Ethyl Butyrate Research Articles

Characterization of the key aroma compounds of wild bitter melon lujiu based on LLE coupled with GC–O–MS and the aroma influence of polysaccharide addition using VASE–GC–MS

Wild bitter melon (Momordica charantia L. Var. Abbreviata Ser; WBM) is widely cultivated in East and Southeast Asia. It is made into lujiu with high-quality strong-flavor baijiu and presents a beautiful golden color and harmonious aroma. Lujiu is a type of alcoholic beverage similar to gin. In this study, the aroma profile of wild bitter melon lujiu (WBML) was determined through sensory evaluation, and important aroma-active compounds were identified through liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) coupled with gas chromatography–olfactometry–mass spectrometry (GC–O–MS) and aroma extraction dilution analysis (AEDA). A total of 42 aroma-active compounds were identified, and 28 of them with FD factor ≥ 3 were quantified. Sixteen compounds were pivotal aroma contributors, among which ethyl hexanoate, ethyl pentanoate, ethyl butanoate, ethyl octanoate, and acetic acid had the highest OAVs. Moreover, WBM-sourced aroma compounds were found in WBML, including dihydroactinidiolide, (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal, β-ionone, etc. The extraction parameters of vacuum-assisted sorbent extraction (VASE) were optimized for the first time to analyze lujiu aroma. The effect of homologous polysaccharide addition to the aroma of WBML was explored with VASE–GC–MS. The greasy off-odor was decreased due to the reduction of ethyl octanoate volatility by polysaccharide addition.

Novel insights into flavor formation in whey fermented wine: A study of microbial metabolic networks

In this study, the alterations in the flavor components of whey fermented wine (WFW) were analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Moreover, the changes in the bacterial community structure of WFW were examined using high-throughput sequencing technology. The results showed that the pH value decreased from 5.61 to 3.51 between 0 d and 28 d of fermentation. Meanwhile, the content of total acids (1.31°T to 7.32°T), alcohol (8.83%–12.57%), flavonoids (33.98–60.52 mgRE/100 mL), and polyphenols (120.24–230.34 mgGAE/100 mL) increased during fermentation. At the early stage of fermentation, Lactobacillus was the predominant bacterial genus in WFW. However, as fermentation progressed, Lactobacillus and Lactococcus gradually became the dominant genera. Using GC-MS, 102 volatile compounds were identified during fermentation. Among them, 15 substances — including ethyl benzoate, phenyl ethyl acetate, and ethyl butyrate — were identified as the important aroma components of WFW. Fourteen amino acids were detected during fermentation, among which leucine (260.78 μg/L) and tyrosine (250.37 μg/L) showed the highest content. Correlation analysis revealed that Lactococcus was positively correlated with most ester compounds, and Lactobacillus was positively correlated with ethyl phenylpropionate, acetaldehyde, and caprylic acid. Meanwhile, Klebsiella exhibited a significant positive correlation with histidine, aspartic acid, and alanine.

Experience-Dependent Remodeling of Juvenile Brain Olfactory Sensory Neuron Synaptic Connectivity in an Early-Life Critical Period.

Early-life olfactory sensory experience induces dramatic synaptic glomeruli remodeling in the Drosophila juvenile brain, which is experientially dose-dependent, temporally restricted, and transiently reversible only in a short, well-defined critical period. The directionality of brain circuit synaptic connectivity remodeling is determined by the specific odorant acting on the respondent receptor class of olfactory sensory neurons. In general, each neuron class expresses only a single odorant receptor and innervates a single olfactory synaptic glomerulus. In the Drosophila genetic model, the full array of olfactory glomeruli has been precisely mapped by odorant responsiveness and behavioral output. Ethyl butyrate (EB) odorant activates Or42a receptor neurons innervating the VM7 glomerulus. During the early-life critical period, EB experience drives dose-dependent synapse elimination in the Or42a olfactory sensory neurons. Timed periods of dosed EB odorant exposure allow investigation of experience-dependent circuit connectivity pruning in juvenile brain. Confocal microscopy imaging of antennal lobe synaptic glomeruli is done with Or42a receptor-driven transgenic markers that provide quantification of synapse number and innervation volume. The sophisticated Drosophila genetic toolkit enables the systematic dissection of the cellular and molecular mechanisms mediating brain circuit remodeling.

