Aroma compound

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An aroma compound, also known as odorant, aroma, fragrance, flavor, is a chemical compound that has a smell or odor. A chemical compound has a smell or odor when two conditions are met: the compound needs to be volatile, so it can be transported to the olfactory system in the upper part of the nose, and it needs to be in a sufficiently high concentration to be able to interact with one or more of the olfactory receptors.

Aroma compounds can be found in food, wine, spices, perfumes, fragrance oils, and essential oils. For example, many form biochemically during ripening of fruits and other crops. In wines, most form as byproducts of fermentation. Odorants can also be added to a dangerous odorless substance, like natural gas, as a warning. As well many of the aroma compounds plays a significant role in the production of flavorants, which are used in the food service industry to flavor, improve and increase the appeal of their products.

Aroma compounds classified by functional group

Alcohols

Benzyl alcohol (oxidises to benzaldehyde, almond)
Ethyl maltol (sugary, cooked fruit)
Furaneol (strawberry)
1-Hexanol (herbaceous, woody)
cis-3-Hexen-1-ol (fresh cut grass)
Menthol (peppermint)

Aldehydes

Amines

Cadaverine (rotting flesh)
Indole (jasmine flowery, feces)
Putrescine (rotting flesh)
Pyridine (very unpleasant)
Skatole (bad breath, feces)
Substituted pyrazines: 2-ethoxy-3-isopropylpyrazine, 2-methoxy-3-sec-butylpyrazine, 2-methoxy-3-methylpyrazine (toasted seeds of fenugreek, cumin, and coriander)
Trimethylamine (fish)

Esters

Ethyl acetate (fruity, solvent)
Ethyl butanoate (fruity) - also known as ethyl butyrate
Ethyl decanoate - also known as ethyl caprate
Ethyl hexanoate - also known as ethyl caproate
Ethyl octanoate - also known as ethyl caprylate
Hexyl acetate (apple, floral, fruity)
Isoamyl acetate (banana)
Methyl butanoate (apple, fruity) - also known as methyl butyrate
Methyl salicylate (oil of wintergreen)
Pentyl butanoate (pear, apricot)
Pentyl pentanoate (apple, pineapple)
Sotolon (maple syrup, curry, fenugreek)
Strawberry aldehyde (strawberry)
Fructone (fruity, apple-like)

Ethers

Anethole (liquorice, anise seed, ouzo, fennel)
Anisole (anise seed)
Eugenol (clove oil)
2,4,6-Trichloroanisole (cork taint)

Ketones

Oct-1-en-3-one (blood, metallic, mushroom-like)
2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline (fresh bread, jasmine rice)
6-Acetyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydropyridine (fresh bread, tortillas, pop corn)

Terpenes

Camphor (Cinnamomum camphora)
Citronellol (rose)
Linalool (floral, citrus, coriander)
Nerol (sweet rose)
Nerolidol (wood, fresh bark)
alpha-Terpineol (lilac)
Thujone (juniper, common sage, Nootka cypress, and wormwood)
Thymol (Thyme-like)

Thiols

Ethanethiol, formerly called Ethyl mercaptan (Durian or leek, added to natural gas)
Grapefruit mercaptan (grapefruit)
Methanethiol, formerly called Methyl mercaptan (added to natural gas)

Miscellaneous compounds

Methylphosphine and dimethylphosphine (garlic-metallic, two of the most potent odorants known)

Nerolin (orange flowers)
Tetrahydrothiophene (added to natural gas)

References

External links

Leffingwell, commercial odorant information resource.
The Good Scents Company, commercial odorant information resource.
Fantastic-Flavour, commercial odorant/flavour information resource.

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Last updated on Thursday March 06, 2008 at 18:20:16 PST (GMT -0800)
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