Advance in Volatile Compounds and Aroma Chemistry of Food
A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Analytical Methods".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 July 2026
Special Issue Editors
Interests: sensory evaluation of food and flavour chemistry; mass spectrometry and NMR techniques; meat chemistry and biochemistry; metabolomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: mass spectrometry; method validation; toxicology; food safety; laboratory accreditation; food fraud; customs; analytical chemistry; forensic science
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
The largest contribution to the diversity and complexity of food flavor arises from volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the airborne molecules detected by olfactory receptors. These low molecular weight compounds vary widely in chemical structure, sensory thresholds, and interactions with the food matrix, making them central to both desirable flavor development and the formation of off-flavors. A deeper understanding of their origin, formation pathways, and sensory impact is essential for designing more effective strategies to monitor, preserve, and control flavor quality in food products across processing, storage, and distribution.
This issue will focus on studies that incorporate comprehensive VOC determination from a variety of food systems as an integral component of sensory and flavor chemistry research. A particular emphasis is placed on methodological innovations across the entire analytical workflow, encompassing both novel sample preparation techniques for efficient VOC isolation/concentration and subsequent advanced detection platforms. We welcome work that demonstrates innovative analytical approaches, including the use of advanced mass spectrometry, sensor technologies, electronic noses, and data-driven methods. Studies leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) or machine learning tools for pattern recognition, prediction, and interpretation of complex VOC datasets will be especially valued.
Prof. Dr. Michel Aliani
Dr. Geraldine Dowling
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
- flavor chemistry
- mass spectrometry
- electronic nose
- artificial intelligence
- flavoromics
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