Brazilian indigenous nonstarter lactic acid bacteria enhance the diversification of volatile compounds in short-aged cheese.

There is growing interest in using autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that provide unique sensory characteristics to dairy products without affecting their safety and quality. This work studied the capacity of three Brazilian indigenous nonstarter LABs (NSLAB) to produce biogenic amines (BAs) and evaluated their effect on the volatile organic compounds (VOCs), microbial LAB communities, and physicochemical profile of short-aged cheese. Initially, the strain's potential for biosynthesis of BAs was assessed by PCR and in vitro assays. Then, a pilot-scale cheese was produced, including the NSLAB, and the microbial and VOC profiles were analyzed after 25 and 45 days of ripening. As a results, the strains did not present genes related to relevant BAs and did not produce them in vitro. During cheese ripening, the Lactococci counts were reduced, probably in the production of alcohols and acid compounds by the NSLAB. Each strain produces a unique VOC profile that changes over the ripening time without the main VOCs related to rancid or old cheese. Particularly, the use of the strain Lacticaseibacillus. paracasei ItalPN16 resulted in production of ester compounds with fruity notes. Thus, indigenous NSLAB could be a valuable tool for the enhancement and diversification of flavor in short-aged cheese.

Comparative study on nutraceutical and sensorial characteristics of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) cultivated in Iran, Spain, and Türkiye.

BACKGROUND: Quality properties of 14 saffron samples from Iran, Spain, and Türkiye were compared. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed between anthocyanins, volatile compounds, fatty acids, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity of saffron samples (P < 0.05). Besides, significant differences in color parameters were observed. Moreover, a total of 13 volatile compounds were identified in the saffron samples using. headspace-solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, safranal and α-isophorone being the two predominant aroma compounds. Regarding fatty acids, significant differences were seen in the fatty acid profiles of saffron samples (P < 0.05), while linoleic acid was the most concentrated fatty acid. In terms of sensory properties, different concentrations of safranal, α-isophorone and 4-ketoisophorone may lead to significant differences in the odor and taste attributes of saffron samples (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Changes in corm origin along with climate and agricultural conditions may affect the quality characteristics of saffron cultivated in different geographical areas to a significant degree. © 2024 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Characterization of Evodia rutaecarpa (Juss) Benth honey: volatile profile, odor-active compounds and odor properties.

BACKGROUND: Aroma is one of the most important quality criterion of different honeys and even defines their merchant value. The composition of volatile compounds, especially the characteristic odor-active compounds, contributes significantly to the aroma of honey. Evodia rutaecarpa (Juss) Benth honey (ERBH) is a special honey in China with unique flavor characteristics. However, no work in the literature has investigated the volatile compounds and characteristic odor-active compounds of ERBHs. Therefore, it is imperative to conduct systematic investigation into the volatile profile, odor-active compounds and odor properties of ERBHs. RESULTS: The characteristic fingerprint of ERBHs was successfully constructed with 12 characteristic peaks and a similarity range of 0.785-0.975. In total, 297 volatile compounds were identified and relatively quantified by headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, of which 61 and 31 were identified as odor-active compounds by relative odor activity values and GC-olfactometry analysis, respectively, especially the common 22 odor-active compounds (E)-ß-damascenone, phenethyl acetate, linalool, cis-linalool oxide (furanoid), octanal, hotrienol, trans-linalool oxide (furanoid), 4-oxoisophorone and eugenol, etc., contributed significantly to the aroma of ERBHs. The primary odor properties of ERBHs were floral, followed by fruity, herbaceous and woody aromas. The partial least-squares regression results showed that the odor-active compounds had good correlations with the odor properties. CONCLUSION: Identifying the aroma differences of different honeys is of great importance. The present study provides a reliable theoretical basis for the quality and authenticity of ERBHs. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Mexican Coccoloba uvifera L. Leaf and Fruit Extracts: Identification of Pentacyclic Triterpenes and Volatile Profile by GC-MS.