Recycled Brewer's Spent Grain (BSG) and Grape Juice: A New Tool for Non-Alcoholic (NAB) or Low-Alcoholic (LAB) Craft Beer Using Non-Conventional Yeasts.

Non-alcoholic beer (NAB) and low-alcoholic beer (LAB) are taking over the market with growing sales. Sustainable recycling and valorization of exhausted brewer's spent grain (BSG) coming from craft beer is a relevant issue in the brewing process. In this work, recycled BSG and BSG + GJ (supplemented with 10% grape juice) were used as a wort substrate to inoculate Lachancea thermotolerans, Wickeramhomyces anomalus, Torulaspora delbruecki and Pichia kluyveri non-conventional yeasts to produce NABLAB craft beer. Results showed that wort composed of only recycled BSG produced appreciated NAB beers (ethanol concentration from 0.12% to 0.54% v/v), while the addition of 10% grape juice produced LAB beers (ethanol concentration from 0.82 to 1.66% v/v). As expected, volatile compound production was highest with the addition of grape juice. L. thermotolerans showed lactic acid production, characterizing both worts with the production of ethyl butyrate and isoamyl acetate. T. delbrueckii exhibited relevant amounts of hexanol, phenyl ethyl acetate and β-phenyl ethanol (BSG + GJ). W. anomalus and P. kluyveri showed consistent volatile production, but only in BSG + GJ where fermentation activity was exhibited. The overall results indicated that reused BSGs, non-conventional yeasts and grape juice are suitable bioprocesses for specialty NABLAB beer.

Room-Temperature Smart Sensor Based on Indium Acetate-Functionalized Perovskite CsPbBr3 Nanocrystals for Monitoring Electrolyte in Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Monitoring electrolyte components is an effective means of determining the safety status of lithium-ion batteries. In this study, indium acetate was taken as a ligand to functionalize perovskite CsPbBr3 nanocrystals, and then the room-temperature electrolyte sensor based on CsPbBr3 nanocrystals with ligand indium acetate was prepared. The sensor offers high response, long-term stability (21 days), and low detection limits for ethyl methyl carbonate (10 ppm), diethyl carbonate (10 ppm), and ethyl butyrate (1 ppm) gases at room temperature and boasts a fast response/recovery time (1500 ppm, 58.27/103.82 s, 33.58/40.62 s, and 45.05/103.08 s, respectively). Density functional theory results show that the gas sensitivity comes from the adsorption of an electrolyte, which changes the density-of-state distribution so that the electrical response curve changes. And using computational fluid dynamics simulation, it was found that the time required for gas detection by the built-in sensor (3.1 s) was 8.7 times shorter than that of the implantable sensor. This work provides inspiration and rationale for embedding and integrating room-temperature sensors into lithium-ion batteries to monitor safety and health conditions.

Revelation of the discrepancy of volatile compounds in fig (Ficus carica) via gas chromatography ion-mobility spectrometry.

The volatile compounds of fig (Ficus carica) are influenced by various factors. To explore the composition and difference of volatile compounds among figs, gas chromatography ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) was used to study the volatiles of figs from various regions, diverse cultivars, and after treatment with different drying methods. Aldehydes were the main volatile compounds in Bojihong from Shandong, while esters, ketones, and alcohols were the main volatile compounds in Bojihong from Sichuan and Guangdong. The volatiles of Branswick and Banane were similar, but differed significantly from those of Bojihong. Drying had the most significant effect on fig volatiles, which greatly reduced the content of benzaldehyde, (E)-2-hexenal, 2-methylbutanal aldehydes, lost the content of esters such as isoamyl acetate, butyl acetate, ethyl butyrate, and generated some ketones and ethers. The results showed that Bojihong from Shandong was more suitable for the processing of subsequent fig drying products.

Dynamic changes in microbial communities and flavor during different fermentation stages of proso millet Baijiu, a new product from Shanxi light-flavored Baijiu.

