palm oil and/or soybean is not available on Beninese markets. To our knowledge, no sensory profiling using appropriate methodology has been conducted on gari in Benin. The sensory studies on gari in Benin and other African countries only included general descriptors (appearance, taste, odor). The aim of our study was to establish a detailed sensory and physicochemical profile of nine traditional and three enriched gari made using different processes in Benin. Fifteen sensory descriptors of raw gari, and gari added with water, were generated and scored using quantitative descriptive analysis. The enriched gari differed from traditional gari mainly in color and odor, while their swelling capacity, texture during chewing, and light sour taste were similar. Marked variability in particle size, particle heterogeneity, water absorption, and sour taste was found among traditional gari. The physicochemical characteristics, such as degree of starch gelatinization, L‐lactic acid, and β‐carotene contents, were highly variable among the 12 gari. Multifactor analysis revealed highly significant correlations between some physicochemical and sensory properties. The addition of soybean and/or palm oil did not affect most of the sensory properties of the traditional gari. The acceptability of these enriched gari with higher nutritive value by Beninese consumers should be tested to develop marketing strategies.

This research describes on-farm-inoculated cocoa bean fermentation with two selected strains of high aroma-producing Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolated from wine fermentation and their effects on volatile profile of resulted raw cocoa material and sensory characteristics of chocolates produced. Both strains produced suitably flavour-active esters, aldehydes, ketones and pyrazines in raw cocoa. Inoculation of S. cerevisiae at 0.5 g kg−1 significantly improved the volatile profile of raw cocoa beans and enabled production of chocolate with enhanced intense fresh fruits and floral notes. Chocolate produced thereof presented better overall quality attributed whatever the fermentation time in comparison to the chocolate issued from spontaneous fermentation. Our results suggested the ways of using selected enhanced yeasts as S. cerevisiae for on-farm implementation of bean fermentation as promising alternative possibilities to improve the cocoa fermentation process, desirable flavourful raw cocoa material and high-aroma-quality chocolates produced.

International audience; Flavor is an important property of fermented foods and largely results from the production of aroma compounds by microorganisms. In smear-ripened cheese varieties, surface microbiota is thought to contribute to the typicity of the aroma. Our objective was to identify key odorants in smear-ripened semi-hard cheese and the role of surface microbiota in their production. The strategy used was to generate three groups of cheeses from the same curd, which was ripened under regular conditions (C) or under two types of oxygen-barrier wrapping films (A and B), so as to prevent the growth of surface microbiota. Two extraction methods, head space trap (HST) and solvent-assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE), were coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). GC-MS/olfactometry was used to identify the most potent odorants. Cheeses were evaluated by sensory profiling. The three cheese groups had the same gross composition and pH in the core (5.48 ± 0.07). In contrast, cheeses C differed from the two other cheese groups. It had a higher pH at the surface (5.96 versus 5.51 in A and B), showed 10% more proteolysis, contained 2 to 3-fold more succinic and acetic acids and less lactic acid (8.1 g/kg in C versus around 14 g/kg in cheeses A and B). Moreover, one third of the volatile compounds detected by HST-GC-MS were present in a significant greater abundance in cheese C than in cheeses A and B, including a range of compounds arising from amino acid catabolism and lipolysis likely associated with surface microbiota activity. Twelve out of the 20 odorants identified by SAFE-GC-MS/olfactometry received higher olfactometry scores in cheese C. Cheese C were also characterized by a stronger and typical flavor and odor. These results contribute to a better knowledge of key odorants in smear-ripened cheeses and confirm the crucial role of surface microbiota in their production.

Vanilla flavor is derived from the cured fruits of two orchid species Vanilla planifolia and V. × tahitensis. About twenty other Vanilla species are also credited with scented fruits, but very little is known about their aromatic features. We investigated the aromatic compound content of the ripe fruits of 30 vanilla accessions obtained from eight species and three hybrids. Glucovanillin plus six phenolic and one anisic aglycones, extracted after enzymatic hydrolysis, were quantified by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Ultra-Violet detection. The analysis of the aromatic contents and the principal components showed clear-cut differences in the aromatic content of the species and varieties studied. The total content of aromatic compounds separated the three species most distantly related to V. planifolia, namely V. lindmaniana, V. crenulata and V. imperialis, from the other species notably by the absence of vanillin potential and a very low total aromatic potential (