Mexican Coccoloba uvifera fruit contains polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, while in the leaves, lupeol, α- and ß-amyrin have been previously identified by HPLC. However, the low resolution by HPLC of pentacyclic triterpenes (PTs) is a limitation. Moreover, the volatile profile of C. uvifera fruit is still unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to identify PTs in C. uvifera leaf and fruit extracts by CG-MS analysis and to determine the volatile profile of C. uvifera pulp by headspace solid-phase microextraction. The results showed trimethylsilylated compounds of standards lupeol, α- and ß-amyrin, indicating that the silylation reaction was suitable. These trimethylsilylated compounds were identified in leaf and fruit extracts. The fruit volatile profile revealed the presence of 278 esters, 20 terpenes, 9 aldehydes, 5 alcohols, and 4 ketones. The fruit showed a high content of esters and terpenes. Due to their flavour properties, esters are essential for the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutics industries. Moreover, terpenes in the fruit, such as menthone, ß-elemene, junipene, and ß-caryophyllene have the potential as anticancer and phytopathogen agents. The results indicated that GC-MS is an alternative to HPLC approaches for identifying PTs. Besides, identifying volatile compounds in the fruit will increase the value of this plant and expand its application. Identifying PTs and volatile compounds in Mexican C. uvifera leads to a better understanding of the potential benefits of this plant. This would increase the consumption of Mexican C. uvifera fresh or as functional ingredients in nutraceutical or pharmaceutical products.

Comparison of microbial communities and volatile profiles of wines made from mulberry and grape.

In this study, three kinds of wines separately made from mulberry (MW), grape (GW), or mulberry/grape (MGW) were developed and their enological parameters, sensory scores, volatile components, and microbiota were investigated and compared. Contrary to the order of residual sugar and acidity of the three kinds of wines, the order of alcohol content from high to low is GW, MW, and MGW. A total of 60 volatile components (VCs), including esters (17), alcohols (12), acids (6), aldehydes (7), ketones (3), alkenes (3), amines (3), alkanes (4), pyrazines (2), benzene (1), sulfide (1), and thiazole (1), were identified by gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometer (GC-IMS). The fingerprint of VCs and principal component analysis revealed that the volatile profiles of MGW and GW were more similar in comparison to that of MW and were significantly correlated with the mass ratio of mulberry to grape. Lactobacillus, Weissella, Pantoea, Leuconostoc, Lactococcus, Paenibacillus, Pediococcus, and Saccharomyces were identified as the main microflora at the genus level shared by the MW, MGW, and GW, suggesting that the heterolactic bacteria may contribute more to the high content of volatile acids in MW and MGW. The heatmap of core microbiota and main VCs of MW, MGW, and GW suggested the complicated and significant correlation between them. The above data implied that the volatile profiles were more closely related to the raw materials of winemaking and markedly affected by the fermentation microorganisms. This study provides references for evaluation and characterization of MGW and MW and improvement of MGW and MW winemaking process. KEY POINTS: • Fruit wine enological parameters, volatile profile, and microbiota were compared. • Sixty volatile compounds were identified by GC-IMS in three types of fruit wines. • Winemaking materials and microbiota affect volatile profiles of the fruit wines.

Volatile Profile of Strawberry Fruits and Influence of Different Drying Methods on Their Aroma and Flavor: A Review.

Strawberries are the most popular berry fruit in the world, due to their distinctive aroma, flavor, and known health properties. Because volatile substances play a large role in strawberry flavor, even little alterations can have a big impact on how the fruit tastes. Strawberries are thought to have a complex aroma. Fresh strawberry fruits contain more than 360 volatile compounds, including esters, furans, terpenes, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and sulfur compounds. Despite having far lower concentrations than esters, terpenoids, furanones, and sulfur compounds, all have a considerable impact on how people perceive the aroma of strawberries. With a focus on the active aroma components and the many analytical methods used to identify them, including gas chromatography, electronic nose sensing, and proton-transfer- reaction mass spectrometry, the present review's aim was to provide a summary of the relevant literature. Additionally, strawberry fruits are frequently dried to create a powder in order to increase their shelf life. Consequently, the impact of various drying techniques on strawberries' volatile profile was investigated in the current review. This review can be considered a good reference for research concerning the aroma profile of strawberries. It helps to better understand the complex aroma and flavor of strawberries and provides a guide for the effects of drying processing.

