The field of food science has increasingly focused on understanding the interactions between food matrices and flavor compounds, as these interactions play a crucial role in determining human flavor perception. The concentration of flavor substances in the environment is pivotal, and the release process from food matrices significantly influences this concentration. The complexity of food matrices, which include lipids, sugars, amino acids, peptides, proteins, nucleic acids, and other compounds, presents a challenge in understanding how these components affect the release and perception of flavor molecules. Current research has identified the need to analyze and identify the types of food matrices that interact with flavor molecules, elucidate the mechanisms of these interactions, and clarify their specific effects on flavor release. Despite advancements, there remains a gap in fully understanding these interactions at a molecular level, necessitating further investigation to improve food flavor quality through process optimization.
This research topic aims to explore the process of food flavor release and the mechanisms of interaction between flavor compounds and various food matrices. The objectives include using existing or novel methodologies to investigate the mode of action, size, characterization, and effects of these interactions. The research will focus on establishing new methodologies and understanding interaction mechanisms at the molecular level, which are crucial for advancing knowledge in this area.
To gather further insights into the interactions between food matrices and flavor compounds, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- The release process of food flavor compounds
- The role of water molecules in the process of food flavor release
- Interaction of different classes of flavor compounds with specific food matrices, including mode of action, magnitude, characterization, and mechanisms of action
- Interaction of different food matrices with a single or specific class of flavor compounds, including mode of action, magnitude, characterization, and mechanisms of action
- New methods for studying the interaction between food flavor substances and matrices, such as IR, UV, UMR, ITC, etc.
- Molecular modeling and molecular dynamics related research tools
Keywords: Food matrices, odor, flavor compounds, interactions, volatiles
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