Despite the importance of fermentation for cocoa quality, process parameters are not controlled under spontaneous conditions at farms. This study evaluates the influence of spontaneous fermentation and processing under laboratory-controlled conditions using the acidic reagents acetic and lactic acids on the cocoa quality of two cultivars, FEAR 5 and CCN 51, at the sensory and metabolomic levels. Under spontaneous conditions, cocoa differs in flavour quality. While FEAR 5 produces chocolate with good global quality, chocolate made with CCN 51 does not have outstanding quality attributes. Transformation under controlled conditions with acidic reagents increases the perception of fine aromatic notes such as fruity, nutty and floral attributes in chocolates made from both cultivars of cocoa. Metabolomic profiles allowed grouping of cocoa samples as a function of postharvest treatment. Twenty-five differential metabolites were identified during the postharvest processes, and these metabolites may be related to the expression of fine sensory attributes; however, more research is needed.

Review article.; International audience; Saliva is a complex fluid comprising electrolytes, small organic molecules, food and cellular fragments and proteins that fulfill numerous functions. For instance, saliva has a protective function against micro-organisms but also against oxidative stress in mouth. Thus, saliva plays a role in the control and modulation of damages resulting from oxidative stress in mouth. This article introduces the main salivary compounds involved in the oxidative stress and the ones involved in the neutralization of oxidant reactive species, the maintain of the salivary redox potential and in repairing damages on biomolecules from oxidative mechanisms. It reviews the knowledge on the effect of food consumption on salivary antioxidant capacity. This article deals also with emerging researches on the role of the salivary antioxidant capacity on perception. This effect results from the modulation of different chemical and biochemical reactions occurring in mouth and impacting flavour compounds by antioxidant molecules.; La salive est un fluide complexe contenant des électrolytes, des molécules organiques, des microorganismes, des débris alimentaires et cellulaires, mais aussi des protéines de différentes natures qui lui permettent d’assurer de nombreuses fonctions. La salive a entre autres un rôle dans le contrôle et la modulation des dommages résultant de mécanismes oxydants en bouche. Cet article introduit les principaux composés salivaires impliqués dans le stress oxydant et ceux impliqués dans la neutralisation de ces espèces oxydantes, le maintien du potentiel redox et la réparation des dommages issus de l’oxydation des biomolécules en bouche. Il propose un état des lieux des connaissances sur l’effet de l’alimentation sur le potentiel antioxydant de la salive. Cet article traite également de l’émergence de recherches portant sur le rôle de la capacité antioxydante salivaire dans la perception des aliments, résultant de son impact sur les réactions chimiques et biochimiques se produisant en bouche et impliquant les molécules de la flaveur.

The selection of fine flavour cocoa and coffee varieties can lead to attractive niche markets but germplasm need to be analysed for non-volatile compounds and aroma precursors. In the present study, green beans of 202 Theobroma cacao L. accessions (acc.), 64 Coffea arabica L. acc., 35 C. canephora Pierre ex A. Froehner, 7 C. arabusta Capot & Ake Assi and 2 C. canephora × C. congensis A. Froehner hybrids cultivated in Santo, Vanuatu, and harvested at full maturity, were analysed using High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC). In cocoa, 11 compounds were quantified: two alkaloids, two catechins, five proanthocyanidins, and two anthocyanins. Multivariate analyses revealed that Amenolado acc. are differentiated from Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario acc. due to their low caffeine, catechins, and proanthocyanidins contents. Hybrids involving an Amenolado parent also produce low non-volatile compounds contents. In coffee, 11 compounds were quantified: sucrose, two alkaloids, and eight chlorogenic acids. The two major species were differentiated by their mean caffeine content (12.69 mg/g in C. arabica vs. 16.04 mg/g in C. canephora), which is highly correlated with CGA and other chlorogenic acids. Each of the eight chlorogenic acids presented higher values in C. canephora. The ratio sucrose/alkaloids + chlorogenic acids was significantly higher in C. arabica (3.24) than in C. canephora (1.68) which could be an explanation for its comparative sweetness. Coffea arabusta interspecific hybrids presented an intermediate value (2.64). Congusta hybrids were low in sucrose. HPTLC is a cost-efficient technique when applied to germplasm characterization of non-volatile compounds in green cocoa and coffee beans. Chemotype selection appears promising for the development of fine flavor varieties.