Optimization of HS-SPME-GC/MS Analysis of Wine Volatiles Supported by Chemometrics for the Aroma Profiling of Trebbiano d'Abruzzo and Pecorino White Wines Produced in Abruzzo (Italy).

Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction coupled to Gas-Chromatography with Mass Spectrometry detection (HS-SPME/GC-MS) has been widely used to analyze the composition of wine aroma. This technique was here applied to investigate the volatile profile of Trebbiano d'Abruzzo and Pecorino white wines produced in Abruzzo (Italy). Optimization of SPME conditions was conducted by Design of Experiments combined with Response Surface Methodology. We investigated the influence of the kind of sorbent, PDMS, CW/DVB, or PDMS/CAR/DVB, and the effect of the fiber exposure time, temperature, and salt concentration on the total area of the chromatogram and the extraction efficiency of ethyl decanoate and 3-methyl-1-butanol, representative of apolar and polar compounds, respectively. The PDMS/CAR/DVB sorbent allowed the extraction of about 70 compounds, whereas only a part of these substances could be extracted on the PDMS and CW/DVB fibers. Reliable response surfaces for the total area and peak areas of the selected volatiles collected on the PDMS and PDMS/CAR/DVB sorbents and, in the latter case, principal component analysis were evaluated to find the optimal conditions. The optimized extraction conditions were applied for a preliminary comparison of the volatile profile of the two wine varieties and in a successive varietal discrimination study based on data-fusion approaches.

Why Do These Yeasts Smell So Good? Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Produced by Malassezia Species in the Exponential and Stationary Growth Phases.

Malassezia synthesizes and releases volatile organic compounds (VOCs), small molecules that allow them to carry out interaction processes. These lipid-dependent yeasts belong to the human skin mycobiota and are related to dermatological diseases. However, knowledge about VOC production and its function is lacking. This study aimed to determine the volatile profiles of Malassezia globosa, Malassezia restricta, and Malassezia sympodialis in the exponential and stationary growth phases. The compounds were separated and characterized in each growth phase through headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). We found a total of 54 compounds, 40 annotated. Most of the compounds identified belong to alcohols and polyols, fatty alcohols, alkanes, and unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons. Unsupervised and supervised statistical multivariate analyses demonstrated that the volatile profiles of Malassezia differed between species and growth phases, with M. globosa being the species with the highest quantity of VOCs. Some Malassezia volatiles, such as butan-1-ol, 2-methylbutan-1-ol, 3-methylbutan-1-ol, and 2-methylpropan-1-ol, associated with biological interactions were also detected. All three species show at least one unique compound, suggesting a unique metabolism. The ecological functions of the compounds detected in each species and growth phase remain to be studied. They could interact with other microorganisms or be an important clue in understanding the pathogenic role of these yeasts.

Deeper Insight into the Volatile Profile of Rosa willmottiae with Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction and GC-MS Analysis.

As the distribution center of Rosa in the world, China has abundant wild germplasm resources, which can contribute to the breeding of modern roses. To explore the potential value of wild roses distributed in the Sichuan-Tibet region, solid phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were used to determine the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Rosa willmottiae flowers at three flowering stages (bud stage, initial flowering stage, full flowering stage). Meanwhile, we compared the VOCs of R. willmottiae with different phenotypes (double flowers and single flowers). A total of 74 volatile compounds were identified. The results show that the essential substances belong to alcohols and terpenoids. The main volatile organic compounds are 2-phenyl ethanol (20.49%), benzyl alcohol (10.69%), ß-maaliene (8.66%), geranyl acetate (8.47%), and (+)-α-long pinene (6.127%). Different flowering stages had great influence on the volatile profile, from the bud stage to full flowering stage; the content of terpenoids released decreased by 6.17%, whereas alcohols and esters increased by 8.58% and 11.56%, respectively. The chemical diversity and the content of the main components with a different phenotype were not significantly different. Our result will provide a theoretical basis for the development and utilization of Rosa willmottiae in Sichuan and Tibet.

Analysis of Fatty Acids, Amino Acids and Volatile Profile of Apple By-Products by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.

