Pharmacology of the Umami Taste Receptor.

Umami, the fifth taste, has been recognized as a legitimate taste modality only recently relative to the other tastes. Dozens of compounds from vastly different chemical classes elicit a savory (also called umami) taste. The prototypical umami substance glutamic acid or its salt monosodium glutamate (MSG) is present in numerous savory food sources or ingredients such as kombu (edible kelp), beans, soy sauce, tomatoes, cheeses, mushrooms, and certain meats and fish.

New Umami Amides: Structure-Taste Relationship Studies of Cinnamic Acid Derived Amides and the Natural Occurrence of an Intense Umami Amide in Zanthoxylum piperitum.

A series of aromatic amides were synthesized from various acids and amines selected from naturally occurring structural frameworks. These synthetic amides were evaluated for umami taste in comparison with monosodium glutamate. The effect of the substitution pattern of both the acid and the amine parts on umami taste was investigated.

Comparative analysis of three Australian finger lime (Citrus australasica) cultivars: identification of unique citrus chemotypes and new volatile molecules.

The volatile constituents of the peel of three cultivars of Australian finger lime (Citrus australasica) were investigated: Alstonville, Judy's Everbearing and Durham's Emerald. Both qualitative and quantitative GC-MS analyses were performed on their peel solvent extract. The results showed that the unique phenotypes of finger lime are also correlated to unique molecular compositions.

50 years of mass spectrometry at Firmenich: a continuing love story.

Mass spectrometry (MS) has been intensively used in the field of flavor and fragrance since its beginning in the 1950s, and it remains an essential technique for current and future research in this field. After a short historical section on the introduction and development of MS at Firmenich, this work reviews the main applications of MS-based techniques published by Firmenich researchers over the past 5 years. It exemplifies the use of gas chromatography (GC)-MS for the discovery of new odorant - hence volatile - molecules in a broad range of natural products, such as fruits, meats, and vegetables.

Identification of a new lactone contributing to overripe orange aroma in Bordeaux dessert wines via perceptual interaction phenomena.

Recent studies have demonstrated the existence of a typical sensory concept for Bordeaux dessert wines, including the world famous wines of Sauternes. Volatile compounds from several chemical families (thiols, aldehydes, and lactones) were identified and correlated with aromatic typicality in these wines. However, these studies were unable to indicate "key" aromas of overripe fruits, especially overripe orange.

Quantification of Hydrogen Sulfide and Methanethiol and the Study of Their Scavenging by Biocides of the Isothiazolone Family.

A sensitive analytical method for the quantification of malodourous hydrogen sulfide (H S) and methanethiol (CH SH) was developed and validated. The method consisted of solid-phase microextraction with concomitant in-fibre derivatisation of the mercaptan using N-ethylmaleimide. The adducts were analysed by GC-MS using a triple quadrupole in the selected reaction monitoring mode.

Identification and quantitation of new glutamic acid derivatives in soy sauce by UPLC/MS/MS.

Glutamic acid is an abundant amino acid that lends a characteristic umami taste to foods. In fermented foods, glutamic acid can be found as a free amino acid formed by proteolysis or as a non-proteolytic derivative formed by microorganisms. The aim of the present study was to identify different structures of glutamic acid derivatives in a typical fermented protein-based food product, soy sauce.

Quantification of selected furocoumarins by high-performance liquid chromatography and UV-detection: capabilities and limits.

The performance of HPLC-UV as a means of quantifying selected furocoumarins in essential oils has been evaluated, based on a ring test validation approach. Accuracy profiles were generated, to determine bias and statistical confidence associated with determination at different concentrations, along with lower limits of quantification (LOQ). From these findings, it can be concluded that the method described may only be used in simple cases (essential oils), to measure individual furocoumarin compounds at concentrations greater than 10mg/l; the non compound-specific nature of detection by absorption in the UV range is unable to overcome the effect of interferences arising from chromatographic coelutions, such as those encountered in the analysis of complex commercial fragrance mixtures.

Identification and synthesis of new volatile molecules found in extracts obtained from distinct parts of cooked chicken.

Several chicken parts (skin, fat, juice) were cooked in different ways (roasting, simmering) and investigated separately for their volatile composition. In-depth GC/MS analysis of the separate fractions revealed several unknown molecules. Mass spectra interpretation allowed us to identify nine molecules for the first time in chicken, including cyclic aldehydes, cyclic ketones, and new δ-lactones containing an unsaturated linear chain.