Proso millet, a high-quality fermentation material used for Chinese yellow wine production, can produce special flavored substances; however, its role in improving the flavor and altering microbial communities of light-flavored Baijiu during fermentation remain unknown. Thus, we aimed to investigate the effect of proso millet on improving the flavor of light-flavored Baijiu and altering microbial communities during different fermentation stages. The dynamic changes in the microbial communities and flavor of proso millet (50%) + sorghum (50%) mixed fermentation samples were analyzed through intermittent sampling on days 7, 14, 21, and 28 of the fermentation process. Microbial high-throughput sequencing and the analysis of flavor characteristics were conducted through 16S DNA/ ITS amplicon sequencing and gas chromatography (multi-capillary column)-ion mobility spectrometry, respectively. Proso millet significantly changed the core flavor compound composition of traditional light-flavored Baijiu from ethyl acetate, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl hexanoate dimer, ethyl butanoate, ethyl lactate, and butyl acetate to oct-2-ene, 2-butanol, propyl propanoate, 2-pentenal, and 4-methylpentanal. The amplicon sequencing analysis revealed that the alpha diversity parameters of bacterial and fungal communities, including the Chao1, Pielou_e, Shannon, and Simpson indices, for proso millet-sorghum mixed fermentation samples were significantly higher than those for sorghum fermentation samples (p < 0.05). Of the 40 most significant microbial genera in two treatments, proso millet significantly increased the abundance of 12 bacterial and 18 fungal genera. Among the 40 most significant bacterial and fungal species, 23 bacterial species belonged to the Lactobacillus genus, whereas the 30 primary fungal species belonged to 28 different genera. The analysis of the relationship between microbial changes and the main flavor compounds of light-flavored Baijiu showed that bacteria from the Weissella, Acinetobacter, Bacteroides, Psychrobacter, Pseudarthrobacter, Lactococcus, Chloroplast, Saccharopolyspora, Psychrobacter, Saccharopolyspora, Pseudonocardiaceae, Bacteroides genera and fungi from the Thermoascus, Aspergillus, Pichia, Rhizomucor, Papiliotrema, Hyphopichia, and Mucor genera significantly inhibited the synthesis of ethyl hexanoate, ethyl butanoate, ethyl lactate ethyl lactate, and butyl acetate but increased the synthesis of ethyl acetate (p < 0.05). Moreover, these microbes exhibited a significantly greater abundance in proso millet-sorghum mixed fermentation samples than in sorghum samples. The synthesis of special flavored compounds in proso millet Baijiu was significantly positively correlated with the presence of fungi from the Rhizopus, Papiliotrema, Wickerhamomyces, Aspergillus, and Thermoascus genera but negative correlated with the presence of bacteria from the Weissella, Acinetobacter, Psychrobacter, Pseudarthrobacter, Bacteroides, and Saccharopolyspora genera. Regarding ethanol content, the low alcohol content of Fenjiu may be due to the significantly high abundance of fungi from the Psathyrella genus and bacteria from the Staphylococcus, Kroppenstedtia, Brevibacterium, and Acetobacter genera during fermentation. In summary, proso millet significantly altered the flavor of light-flavored Baijiu by inducing the formation of a special microbial community; however, it did not increase alcohol concentration. This study lays the foundation for future research on Baijiu fermentation. Additionally, the study findings may help improve the production efficiency and elevate the quality and flavor of the final product.

Preparation of pH-responsive chitosan microspheres containing aminopeptidase and their application in accelerating cheese ripening

Microencapsulated enzymes have been found to effectively accelerate cheese ripening. However, microencapsulated enzyme release is difficult to control, often resulting in enzyme release during cheese processing and causing texture and flavor defects. This study aims to address this issue by developing aminopeptidase-loaded pH-responsive chitosan microspheres (A-CM) for precise enzyme release during cheese ripening. An aminopeptidase with an isoelectric point (pH 5.4) close to the pH value of cheese ripening was loaded on chitosan microspheres through electrostatic interaction. Turbidity titration measurements revealed that pH 6.5 was optimal for binding aminopeptidase and microspheres, affording the highest loading efficiency of 58.16%. Various characterization techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the successful loading of aminopeptidase molecules on the chitosan microspheres. In vitro release experiments conducted during simulated cheese production demonstrated that aminopeptidase release from A-CM was pH responsive. The microspheres retained the enzyme during the coagulation and cheddaring processes (pH 5.5-6.5) and only released it after entering the cheese-ripening stage (pH 5.0-5.5). By loading aminopeptidase on chitosan microspheres, the loss rate of the enzyme in cheese whey was reduced by approximately 79%. Furthermore, compared with cheese without aminopeptidase and cheese with aminopeptidase added directly, the cheeses made with A-CM exhibited the highest proteolysis level and received superior sensory ratings for taste and smell. The content of key aroma substances, such as 2/3-methylbutanal and ethyl butyrate, in cheese with A-CM was more than 15 times higher than the others. This study provides an approach for accelerating cheese ripening through the use of microencapsulated enzymes.