Apple industrial by-products are a promising source of bioactive compounds with direct implications on human health. The main goal of the present work was to characterize the Jonathan and Golden Delicious by-products from their fatty acid, amino acid, and volatile aroma compounds' point of view. GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) and ITEX/GC-MS methods were used for the by-products characterization. Linoleic and oleic were the main fatty acids identified in all samples, while palmitic and stearic acid were the representant of saturated ones. With respect to amino acids, from the essential group, isoleucine was the majority compound identified in JS (Jonathan skin) and GS (Golden skin) samples, lysine was the representant of JP (Jonathan pomace), and valine was mainly identified in GP (Golden pomace). A total number of 47 aroma volatile compounds were quantified in all samples, from which the esters groups ranged from 41.55-53.29%, aldehydes 29.75-43.99%, alcohols from 4.15 to 6.37%, ketones 4.14-5.72%, and the terpenes and terpenoids group reached values between 2.27% and 4.61%. Moreover, the by-products were valorized in biscuits manufacturing, highlighting their importance in enhancing the volatile aroma compounds, color, and sensorial analysis of the final baked goods.

Air-Depleted and Solvent-Impregnated Cork Powder as a New Natural and Sustainable Fining Agent for Removal of 2,4,6-Trichloroanisole (TCA) from Red Wines.

Trichloroanisole (TCA) in wine results in a sensory defect called "cork taint", a significant problem for the wine industry. Wines can become contaminated by TCA absorption from the atmosphere through contaminated wood barrels, cork stoppers, and wood pallets. Air-depleted solvent-impregnated (ADSI) cork powder (CP) was used to mitigate TCA in wines. The ADSI CP (0.25 g/L) removed 91% of TCA (6 ng/L levels), resulting in an olfactory activity value of 0.14. A Freundlich isotherm described ADSI CP TCA adsorption with irreversible adsorption and a KF = 33.37. ADSI CP application had no significant impact on the phenolic profile and chromatic characteristics of red wine. Using headspace sampling with re-equilibration, an average reduction in the volatile abundance of 29 ± 15%, 31 ± 19%, and 37 ± 24% was observed for the 0.10, 0.25, and 0.50 g/L ADSI CP, respectively. The alkyl esters and acids were the most affected. The impact observed was much lower when using headspace sampling without re-equilibration. Isoamyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl hexanoate, and ethyl decanoate abundances were not significantly different from the control wine and 0.25 g/L ADSI CP application. Thus, ADSI CP can be a new sustainable fining agent to remove this "off-flavor" from wine, with a reduced impact on the wine characteristics.

Utilization of Reconstituted Whey Powder and Microbial Transglutaminase in Ayran (Drinking Yogurt) Production.

Research background: In industrial ayran production, milk is diluted to the desired protein content (2% (m/V)) prior to fermentation by yogurt starter cultures by partial replacement of cheese whey in reconstituted form with potable water. This may be an alternative way of protein recovery from cheese by-products as well as reducing the production costs since less milk is used in ayran production. On the other hand, the balance between milk caseins and whey proteins is disturbed when cheese whey is added to milk for ayran production, which likely leads to a time-dependent phase separation during cold storage. Modification of ayran matrix by enzymatic crosslinking of proteins may be a solution to overcome this potential physical instability of ayran. This topic has not been explored to date, and the present study was designed to investigate the possibilities of utilization of reconstituted whey powder (RWP) and microbial transglutaminase (MTG) in ayran production. Experimental approach: Milk was diluted to obtain 2% protein level using RWP and potable water. The aim of utilization of RWP was to meet 5, 10 or 15% of the protein content of the final product. RWP solutions were obtained by calculating the amounts of whey powder required to meet the specified ratios and mixing it with the water required for dilution. We prepared eight different ayran samples divided in three groups, namely group A: prepared by partially diluting milk with RWP to obtain 5, 10 or 15% of total protein amount in the product, group AMTG: prepared by adding microbial transglutaminase (0.5 U per g of protein) to group A samples, and control group without RWP and with or without the addition of MTG. The gross composition, physical (phase separation and viscosity, chemical (volatile and peptide profiles and SDS-PAGE electrophoresis patterns) and sensory properties of the samples were evaluated throughout 15 days of storage with weekly intervals. Results and conclusions: Since the amounts of whey powder used to obtain RWP were different, dry matter levels of the samples differed. Using RWP in ayran production increased the phase separation slightly. Incorporation of MTG affected the physical properties of the ayran samples positively and prevented phase separation at a satisfactory level. SDS-PAGE electrophoretograms revealed that cross-linking between proteins triggered by MTG formed intense bonds at high molecular mass regions. The remaining parameters were not affected by MTG. Results revealed that the samples with 10% RWP with and without addition of MTG were determined as the formulations with the highest commercialization potential. Novelty and scientific contribution: Utilizing RWP in the production of ayran to reduce the protein content of the final product to the desired level is a new approach. Since complete replacement of RWP with potable water to dilute milk to reach 2% (m/V) protein likely leads to lower sensory scores, we have investigated a possibility of partial replacement of RWP with potable water. A time-dependent phase separation is the major challenge of industrial ayran production. This physical problem was largely eliminated by means of MTG-mediated cross-linking of milk proteins. The proposed novel ayran production method offers dairy industry reduction of production costs and contributes to sustainability in milk production since smaller volume of milk is used to reach desired protein content in the final product.