Discovery of new lactones in sweet cream butter oil.

Sweet cream butter oil was analyzed to identify new volatile compounds that may contribute to its flavor, with an emphasis on lactones. The volatile part of butter oil was obtained by using short-path distillation. As some previously unknown lactones were detected in this first extract, it was fractionated further.

Easy access to aroma active unsaturated γ-lactones by addition of modified titanium homoenolate to aldehydes.

The homo-Reformatsky reaction, in which a metal homoenolate of an ester is added to an aldehyde, was adapted to produce γ-lactones from unsaturated, enolizable aldehydes. By use of titanium homoenolate, 11 different γ-lactones were synthesized in one step with moderate to good yields from readily available aldehydes. In particular, this procedure allowed the rapid preparation of a series of C(12) unsaturated γ-lactones differing in the position and configuration of the double bond.

Controlled release of volatile secondary and tertiary alcohols by neighboring group participation: stepwise cyclization and re-opening of 2,2'-bis(carbamoyl)dibenzoates at neutral pH.

Bioactive, volatile, secondary and tertiary fragrance alcohols are efficiently released by intramolecular neighboring-group-assisted hydrolysis of 2,2'-bis(carbamoyl)dibenzoates at neutral pH. The stepwise cyclization of 2,2'-[(methylimino)bis(propane-3,1-diylcarbamoyl)]dibenzoates is followed by the re-opening of the intermediately formed diphthalimide and proceeds in an overall four-step consecutive reaction sequence. Kinetic rate constants for all four reaction steps could be determined pairwise by reversed-phase HPLC.

Identification of volatile compounds responsible for prune aroma in prematurely aged red wines.

The premature aging of red Vitis vinifera L. wines is mainly associated with the formation of an intense off-flavor reminiscent of prunes. The compounds responsible for this deterioration in red wine flavor have not previously been identified.

Odorous impact of volatile thiols on the aroma of young botrytized sweet wines: identification and quantification of new sulfanyl alcohols.

Specific extraction of volatile thiols using sodium p-hydroxymercuribenzoate revealed the presence of three new sulfanylalcohols in wines made from Botrytis-infected grapes: 3-sulfanylpentan-1-ol (II), 3-sulfanylheptan-1-ol (III), and 2-methyl-3-sulfanylbutan-1-ol (IV). The first two have citrus aromas, whereas the third is reminiscent of raw onion. In addition, 2-methyl-3-sulfanylpentan-1-ol, which has a raw onion odor, was tentatively identified.

From linden flower to linden honey. Part 2: Glycosidic precursors of cyclohexa-1,3-diene-1-carboxylic acids.

The presence of two unusual, recently identified terpene acids, i.e., 4-(1-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)cyclohexa-1,3-diene-1-carboxylic acid (1) and 4-(1-methylethenyl)cyclohexa-1,3-diene-1-carboxylic acid (2), was now also confirmed in (Swiss) linden honey, after solid-phase extraction and HPLC purification.

Stereoisomeric distribution of 3-mercaptohexan-1-ol and 3-mercaptohexyl acetate in dry and sweet white wines made from Vitis vinifera (Var. Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon).

The enantiomeric distribution of 3-mercaptohexan-1-ol (3MH) and 3-mercaptohexyl acetate (3MHA) in Vitis vinifera wines was determined by combining two techniques: specific purification of volatile thiols from the wines using p-hydroxymercuribenzoate and separation of the chiral molecules by gas-phase chromatography on a cyclodextrin capillary column. The R and S enantiomer ratios of these two thiols in dry white Sauvignon blanc and Semillon wines are approximately 30:70 for A3MH and 50:50 for 3MH. However, in sweet white wines made from grapes affected by "noble rot" due to the development of Botrytis cinerea on ripe grapes, the proportion of the R and S forms of 3MH is in the vicinity of 30:70.

Quantification of total furocoumarins in citrus oils by HPLC coupled with UV, fluorescence, and mass detection.

Furocoumarins or psoralens represent a class of photosensitizers whose use level is likely to be restricted to 1 ppm in cosmetic products by the EU. A reversed-phase HPLC method was developed to separate the 15 main furocoumarins present in citrus oils. Quantification by UV, fluorescence, or mass detectors was compared in terms of linearity and limit of detection.