An overview of bitter compounds in foodstuffs: Classifications, evaluation methods for sensory contribution, separation and identification techniques, and mechanism of bitter taste transduction
{"title":"An overview of bitter compounds in foodstuffs: Classifications, evaluation methods for sensory contribution, separation and identification techniques, and mechanism of bitter taste transduction","authors":"Jingna Yan, Huarong Tong","doi":"10.1111/1541-4337.13067","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>The bitter taste is generally considered an undesirable sensory attribute. However, bitter-tasting compounds can significantly affect the overall flavor of many foods and beverages and endow them with various beneficial effects on human health. To better understand the relationship between chemical structure and bitterness, this paper has summarized the bitter compounds in foodstuffs and classified them based on the basic skeletons. Only those bitter compounds that are confirmed by human sensory evaluation have been included in this paper. To develop food products that satisfy consumer preferences, correctly ranking the key bitter compounds in foodstuffs according to their contributions to the overall bitterness intensity is the precondition. Generally, three methods were applied to screen out the key bitter compounds in foods and beverages and evaluate their sensory contributions, including dose-over-threshold factors, taste dilution analysis, and spectrum descriptive analysis method. This paper has discussed in detail the mechanisms and applications of these three methods. Typical procedures for separating and identifying the main bitter compounds in foodstuffs have also been summarized. Additionally, the activation of human bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs) and the mechanisms of bitter taste transduction are outlined. Ultimately, a conclusion has been drawn to highlight the current problems and propose potential directions for further research.</p>","PeriodicalId":155,"journal":{"name":"Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":12.0000,"publicationDate":"2022-11-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"5","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety","FirstCategoryId":"97","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1541-4337.13067","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 5
Abstract
The bitter taste is generally considered an undesirable sensory attribute. However, bitter-tasting compounds can significantly affect the overall flavor of many foods and beverages and endow them with various beneficial effects on human health. To better understand the relationship between chemical structure and bitterness, this paper has summarized the bitter compounds in foodstuffs and classified them based on the basic skeletons. Only those bitter compounds that are confirmed by human sensory evaluation have been included in this paper. To develop food products that satisfy consumer preferences, correctly ranking the key bitter compounds in foodstuffs according to their contributions to the overall bitterness intensity is the precondition. Generally, three methods were applied to screen out the key bitter compounds in foods and beverages and evaluate their sensory contributions, including dose-over-threshold factors, taste dilution analysis, and spectrum descriptive analysis method. This paper has discussed in detail the mechanisms and applications of these three methods. Typical procedures for separating and identifying the main bitter compounds in foodstuffs have also been summarized. Additionally, the activation of human bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs) and the mechanisms of bitter taste transduction are outlined. Ultimately, a conclusion has been drawn to highlight the current problems and propose potential directions for further research.
期刊介绍:
Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety (CRFSFS) is an online peer-reviewed journal established in 2002. It aims to provide scientists with unique and comprehensive reviews covering various aspects of food science and technology.
CRFSFS publishes in-depth reviews addressing the chemical, microbiological, physical, sensory, and nutritional properties of foods, as well as food processing, engineering, analytical methods, and packaging. Manuscripts should contribute new insights and recommendations to the scientific knowledge on the topic. The journal prioritizes recent developments and encourages critical assessment of experimental design and interpretation of results.
Topics related to food safety, such as preventive controls, ingredient contaminants, storage, food authenticity, and adulteration, are considered. Reviews on food hazards must demonstrate validity and reliability in real food systems, not just in model systems. Additionally, reviews on nutritional properties should provide a realistic perspective on how foods influence health, considering processing and storage effects on bioactivity.
The journal also accepts reviews on consumer behavior, risk assessment, food regulations, and post-harvest physiology. Authors are encouraged to consult the Editor in Chief before submission to ensure topic suitability. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses on analytical and sensory methods, quality control, and food safety approaches are welcomed, with authors advised to follow IFIS Good review practice guidelines.