Effect of indigenous Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains on microbial community successions and volatile compounds changes during Longyan wine fermentation

In Longyan grape, as a unique white wine variety in China, the connection between starters and wine flavor is poorly understood. Thus, this study compared the effects of commercial yeast VL2 and three selected native Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains on the microbial community and volatile compounds during alcohol fermentation of Longyan wine. Results showed that the indigenous yeast strain FMS can initiate fermentation faster than other strains. A total of 60 aromatic compounds were identified in all fermentation samples, and the concentration of volatile compounds in wines inoculated with FMS (9619.61 ± 500.18 μg/L) was significantly higher than in VL2 wines (8358.91 ± 131.48 μg/L). Moreover, the microbial diversity differed among the four strains, with the FMS fermentation samples having the highest microbial genus of 470. The core microorganisms of VL2 (13), JCT (15), FMS (18), and FML (12) wines were identified using OPLS analysis and Spearman's correlation analysis, respectively. Among them, Lactobacillus, Paenibacillus, and Pichia were the unique microorganisms in FMS wines, which performed a crucial part in the synthesis of aromatic compounds such as hexyl acetate, ethyl butanoate, ethyl octanoate, and ethyl 9-decenoate. Therefore, FMS wines has effectively improved the quality of the wines and diversified the organoleptic quality of Longyan wines from Huaizhuo Basin. This study provided useful references for understanding the role of brewing yeast in the formation of flavor compounds during the fermentation process of Longyan dry white wine, as well as the application of indigenous brewing yeast in the wine industry.

The effects of different rootstocks on aroma components, activities and genes expression of aroma-related enzymes in oriental melon fruit.

Grafting is widely applied in the cultivation of melon. In this study, 'Qinmi No.1' (Cucumis melo L.(QG)) and 'Ribenxuesong' (Cucurbita maxima Duch. (RG)) were used as rootstocks for 'Qingxin Yangjiaocui' (Cucumis melo L.). The results showed that grafting with muskmelon rootstocks had no significant effect on fruit aroma, but grafting with pumpkin rootstocks significantly reduced the odor intensity and odor preference scores of melon fruits. Compared with the fruits from self-grafted plants (SG), four new aromatic volatiles with a sweet smell were detected, the alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity was significantly decreased at 30 DAP, but unaffected at 42 DAP in QG fruits. There was no difference for alcohol acetyltransferase (AAT) activity between QG and SG fruits. The expression level of CmADH2 was significantly higher at 30 DAP and 42 DAP, but CmAAT2 was significantly lower at 42 DAP in QG fruits compared with SG fruits. In RG fruits, the main aroma compounds including butanoic acid ethyl ester, 2-methyl-2-butene-1-al, and 2-methylheptan-1-al were absent, while the volatile compounds with unpleasant odor characteristics including trans, cis-2,6-nonadien-1-ol, (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal, octanoic acid, and styrene were detected. Compared with SG fruits, 1-nonanol and 1-heptanol with green odor characteristics were significantly increased, but eucalyptol and farnesene with fruity aroma characteristics were significantly decreased in RG fruits. The ADH activity of RG fruits was significantly lower than that of SG fruits at 30 DAP and the AAT activity was significantly lower than that of SG fruits at 42 DAP. In addition, the expression levels of CmADH and CmAAT homologs in RG fruits were significantly lower than those in SG or QG fruits. These results show that grafting with pumpkin rootstocks affected the main aroma components, reduced ADH and AAT activities, and down-regulated the expression levels of CmADHs and CmAATs in the melon fruits. This study reveals the mechanism of different rootstocks on melon fruit aroma quality, and lays a theoretical foundation for the selection of rootstocks in melon production. Future studies using overexpression or CRISPR/CAS system to obtain stable transgenic lines of genes encoding key aromatic volatiles, would be promising to effectively improve the flavor quality of melon.

