Analysis of Volatile Compounds for the Assessment of Food Quality and Authentication

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 October 2026 | Viewed by 1523

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Departamento de Producción Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus Rabanales, 14071 Cordoba, Spain
Interests: animal production; animal-based products; system and feeding authentication; food analysis; volatilome

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Guest Editor
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Chemical Institute for Energy and the Environment (IQUEMA), International Agrifood Campus of Excellence (ceiA3), University of Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales, 14071 Cordoba, Spain
Interests: food analysis; chromatography; ion mobility spectrometry; mass spectrometry; chemometric; food authentication
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Instituto Químico para la Energía y el Medioambiente (IQEMA), International Agrifood Campus of Excellence (ceiA3), Marie Curie Building (Annex), Campus of Rabanales, University of Córdoba, 14071 Cordoba, Spain
Interests: ion mobility spectrometry; food analysis; chromatography; spectrometry; chemometric; food chemistry; food authentication
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Volatile compounds play a key role in defining the sensory characteristics of foods, contributing significantly to their aroma, flavor, and overall quality. Their determination has become increasingly relevant not only for sensory profiling but also as a powerful tool for food authentication and quality assessment. Advances in analytical techniques, such as gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) or ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS), electronic noses, and other approaches, have expanded our ability to identify, quantify, and interpret volatile profiles across a wide variety of food matrices.

These volatile fingerprints can be used to detect adulteration, monitor freshness, assess the impact of processing and storage, and differentiate products based on geographical origin or production method. The integration of advanced analytical methods with multivariate data analysis approaches further enhances their application in both research and industry settings.

This Special Issue of Foods invites the submission of original research articles and critical reviews focused on the development and application of volatile compound analysis for food quality evaluation, authenticity verification, and sensory characterization. Contributions from fields such as analytical chemistry, food science, metabolomics, sensory analysis, data science, and related disciplines are welcome to be submitted to this Special Issue.

Dr. Pablo Rodríguez-Hernández
Dr. María José Cardador
Prof. Dr. Lourdes Arce
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • volatile compounds
  • aroma
  • food quality
  • food authentication
  • chemometrics
  • sensory evaluation
  • traceability

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 2698 KB  
Article
Multi-Omics and Chemometric Analysis of Aroma and Shelf Life Dynamics in Raisin Syrup Sourdough and Commercial Yeast Breads
by Junhan Zhang, Tatsuro Maeda, Seiya Nakamura, Kenjiro Sugiyama, Yoko Iijima, Takayoshi Tanaka, Shuntaro Isoya, Kazuya Hasegawa and Tetsuya Araki
Foods 2026, 15(4), 717; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15040717 - 15 Feb 2026
Viewed by 523
Abstract
Raisin syrup sourdough is a popular traditional leavening method in Japan, yet its specific impact on bread aroma evolution and shelf life stability remains scientifically underexplored. This study characterized the fermentation dynamics and volatile profiles of raisin syrup sourdough bread compared to a [...] Read more.
Raisin syrup sourdough is a popular traditional leavening method in Japan, yet its specific impact on bread aroma evolution and shelf life stability remains scientifically underexplored. This study characterized the fermentation dynamics and volatile profiles of raisin syrup sourdough bread compared to a commercial yeast control over a 3-day shelf life, utilizing comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC × GC-TOFMS) and primary metabolite profiling of sugars, amino acids, and organic acids. The analysis resolved over 760 volatiles and revealed a fundamental kinetic divergence. While the yeast control exhibited a 24 h metabolic lag, the raisin sourdough achieved rapid activation, establishing a higher initial volatile load immediately post-baking. Driven by lactic acid bacteria dominance and extensive proteolysis, the sourdough’s acidic environment facilitated the retention of fruity esters and malty branched-chain aldehydes while effectively suppressing lipid oxidation markers like 9,17-Octadecadienal. Key aromatic markers, including benzenepropanol and Octanoate <isopentyl->, were significantly elevated and stabilized in the sourdough group. These findings demonstrate that raisin syrup fermentation generates a superior, stable aromatic profile, providing a scientific basis for optimizing clean-label artisan bread production in the Japanese market. Full article
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24 pages, 4531 KB  
Article
Combination of GC-IMS and Nano-LC/HRMS Reveals the Mechanism of Superheated Steam Glycosylation Modification in Improving Oyster Peptide Flavor
by Li-Hong Wang, Jun-Wei Zhang, Zong-Cai Tu, Xiao-Mei Sha, Yong-Yan Huang and Zi-Zi Hu
Foods 2026, 15(2), 236; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15020236 - 9 Jan 2026
Viewed by 581
Abstract
This study investigated the effect of superheated steam (SS) assisted glycosylation modification on the flavor profile of oyster peptides (OP), and explored the correlation between key flavor compounds and glycosylation degree using Gas Chromatography–Ion Mobility Spectrometry (GC-IMS) and nano-scale Liquid Chromatography coupled with [...] Read more.
This study investigated the effect of superheated steam (SS) assisted glycosylation modification on the flavor profile of oyster peptides (OP), and explored the correlation between key flavor compounds and glycosylation degree using Gas Chromatography–Ion Mobility Spectrometry (GC-IMS) and nano-scale Liquid Chromatography coupled with High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (nano-LC/HRMS). The results indicated that SS treatment accelerated the glycosylation process, reduced free amino groups level, and distinguished their unique flavor through E-nose. GC-IMS analysis detected 64 signal peaks including 13 aldehydes, 6 ketones, 7 esters, 6 alcohols, 2 acids, 2 furans and 5 other substances. And it was revealed that SS-mediated glycosylation treatment reduced the levels of fishy odorants like Heptanal and Nonanal, while promoting the pleasant-smelling alcohols and esters. In addition, Pearson correlation showed a positive correlation between excessive glycation and the increase in aldehydes, which might cause the recurrence of undesirable fishy notes. Further nano-LC/HRMS analysis revealed that arginine and lysine acted as the main sites for glycosylation modification. Notably, glycosylated peptides such as KAFGHENEALVRK, DSRAATSPGELGVTIEGPKE, generated by mild SS treatment could convert into ketones and pyrazines in subsequent reactions, thereby contributing to overall sensory enhancement. In conclusion, SS treatment at 110 °C for 1 min significantly improved the flavor quality of OP and sustains improvement in subsequent stages, providing theoretical support for flavor optimization of oyster peptides. Full article
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