A large fraction of the South-American cacao production is affected by new cadmium (Cd) regulations in cacao. This work was set up to characterize the distribution and speciation of Cd within the cacao fruit and to monitor potential Cd redistribution during cacao fermentation. In cacao fruits from four locations, Cd concentrations decreased with testa > nib ~ placenta ~ pod husk > mucilage. The distribution of Cd within cacao beans was successfully visualized using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and confirmed higher Cd concentrations in the testa than in the nib. Speciation analysis by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XANES) of unfermented cacao beans revealed that Cd was bound to O/N-ligands in both nib and testa. Fermentation induced an outward Cd migration from the nibs to the testa, i.e. against the total concentration gradient. This migration occurred only if the fermentation was sufficiently extensive to decrease the pH in the nib to

Chocolate is a widely consumed product worldwide due to its exquisite flavor, which comes from the unique and fascinating cocoa flavor. This flavor depends on little controllable variables such as the genotype and the agroecological niche, and on the other side, on postharvest operations: (1) cocoa transformation from seeds to beans that comprises cocoa seeds preconditioning, fermentation, and drying, and (2) the production of chocolate from the bean in which roasting is highlighted. Postharvest transformation operations are critically important because during these, cocoa flavor is formed, allowing the differentiation of two categories: bulk and specialty cocoa. In this sense, this article presents an overview of cocoa postharvest operations, the variables and phenomena that influence and control the physical and biochemical transformation from seeds to cocoa beans, and their relation to the formation of chocolate flavor. Moreover, research perspectives in terms of control and management of postharvest practices in order to obtain cocoa with differentiated and specialty characteristics "from bean to bar" are discussed.

There is constant demand from the fresh fruit sector for reliable non-destructive indicators to better predict the sensory quality of fruits. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relevance of density to predict mango sensory quality at the ripening stage. Models were built from density and the day of maturation to predict physicochemical indicators of sensory quality. Density of mangoes cv. ‘Kent’ from Peru, Ivory Coast, and Brazil were assessed at the green mature stage. Sensory characteristics (sweetness, sourness, mango aroma, and firmness intensity) and physicochemical parameters (dry matter content, soluble solids content, total soluble sugar content, titratable acidity, hue angle, and firmness) were assessed on ripe mangoes after storage at 18 °C. Mangoes with a higher density had a significantly higher intensity of sweetness, mango aroma, and lower intensity of firmness than mangoes with the lower density, whatever the origin. A minimum difference in density of 0.03-0.04 g mL−1 was needed to detect significant sensory differences. Physicochemical parameters associated with sensory quality were predicted by density whatever the origin of the fruit. An increase of 0.01 g mL−1 in density respectively led to an increase of 0.5% in dry matter content, total soluble sugar content, and 0.5°Brix in soluble solid content, and a decrease in hue angle of about 2° to 2.5°. A density threshold of 1.000 g mL-1 could be applied and easily used to sort heterogeneous batches of mangoes early in the supply chain according to their sensory potential.

International audience; The green revolution and globalization have profoundly transformed agri-food systems, leading to standardized food products of diminished taste quality. Geographical Indications (GIs) have emerged as powerful regulatory tools for sustaining alternative quality models. In this paper, we analyze GIs as governance tools for “terroir niches”, viewed as sociotechnical systems whose functioning is influenced by specific resources. Building on this framework, we study the reconfiguration of the Corsican clementine production area under a recent Geographical Indication. We show that the innovation trajectory was driven by specific resources (climate, with-leaf marketing), leading to the emergence of a niche that conflicted with the rules of the citrus regime. The implementation of a GI in the early 2000s strengthened this endogenous innovation pathway since it gave the niche renewed protection and prompted systemic changes. These results open prospects for cross-fertilization between GI studies and the Multi-Level Perspective on sustainability transitions.

Cocoa fermentation is a crucial step for the development of cocoa aroma and precursors of high quality cocoa and by-products. This bioprocess has been studied for years to understand cocoa chemical changes but some matters concerning changes in fat content remain that are investigated in this work. Changes in the quantity (free and total fat), extractability and composition of cocoa butter were assessed in samples from Madagascar, the Dominican Republic and Ecuador. Increases in free fat content were highlighted in samples from each origin thanks to the use of the 'soxtec' solvent method, which preserves the integrity of the butter. A 4.71% increase in free fat was measured in the Ecuadorian samples fermented for 144 h. Conversely, total fat content remained stable throughout fermentation. Protein and polyphenol contents decreases were linked to fat content augmentation by a strong negative interaction. Triglyceride and total and linked fatty acid kinetics (0 to 6 days) of the butter remained statistically stable during fermentation, as did unsaponifiable matter. The origin of fermentation had a predominant and significant impact on composition, revealed by PCA. This work underlines and explains the importance of fermentation process in improving yield of fat that can be extracted while preserving the composition of this cocoa butter. This study highlights an interaction in cocoa unfermented or partially fermented beans. This phenomenon causes butter content retention but is slowly broken after 72 h fermentation. Therefore, fermentation appears to be also necessary to enhance the cocoa butter content extracted from the nibs.