Efficient detection of specific volatile organic compounds associated with COVID-19 using CrX2 (X = Se, Te) monolayers

Motivated by the necessity of efficient detection of COVID-19 through specific biomarkers, such as ethyl butyrate and heptanal, we performed first principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) to explore the sensing mechanism of pure, vacancy-induced, and single atom catalyzed CrX2 (X = Se, Te) monolayers. Both the biomarkers barely bind on pristine CrSe2. However with Se-vacancy (As-doping) suitable adsorption energies of −1.44 (−0.70), and −0.70 (−0.54) eV were obtained for ethyl butyrate and heptanal, respectively. Te-vacancy (Sn-doping) in CrTe2 resulted in much stronger binding of ethyl butyrate and heptanal with the adsorption energies of −2.04 (−2.40), and −2.90 (−2.40) eV, respectively. The adsorption of the mentioned biomarkers altered the magnetic and electronic properties of defected CrX2, which were explored through spin-polarized density of states, electrostatic potential and work function calculations. Measurable changes in electronic and magnetic properties confirmed excellent sensing potential of CrX2. Statistical thermodynamics analysis based on Langmuir adsorption model was employed to study the sensing of the biomarkers at different temperature and pressure ranges for real-world application.

Detection of several volatile organic compounds through Ar+ induced chemical ionisation using inductively coupled plasma-tandem mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS).

A new analytical technique for detection of organic compounds using inductively coupled plasma-tandem mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS) is described. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were introduced into the collision/reaction cell (CRC), instead of through the ICP ion source, and the molecules were ionised through an ion reaction, induced by collision with the primary ions (Ar+) produced in the ICP. The ionisation characteristics of this new approach were investigated by mass spectrometric analysis of eight VOCs (i.e., benzene, toluene, ethyl acetate, methyl butyrate, ethyl butyrate, pentyl acetate, pyridine, and 2-methylfuran). These molecules were detected as molecular ions (M+), protonated ions ([M + H]+), or deprotonated ions ([M - H]+), demonstrating that soft ionisation was achieved by the present ionisation protocol using ICP-MS/MS. In addition, a volatile selenium-containing organic compound, dimethyl diselenide (Se2(CH3)2), was also analysed to investigate the feasibility of this ionisation protocol to achieve soft and hard ionisation simultaneously. Several Se-related ions such as Se+, SeH+, Se2+, [SeCH3]+, and [Se2CH3]+, together with [Se2(CH3)2]+, were observed, suggesting that while soft ionisation was possible, ion reaction-induced-fragmentation and hard ionisation also occurred. To demonstrate the analytical capability of the present technique, volatile components released from coffee beans were subjected to the present mass spectrometric analysis. Many ion peaks originating from VOCs were detected from the coffee beans. The data obtained here demonstrated that ICP-MS equipped with a CRC can become an effective tool for analyzing both elements and molecules.

The Effects of Nine Compounds on Aldehyde-Oxidase-Related Genes in Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel).

Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae) (B. dorsalis) is an important agricultural, major invasive, and quarantine pest that can cause significant damage to the economic value of the fruit and vegetable industry. Male bait is one of the most effective methods of surveying, monitoring, and controlling B. dorsalis. In our study, we constructed cDNA libraries using total RNA extracted independently from the antennae, mouthparts, and thoracic legs of male and female adults and the ovipositors of female adults and screened out four aldehyde-oxidase-related genes (AOX-related), C58800, C66700, C67485, and C67698. Molecular docking predictions showed that eight compounds, including 3,4-dimethoxycinnamyl alcohol, 3,4-dimethoxy-cinnamaldehyde, deet, ethyl N-acetyl-N-butyl-β-alaninate, n-butyl butyrate, n-butyl butyrate, ethyl butyrate, methyl eugenol, and ethyl acetate, could combine with proteins encoded by the four B. dorsalis AOX-related genes. Furthermore, QPCR was performed to confirm that four compounds, including 3,4-dimethoxy cinnamic aldehyde, butyl levulinic acid ethyl ester (mosquito repellent), butyl butyrate, and methyl eugenol, induced significant changes in the AOX-related genes of B. dorsalis. These results provide useful information and guidance for the batch screening of potentially useful compounds and the search for effective attractants of B. dorsalis.

The Odorant-Binding Protein 1 Mediates the Foraging Behavior of Grapholita molesta Larvae.