Shifts in diversity and function of bacterial community during manufacture of rushan.

Rushan is a traditional dairy product consumed by the Bai people in the Yunnan Province of China, and its production still follows the traditional procedure of backslopping. However, how the microbial composition of raw materials and processing shape the microorganisms in rushan have not been systemically reported. In this study, high-throughput sequencing technique was applied to analyze the microbial compositions of raw milk, fresh rushan, curd whey, acid whey, and dry rushan at the phylum, family, genus, and Lactobacillus species levels. The results indicated that Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, and Streptococcus were dominant genera in rushan, whereas Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens and Lactobacillus helveticus were the 2 abundant species at the Lactobacillus species level. The network analysis indicated that raw milk mainly contributed to the microbial diversity of rushan, whereas acid whey made a great contribution to shaping the relative abundance of microbes in rushan and dramatically increased acid-producing genera, such as Lactobacillus and Acetobacter. The variation in microbial composition led to an increase in the relative abundance of pathways related to energy supply, acid production, fatty acid accumulation, cysteine, methionine, and lysine accumulation. The volatile profile of rushan was rich in esters and acids, and the high relative abundance of Lactobacillus might be associated with reduction of amino acid metabolism, degradation of unpleasant flavored xylene, and accumulation of decanoic, dodecanoic, and tetradecanoic acids in the products. The accumulation of medium long-chain fatty acids might result from the relative abundance of FabF, FabZ, and FabI, particularly from Lactobacillus amylolyticus and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei.

Volatile Profile of Portuguese Monofloral Honeys: Significance in Botanical Origin Determination.

The volatile profiles of 51 samples from 12 monofloral-labelled Portuguese honey types were assessed. Honeys of bell heather, carob tree, chestnut, eucalyptus, incense, lavender, orange, rape, raspberry, rosemary, sunflower and strawberry tree were collected from several regions from mainland Portugal and from the Azores Islands. When available, the corresponding flower volatiles were comparatively evaluated. Honey volatiles were isolated using two different extraction methods, solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and hydrodistillation (HD), with HD proving to be more effective in the number of volatiles extracted. Agglomerative cluster analysis of honey HD volatiles evidenced two main clusters, one of which had nine sub-clusters. Components grouped by biosynthetic pathway defined alkanes and fatty acids as dominant, namely n-nonadecane, n-heneicosane, n-tricosane and n-pentacosane and palmitic, linoleic and oleic acids. Oxygen-containing monoterpenes, such as cis- and trans-linalool oxide (furanoid), hotrienol and the apocarotenoid α-isophorone, were also present in lower amounts. Aromatic amino acid derivatives were also identified, namely benzene acetaldehyde and 3,4,5-trimethylphenol. Fully grown classification tree analysis allowed the identification of the most relevant volatiles for discriminating the different honey types. Twelve volatile compounds were enough to fully discriminate eleven honey types (92%) according to the botanical origin.

Chemosensory Profile of South Tyrolean Pinot Blanc Wines: A Multivariate Regression Approach.

