Latest Research on Flavor Components and Sensory Properties of Food: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Physics and (Bio)Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 2900

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Functional and Organic Food, Institute of Human Nutrition Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: functional food; novel food; food design; bioactive compounds; food processing; edible insects; nuts
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Functional and Ecological Food, Chair of Functional Food and Sensory Research, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Interests: sensory analysis; static and dynamic methods in sensory and consumer research; measurement of emotions; electronic devices (eye, nose, tongue); functional food
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Volume I of this Special Issue (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/foods/special_issues/9RR6ZYN4C3) was a great success and gained the attention and interest of many scholars. I take the opportunity here to thank them for their contributions and support. As the topic continues to gain the attention of scholars and play a pivotal role, we are looking forward to the launch of Volume II. I hope it will be as successful as Volume I and of benefit to the field.

The growing awareness of the importance of food quality and rapidly increasing consumer demands are increasingly driving the development of innovative technological processes that enable a long shelf-life to be maintained while significantly reducing the use of preservatives and preserving valuable nutritional components. However, unavoidable changes occur during food processing and storage depending on the type of product and the processes used. These changes affect the flavor and sensory properties of foods, which are important aspects of their quality and for consumer satisfaction.

Sensory analysis methods are an essential tool in quality management for improving existing food products and for developing new ones. The ability to accurately assess the sensory quality of food is of paramount importance in the food industry. Sensory evaluation provides important quantitative and qualitative data to support product development and influence marketing and business decisions. The sensory appeal of food is one of the most important factors influencing consumer purchase decisions.

The aim of this Special Issue is to present the latest research on the effects of processing and storage on the formation of flavor components and sensory properties of foods.

Dr. Magdalena Gantner
Dr. Eliza Kostyra
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • storage and food processing
  • sensory properties
  • sensory and instrumental measurements
  • classic and new consumer methods
  • flavor components
  • new product development
  • consumers and expectations
  • purchase decisions
  • food quality
  • novel food

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 5951 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Flavor in Dried Mackerel Floss (Scomberomorus niphonius) via Protease: Formation Mechanism of Characteristic Flavor Revealed by Integrated Multi-Omics Analysis
by Diqian Yang, Xiaohui Li, Haowei Wu, Runyu Tang, Qiuying He, Huanhuan Dai and Weiqiang Qiu
Foods 2025, 14(11), 1864; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14111864 - 24 May 2025
Viewed by 262
Abstract
Current marine mackerel (Scomberomorus niphonius) products predominantly involve low-value-added processing, while high-value-added products like fish floss remain underdeveloped. This study utilized mackerel dorsal muscle treated with flavor protease (FP), papain (PP), and neutral protease (NP) (10 U/g, 30 min), followed by [...] Read more.
Current marine mackerel (Scomberomorus niphonius) products predominantly involve low-value-added processing, while high-value-added products like fish floss remain underdeveloped. This study utilized mackerel dorsal muscle treated with flavor protease (FP), papain (PP), and neutral protease (NP) (10 U/g, 30 min), followed by steaming and stir-frying. Combined with sensory evaluation, HS-GC-IMS, and automatic amino acid analysis, the characteristic flavor was evaluated by multi-omics. The results showed that FP and NP significantly enhanced odor by reducing fishy compounds (e.g., hexanal) and increasing pyrazines/furans. PP enhanced taste by elevating umami and sweet amino acids (26.68% and 25.98%, respectively). Correlation analysis revealed the following potential pathways: Val and Leu served as precursors for furan, suppressing 2-methyl-3-(methylthio)furan formation, while Asp, Tyr, Phe, Gly, Cys, and Ile promoted 2,5-dimethylpyrazine and 2-methyl-3-(methylthio)furan generation while inhibiting furan. This study demonstrates that minimal protease addition effectively optimizes dried mackerel floss flavor, providing a novel approach for high-quality marine product development. Full article
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24 pages, 2597 KiB  
Article
Investigating Consumers’ Perceptions and Motivations Behind Edible Insects in Greece: A Grounded Theory Approach
by Anastasia Fountouli, Elena Raptou, Konstantinos Polymeros, Efthimia Tsakiridou and Theodoros Varzakas
Foods 2025, 14(6), 929; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14060929 - 9 Mar 2025
Viewed by 2376
Abstract
Edible insects constitute a healthy food source providing a sustainable alternative to traditional animal protein. The present study explored consumers’ perceptions and attitudes toward insect consumption, and defined the main motivational factors influencing public awareness and acceptance toward entomophagy. Using a qualitative research [...] Read more.
Edible insects constitute a healthy food source providing a sustainable alternative to traditional animal protein. The present study explored consumers’ perceptions and attitudes toward insect consumption, and defined the main motivational factors influencing public awareness and acceptance toward entomophagy. Using a qualitative research design, individual-level data were selected from a sample of 70 consumers in Greece via semi-structured personal in-depth interviews. The Grounded Theory framework was adopted to develop awareness, perception and acceptance drivers. Although the participants were knowledgeable about the usage of insects as food, the great majority demonstrated abhorrence toward entomophagy, describing feelings of disgust and repulsion. Furthermore, the respondents seemed to be reluctant towards the distribution and availability of edible insects and insect-based food options in consumer markets, whereas food safety concerns were strong as many consumers seemed to question the relevant preparation regulations. A lack of information and cultural influences were found to restrict consumers’ acceptance of entomophagy, whereas health and food safety concerns comprised an inhibiting factor in incorporating edible insects in Greek cuisine. This study emphasized the need for a holistic information plan, which will help both food businesses and consumers understand the vital role of edible insects in modern food environments. Full article
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