The fine flavor cocoa (FFC) market offers cocoa farmers better monetary and nonmonetary benefits than the bulk market. In this work, during cocoa fermentation, flavor formation was studied at different fermentation times based on sensory profiles, volatile compound contents and untargeted metabolomics. It was observed that chocolate quality is influenced by fermentation time. Thus, at 72 h, the sensory profiles showed no outstanding attributes, while at 96 h, the global quality presented a stronger influence of fine attributes, such as fruitiness, florality, spices and nuttiness. Finally, at 120/144 h, these FFC features diminished. Metabolomic fingerprint of cocoa beans (related to peptides, sugars, amino acids, and phenolic compounds) and the volatile fingerprint of chocolate showed a change according to the fermentation time. This allowed the proposal of 96 h as the optimal fermentation time to produce FFC beans. Additionally, 20 volatiles and 48 discriminating metabolites were defined as potential quality biomarkers.

International audience; Low pungency, high aromatic potential and red color, give to Piper borbonense its originality when compared to Piper nigrum. Effects of blanching, sweating and drying on these characteristics were assessed. The three operations had no impact on the concentration of piperine and essential oil but affected the composition of essential oil slightly and considerably affected the color of the pepper. The ''wet process " , including blanching, sweating and drying, had the largest impact on the composition of aroma, increasing para-cymene content by 89% and reducing safrole content by 33% in dried pepper compared to fresh. Blanching increased the drying rate thus reducing drying time. Drying had a major impact on color, which changed from red to brown. The biggest differences observed led to reductions of 2.2, 7.9 and 8.4 units in L ⁄ ,a ⁄ and b ⁄ values, when chromatic values measured in fresh pepper were compared to those of dried pepper.

RATIONALE Aromatic quality is a very important target for genetic improvement and breeding of Coffea arabica. For coffee geneticists, it is of paramount importance to set targets and breed for aromatic quality as expected by the coffee industry for the consumers. The objective of the study was to relate coffee industry quality demand to objective workable criteria for selection. METHODS We presented 60 random commercial samples to a panel made of professional cuppers from the industry for a Signal Detection sensorial analysis. Based on the results, we selected 12 samples representative of the diversity of quality evaluated by the panel. On this sub-sample, we ran i) a Lexicon sensorial analysis and ii) a SPME analysis of Volatile Compounds (VOC) on both green and roasted coffee. We then implemented several statistical analysis to relate the appreciation of the quality from the professional industry coffee cuppers to some objective quality attributes and specific VOCs. RESULTS After the Signal Detection sensorial Analysis, 3 consistant clusters were identified as: Super Specialty Quality Coffee, Specialty Coffee and Commercial Coffee. Lexicon analysis prove that Super Specialty had no negative flavor or aroma attributes and at least two faborable flavor or aroma attributes. Various VOCs appeared to be related to the Signal Detection Sensory Analysis. However, Limonene appeared to be the most discriminant one on green coffee. CONCLUSIONS & PERSPECTIVES To our knowledge, it is the first public study searching for objective Coffee Aromatic Quality based on a panel made of coffee industry professional cuppers. Limonene appeared to be a good proxy for market coffee aromatic quality measured on green coffee. This opens a strategy for Coffee Aromatic Quality genetic improvement based on the screening of candidates for the limonene content of green coffee. Searching for molecular markers related to Limonene will further speed up the genetic progress.

In Kenya coffee quality is determined by the grade proportions and beverage quality which are influenced by various factors including variety, shade and altitude. The objective was to characterize the quality of coffee produced by farmers producing traditional varieties and Ruiru 11 under shade or under full sun in Muranga County. One hundred and five farmers from 13 farmers' Cooperative societies were sampled from an altitude of 1300 to 1900MASL. The type of shade was characterized and it was found that in some cases trees along the hedge were observed to cast shade on coffee. In other farms, big trees in the coffee fields provided shade to the coffee below. Cherry was harvested and wet processed. Green coffee was roasted to medium roast, weighed out as whole beans (five cups of each sample). A panel of five judges evaluated the sensory attributes of the samples. Ten sensory attributes assessed for each coffee on a ten point scale: Fragrance/Aroma, flavour, aftertaste, acidity, body, balance, uniformity, clean cup, sweetness and overall perception. Generally, traditional varieties had significantly better fragrance, flavour, acidity and overall perception as rated by the panel. Altitude and shade did not seem to have any significant effect on the sensory characteristics. In terms of defects, coffee berry borer attack was significantly observed irrespective of the variety or whether coffee was under some shade or in full sun. The results are discussed in relation to possible impact of variety, altitude, and shade on coffee quality observing that shade/agro-forestry is one of the upcoming changes of coffee production systems to mitigate against climate change.