A multivariate regression approach based on sensory data and chemical compositions has been applied to study the correlation between the sensory and chemical properties of Pinot Blanc wines from South Tyrol. The sensory properties were identified by descriptive analysis and the chemical profile was obtained by HS-SPME-GC/MS and HPLC. The profiles of the most influencing (positively or negatively) chemical components have been presented for each sensory descriptor. Partial Least Square Regression (PLS) and Principal Component Regression (PCR) models have been tested and applied. Visual (clarity, yellow colour), gustatory (sweetness, sourness, saltiness, bitterness, astringency, and warmness) and olfactory (overall intensity, floral, apple, pear, tropical fruit, dried fruit, fresh vegetative, spicy, cleanness, and off-odours) descriptors have been correlated with the volatile and phenolic profiles, respectively. Each olfactory descriptor was correlated via a PCR model to the volatile compounds, whereas a comprehensive PLS2 regression model was built for the correlation between visual/gustatory descriptors and the phenolic fingerprint. "Apple" was the olfactory descriptor best modelled by PCR, with an adjusted R2 of 0.72, with only 20% of the validation samples falling out of the confidence interval (α = 95%). A PLS2 with 6 factors was chosen as the best model for gustatory and visual descriptors related to the phenolic compounds. Finally, the overall quality judgment could be explained by a combination of the calibrated sensory descriptors through a PLS model. This allowed the identification of sensory descriptors such as "olfactory intensity", "warmness", "apple", "saltiness", "astringency", "cleanness", "clarity" and "pear", which relevantly contributed to the overall quality of Pinot Blanc wines from South Tyrol, obtained with two different winemaking processes and aged in bottle for 18 months.

Chemical Analyses and Antimicrobial Activity of Nine Kinds of Unifloral Chinese Honeys Compared to Manuka Honey (12+ and 20+).

Honey has good antimicrobial properties and can be used for medical treatment. The antimicrobial properties of unifloral honey varieties are different. In this study, we evaluated the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of nine kinds of Chinese monofloral honeys. In addition, headspace gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS) technology was used to detect their volatile components. The relevant results are as follows: 1. The agar diffusion test showed that the diameter of inhibition zone against Staphylococcus aureus of Fennel honey (21.50 ± 0.41 mm), Agastache honey (20.74 ± 0.37 mm), and Pomegranate honey (18.16 ± 0.11 mm) was larger than that of Manuka 12+ honey (14.27 ± 0.10 mm) and Manuka 20+ honey (16.52 ± 0.12 mm). The antimicrobial activity of Chinese honey depends on hydrogen peroxide. 2. The total antioxidant capacity of Fennel honey, Agastache honey, and Pomegranate honey was higher than that of other Chinese honeys. There was a significant positive correlation between the total antioxidant capacity and the total phenol content of Chinese honey (r = 0.958). The correlation coefficient between the chroma value of Chinese honey and the total antioxidant and the diameter of inhibition zone was 0.940 and 0.746, respectively. The analyzed dark honeys had better antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. 3. There were significant differences in volatile components among Fennel honey, Agastache honey, Pomegranate honey, and Manuka honey. Hexanal-D and Heptanol were the characteristic components of Fennel honey and Pomegranate honey, respectively. Ethyl 2-methylbutyrate and 3-methylpentanoic acids were the unique compounds of Agastache honey. The flavor fingerprints of the honey samples from different plants can be successfully built using HS-GC-IMS and principal component analysis (PCA) based on their volatile compounds. Fennel honey, Agastache honey, and Pomegranate honey are Chinese honey varieties with excellent antimicrobial properties, and have the potential to be developed into medical grade honey.

Effect of Plasma Activated Water on Selected Chemical Compounds of Rocket-Salad (Eruca sativa Mill.) Leaves.

Plasma activated water (PAW) has proven to be a promising alternative for the decontamination of rocket leaves. The impact of PAW on the volatile profile, phytosterols, and pigment content of rocket leaves was studied. Leaves were treated by PAW at different times (2, 5, 10, and 20 min). Compounds of the headspace were detected and quantified using GC-MS analysis. A total of 52 volatile organic compounds of different chemical classes were identified. Glucosinolate hydrolysis products are the major chemical class. PAW application induced some chemical modifications in the volatile compounds. Changes in the content of the major compounds varied with the increase or decrease in the treatment time. However, PAW-10 and -2 were grouped closely to the control. A significant decrease in the content of ß-sitosterol and campesterol was observed after PAW treatment, except for PAW-10, which showed a non-significant reduction in both compounds. A significant increase in ß carotene, luteolin, and chlorophyll b was observed after the shortest treatment time of PAW-2. A reduction in chlorophyll content was also observed, which is significant only at longer treatment, or PAW-20. Overall, PAW has proven to be a safe alternative for rocket decontamination.

Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses provide insight into the volatile compounds of citrus leaves and flowers.

BACKGROUND: Previous reports have mainly focused on the volatiles in citrus fruits, and there have been few reports about the volatiles in citrus leaves and flowers. However, citrus leaves and flowers are also rich in volatile compounds with unique aromas. Here, to investigate the volatiles in citrus leaves and flowers, volatile profiling was performed on leaves from 62 germplasms and flowers from 25 germplasms. RESULTS: In total, 196 and 82 volatile compounds were identified from leaves of 62 citrus germplasms and flowers of 25 citrus germplasms, respectively. The dominant volatile terpenoids were more diverse in citrus leaves than in peels. A total of 34 volatile terpenoids were commonly detected in the leaves of at least 20 germplasms, among which 31 were overaccumulated in the leaves of wild or semiwild germplasms. This result was consistent with the high expression levels of five genes and one key gene of the mevalonate and 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol-4-phosphate (MEP) biosynthetic pathways, respectively, as well as the low expression levels of geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase of the MEP pathway, relative to the levels in cultivars. Fully open flowers showed increased levels of four terpene alcohols and a decrease in sabinene content compared with balloon-stage flowers, especially in sweet orange. A monoterpene synthase gene was identified and functionally characterized as a sabinene synthase in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, our results suggest that 31 important terpenoids are abundant in wild or semiwild citrus germplasms, possibly because of a negative effect of domestication on the volatiles in citrus leaves. The sweet smell of fully open flowers may be attributed to increased levels of four terpene alcohols. In addition, a sabinene synthase gene was identified by combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses.

Microbial diversity and volatile profile of traditional fermented yak milk.

Previous research reported that fermented yak milk had a diverse microbial composition. For this study, raw yak milk, qula, and fermented yak milk samples were collected from the Aba Tibetan autonomous region of China. The genus and species microbial composition of these samples were analyzed by high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA and groEL gene amplicons, and the volatile profile of the samples was quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results indicated variation in abundance of microbiota at the genus level among the fermented yak milk samples, with Lactobacillus as the most abundant genus in the majority of samples, ranging from 41.6 to 98.3%. The volatile profile of the samples varied among those collected from different villages. Correlations between bacterial composition and volatile compounds of the samples were also observed. Lactobacillus displayed a significant correlation with volatile compounds such as benzaldehyde, 2,3-pentanedione, ethanol, and ethyl acetate, whereas the samples with relatively high abundance of Streptococcus and Lactococcus displayed relatively low contents of volatile compounds.

Short communication: Volatile profile of matured Tronchón cheese affected by oxytetracycline in raw goat milk.

The presence of antibiotics in milk destined for cheese production may affect the biological processes responsible for the formation of volatile compounds, leading to alterations in the characteristic cheese flavor expected by consumers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the presence of oxytetracycline in goat milk on the volatile profile of ripened cheeses. Traditional mature Tronchón cheeses were manufactured from raw goat milk spiked with different concentrations of oxytetracycline (50, 100, and 200 µg/kg). Cheese made from antibiotic-free goat milk was used as control. We analyzed the residual amounts of the antibiotic and the volatile profile of the experimental cheeses on a fortnightly basis during maturation using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and then solid-phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Our results suggested that oxytetracycline was widely transferred from milk to cheese: drug concentrations in the cheeses were 3.5 to 4.3 times higher than those in raw milk. Although the residual amounts of oxytetracycline significantly decreased during maturation (88.8 to 96.5%), variable amounts of residues remained in cheese matured for 60 d (<10 to 79 µg/kg). In general, the presence of oxytetracycline in goat milk did not affect the volatile profile of Tronchón cheeses; volatile profile was significantly modified by ripening time. Still, the presence of oxytetracycline residues in cheeses ripened for 60 d could be of great concern for public health.