Since eggs are laid directly on fruit skin, it is typically believed that food odor has little impact on the foraging of Grapholita molesta larvae. It is crucial to note that larvae that hatch on twigs and leaves could need some sort of identification system when foraging. Here, 22 GmolOBP genes were identified from the G. molesta larval transcriptome via the comparison of conserved domain and homology in the protein level. GmolOBP1 had strong affinities for important pear-fruit volatiles, which caused larvae strong behavioral responses. However, after GmolOBP1 silencing, the larvae lost their attraction to methyl salicylate, α-farnesene, butyl acetate, ethyl butanoate, and ethyl hexanoate, and the effects of larvae seeking various pears were significantly reduced. Consequently, GmolOBP1 was required for the reception of pear volatiles and was involved in mediating how G. molesta larvae foraged. Our research revealed the GmolOBP1 foraging signal recognition mechanism as well as potential molecular targets for field pest management.

A novel AI-based combustion diagnostic technology for the identification of chemical source information via flame images: Fuel type and reaction condition

The improvement of combustion diagnostics was an important basis for developing combustion-related research and technologies. Based on the flame image as the carrier, this work proposed a novel combustion diagnostic technique for the identification of chemical source information through the analysis of abundant flame features contained in the image using a random forest algorithm. Five types of flames under 16 reaction conditions were adopted as experimental cases to examine the accuracy of the proposed technique. Results indicated that the random forest algorithm could well “learn” the correlation mechanism between flame features and chemical source information, and identify the fuel type and reaction condition of unknown flame according to this mechanism. For identifying the fuel type, the accuracy on ethylene, 20 % ethyl acetate, 40 % ethyl acetate, 20 % ethyl butyrate, and 40 % ethyl butyrate doped flames reached 86.2 %, 84.4 %, 100 %, 63.6 %, and 64.3 %, respectively. For identifying the reaction condition, the mean absolute error, max error, and mean absolute percentage error between the predicted O2 content and the actual value were 0.96 %, 2.53 %, and 3.46 %, respectively. Moreover, the feature analysis result indicated that the importance degree of each feature was not equivalent between the different identification assignments. The flame features such as rectangularity and the variance of G and B in the blue region were the key features for identifying the fuel type. However, the variance of R and R/B of the blue region played a significant role in identifying the reaction condition.

Monitoring of Volatile Compounds of Ready-to-Eat Kiwifruit Using GC-IMS.

Ready-to-eat kiwifruit has gained significant market value in recent years due to its convenience and the increasing consumer demand for healthy ready-to-eat snacks. The volatile compound content (VOC) in ready-to-eat kiwifruit is a crucial factor determining its flavor and aroma. VOC is an important characteristic that positively affects the overall evaluation of ready-to-eat kiwifruit. In this study, we utilized gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) to investigate changes in the composition of VOCs in ready-to-eat kiwifruit during different storage periods (every 12 h). Our results revealed the presence of 55 VOCs in ready-to-eat kiwifruit, with alcohols, esters, and ketones being the dominant compounds responsible for the aromatic flavor. Among these compounds, methyl caproate, ethyl butyrate, and ethyl propionate provided specific fruit flavors to ready-to-eat kiwifruit, whereas esters played a secondary role. Furthermore, varying trends were observed for different compound types as the storage period increased: alcohols exhibited a decreasing trend, whereas ester products and some sulfur-containing compounds showed an increase. Additionally, fingerprint profiles of volatile compounds were established for each storage period, enabling the identification of characteristic substances. This comprehensive analysis of volatile flavor substances during the ripening of ready-to-eat kiwifruit will greatly contribute to enhancing its sensory quality, consumer appeal, and overall marketability.

Discrimination of artificial strawberry aroma by electronic nose based on nanocomposites

AbstractAn electronic nose containing an array of gas sensors with interdigitated electrodes coated with nanocomposites based on polyaniline (Pani) combined with carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotubes doped with different acids was used to discriminate artificial strawberry aromas. Principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were used to investigate if the electronic nose was able to distinguish between different strawberry aromas. In addition, a nonlinear projection of the interactive document map technique (IDMAP) was applied to evaluate the distinction ability of the gas sensor array. The sensing layers showed tubular characteristics for Pani/MWCNT_COOH morphology and the group's representative doped state. The main and most common compound identified by gas chromatography in strawberry aromas was ethyl butyrate. The gas sensors showed high sensitivity (&gt;6.55 mV/ppm), low limit of detection (LD &lt;0.31 ppm), limit of quantification (LQ &lt;5.43 ppm), short response time (&lt;63 s) and recovery time (&lt;10.15 s) for different artificial strawberry aromas. The results demonstrate that the electronic nose could differentiate among the artificial strawberry aromas. The volatile profile of strawberry aromas was distinguished into distinct groups using both LDA and PCA analysis. The use of IDMAP permitted the identification of the major contributors to the distinguishing ability of gas sensors with a high silhouette coefficient (0.91). The sensor array was efficient at aroma discrimination, demonstrating excellent potential for food analysis in industrial applications.Practical applicationsThe distinction between natural and artificial flavors has significantly shrunk as volatile chemical technology has advanced. Historically, it was difficult to industrially replicate natural aromas. Identification and analysis of aromas are challenging tasks. Targeted aroma compounds are frequently present in low concentrations (parts per million), which makes it very challenging to identify them. The electronic nose system is a promising new analytical method that can quickly and accurately, without pre‐treating the sample, detect and identify the full information of aroma compounds in real time. It is generally accepted as a nondestructive, affordable, and portable method with high feasibility, speed, and ease of use. For qualitative differentiation and distinguishing, PCA, LDA, and IDMAP methods were also used.