La nécessité de disposer d’une offre alimentaire qui permette aux consommateurs de suivre les recommandations nutritionnelles des organisations de santé publique est toujours aussi pressante. Pour cela il est nécessaire de développer des stratégies permettant de compenser les pertes organoleptiques associées à la réduction des teneurs en matières grasses et en sel et/ou sucre. Plusieurs stratégies sont déjà mises en oeuvre et/ou encore à l’étude. Notre laboratoire concentre ses travaux sur les stratégies s’appuyant sur les interactions multimodales, notamment entre les saveurs et les arômes. Dans cet article, nous présentons des études récentes qui nous ont permis de démontrer que certains arômes ont la capacité de renforcer la perception des saveurs salée et sucrée, mais aussi la perception de la matière grasse. Nous avons développé des méthodologies permettant de sélectionner, parmi les arômes naturellement présents dans un aliment, ceux qui sont associés à ces saveurs ; puis de tester ceux qui ont la capacité de compenser des réductions en gras, sel ou sucre pouvant aller jusqu’à 30%. Des réductions plus importantes peuvent être compensées sensoriellement en combinant cette stratégie avec d’autres stratégies comme la substitution partielle ou la distribution optimisée des composés gustatifs., The need for food supply that helps consumers to follow nutritional recommendations of public health organizations is still pressing. Therefore, it is required to develop strategies to compensate sensory losses associated with the decrease in the levels of fat and salt and/or sugar. Several strategies are already implemented and/or are still under study within research projects. Our laboratory focuses on strategies that aim leveraging multisensory interactions such as aroma-taste interactions. In this paper, we present recent studies that have allowed us to show that certain aromas can enhance the perception of salty and sweet taste, and the perception of fat content. We have developed methodologies which help selecting the aromas, naturally present in a food, that are associated to these tastes; then to test those aromas that have the ability to compensate for reductions in fat, salt or sugar up to 30%. Higher reductions can be targeted by combining this aroma-based strategy with others such as the partial substitution or the distribution optimisation of flavor-active compounds.

En Amazonie bresilienne, la pulpe d’acai se consomme traditionnellement naturelle et accompagne des plats sales. Depuis les annees 1990, l’acai s’exporte sur des modes de consommation sucres. Les auteurs s’interrogent sur le role des modes de consommation et des mecanismes qui garantissent la « qualite » aux consommateurs, dans la coexistence de differents circuits de commercialisation de la region metropolitaine de Belem (Para). La maniere dont les transformateurs traitent de la qualite renvoie a des attributs varies : sanitaire, productive (bio), sociale (equitable), gustative. Mise en avant exclusivement dans les circuits courts et non standardisee, la qualite gustative est liee a l’origine du fruit, aux pratiques de cueillette, de production et de transport. Circuits longs et courts se distinguent par les gouts des consommateurs et par des mecanismes formels ou informels de certification, bases sur des relations de confiance. Leur coexistence future depend de la mise en place de mecanismes garantissant la qualite gustative des pulpes, la diversite des gouts des consommateurs et l’inclusion des populations traditionnelles dans la filiere.

This work aims to sort cocoa beans according to chocolate sensory quality and phenolic composition. Prior to the study, cocoa samples were processed into chocolate in a standard manner, and then the chocolate was characterized by sensory analysis, allowing sorting of the samples into four sensory groups. Two objectives were set: first to use average mass spectra as quick cocoa-polyphenol-extract fingerprints and second to use those fingerprints and chemometrics to select the molecules that discriminate chocolate sensory groups. Sixteen cocoa polyphenol extracts were analyzed by liquid chromatography-low-resolution mass spectrometry. Averaging each mass spectrum provided polyphenolic fingerprints, which were combined into a matrix and processed with chemometrics to select the most meaningful molecules for discrimination of the chocolate sensory groups. Forty-four additional cocoa samples were used to validate the previous results. The fingerprinting method proved to be quick and efficient, and the chemometrics highlighted 29 m/ z signals of known and unknown molecules, mainly flavan-3-ols, enabling sensory-group discrimination.

To be able to account for sensory quality earlier in the assessment of a new banana hybrid in a selection scheme, the ability of instrumental parameters to predict the sensory perception of banana odour and aroma was investigated. Thirteen cultivated bananas and four new triploid hybrids were characterized by both sensory profiling and chemical analyses. PLS regression models were built using cultivated bananas, and the quality of predictions was validated using hybrids. Forty-one volatile compounds were detected in banana cultivars by SPME–GC–MS. Major differences were observed in the distribution of volatile compounds among cultivars. 3-methylbutyl esters were the most abundant in the 17 banana cultivars. PLS models were able to predict four odours (‘banana’, ‘fermented’, ‘grassy’, and ‘chemical’) and five aromas (‘banana’, ‘fermented’, ‘chemical’, ‘medicinal’, and ‘pineapple’) with a goodness of fit (R2) between 0.52 and 0.71. Two butanoate esters, 2-methylpropyl butanoate and 3-methylbutyl butanoate, mainly contributed to ‘banana’ odour and aroma. Two other esters, 3-methylbutyl acetate and ethyl 3-methylbutanoate contributed to the ‘fermented’, ‘chemical’, and ‘medicinal’ notes, suggesting that interactions between volatile compounds could lead to differences in the perception of odours and aromas. The ‘grassy’ odour was the only attribute which was negatively associated with volatile compounds. Total organic acids enhanced the ‘pineapple’ aroma, whereas it reduced the perception of the ‘banana’ aroma, suggesting interactions between volatile and non-volatile compounds or cognitive associations between aromas and sourness. In conclusion, PLS models can now be used for high throughput phenotyping to predict odours and aromas in dessert banana.

Agricultural resources give us food but also potential sources of feedstocks for the chemical industry. As demand from the growing human population rises, the food industry and the chemical industry face similar problems of scaling operations while sourcing the largest possible amount of at least reasonable-quality raw materials. Food is composed of complex structures formed from molecular assemblies ( e.g. particles, fibres, crystals) whose properties depend in part on the molecular species present. In this context, investigations are needed to better understand raw material structure and structure transformation mechanisms in order to improve manufacturing processes and the properties of the final product ( e.g. food), which means dedicated methodologies need to be developed. This review presents case studies illustrating advanced technologies designed for characterizing biopolymers, supramolecular complexes, cell membranes, enzymatic degradation of food matrices and biopolymers, flavor release dynamics during eating, cerebral multisensory integration of food and eating behavior.

Two series of compounds showing mass signals at m/z 605 and 893 (negative ionization mode) have been detected in fermented cocoa beans. This study objective is to identify these mass signals and characterize their structure in fermented cocoa samples. Our hypothesis is that these signals may correspond to ethyl-bridged flavan-3-ols resulting from flavan-3-ol condensation with acetaldehyde which is a microbial metabolite. Mass spectrometry was used to compare the retention times and mass fragmentation patterns between a model solution using epicatechin and procyanidin dimer B2, the major flavan-3-ols of cocoa, as precursors and extracts of fermented cocoa. Their identification was confirmed: four isomers of ethyl-linked epicatechin as well as several isomers of epicatechin-ethyl-procyanidin B2, in which B2 was mostly linked through its upper unit, were characterized in cocoa. This study demonstrates the presence of flavan-3-ol acetaldehyde condensation products in fermented cocoa beans and provides the first report of epicatechin-ethyl-procyanidin B2.

International audience; Beverage quality is a complex attribute of coffee ( Coffea arabica L.). Genotype (G), environment (E), management (M), postharvest processing, and roasting are all involved. However, little is known about how G × M interactions influence beverage quality. We investigated how yield and coffee leaf rust (CLR) disease (caused by Hemileia vastatrix Berk. et Br.) management affect cup quality and plant performance, in two coffee cultivars. Sensory and chemical analyses revealed that 10 of 70 attributes and 18 of 154 chemical volatile compounds were significantly affected by G and M. Remarkably, acetaminophen was found for the first time in roasted coffee and in higher concentrations under more stressful conditions. A principal component analysis described 87% of the variation in quality and plant overall performance. This study is a first step in understanding the complexity of the physiological, metabolic, and molecular changes in coffee production, which will be useful for the improvement of coffee cultivars.