Analysis of Volatile Components in Rosa roxburghii Tratt. and Rosa sterilis Using Headspace–Solid-Phase Microextraction–Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and flavor characteristics of Rosa roxburghii Tratt. (RR) and Rosa sterilis (RS) were analyzed using headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). The flavor network was constructed by combining relative odor activity values (ROAVs), and the signature differential flavor components were screened using orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and random forest (RF). The results showed that 61 VOCs were detected in both RR and RS: 48 in RR, and 26 in RS. There were six key flavor components (ROAVs ≥ 1) in RR, namely nonanal, ethyl butanoate, ethyl hexanoate, (3Z)-3-hexen-1-yl acetate, ethyl caprylate, and styrene, among which ethyl butanoate had the highest contribution, whereas there were eight key flavor components (ROAVs ≥ 1) in RS, namely 2-nonanol, (E)-2-hexenal, nonanal, methyl salicylate, β-ocimene, caryophyllene, α-ionone, and styrene, among which nonanal contributed the most to RS. The flavor of RR is primarily fruity, sweet, green banana, and waxy, while the flavor of RS is primarily sweet and floral. In addition, OPLS-DA and RF suggested that (E)-2-hexenal, ethyl caprylate, β-ocimene, and ethyl butanoate could be the signature differential flavor components for distinguishing between RR and RS. In this study, the differences in VOCs between RR and RS were analyzed to provide a basis for further development and utilization.

Effect of ultrasound-assisted fermentation on physicochemical properties and volatile flavor compounds of Chinese rice wine

The traditional fermentation method for Chinese rice wine (RW) production has some limitations such as difficulty in controlling quality, long brewing time, and thin taste. In this study, ultrasonic technology was adopted by adding enzyme with the aim of improving the fermentation efficiency and volatile flavor quality of RW. Results showed that the ethanol yield was increased by 23.53 % and the fermentation time was reduced by nearly 2 days by ultrasonic treatment of (one-time, 28 kHz, 1 h, 35 W/L) on the first day. Flavor analysis (following the ultrasonic treatment) showed that the flavors, especially the esters and alcohols in RW, also enhanced most significantly. The contents of isobutyl acetate, ethyl butyrate, ethyl hexanoate, and phenethyl acetate increased by 58.03 %, 107.70 %, 31.84 %, and 18.71 %, respectively. The results showed that the brewing process could be simplified, brewing time could be reduced and volatile flavor of RW could be improved by ultrasound.

ReaxFF based molecular dynamics simulation of ethyl butyrate in pyrolysis and combustion

As an alternative to fossil fuels, ethyl butyrate shows excellent combustion characteristics, however, its chemical transformation paths are not clear, which limits development of the chemical kinetic model. In order to reveal the reaction mechanism and influencing factors, the pyrolysis and combustion processes with different densities are simulated through the Reactive Force Field Molecular Dynamics (ReaxFF MD) method. The results show that the chemical reaction rate is correlated positively with system density and temperature. In pyrolysis process, ethyl butyrate first decomposes into ethylene and the corresponding acid, then these groups decompose into the smaller hydrocarbon compounds and oxygen-containing functional groups, eventually evolve into H2O and hydrocarbon molecules. In combustion process, the dissociation products of C-C bond are oxidized to CO2, and the hydrogen atoms are captured by ·OH (or combines with ·H), and H2O generated. The activation energies of pyrolysis and combustion processes are 180.61 kJ/mol and 83.89 kJ/mol, respectively.