Aromas

Aromas play an important role in our everyday lives - from our perception of the odors in our surrounding environment to our evaluation and enjoyment of food flavor. Multidisciplinary research efforts over the past 50 years have led to insights into olfaction and odor perception from physiological, psychological and chemical perspectives. At the same time efforts of food chemists have led to the discovery and measurement of the volatile foodborne odorants responsible for the characteristic aromas of many foods, and to our understanding of the pathways and reactions involved in their formation. This chapter provides a brief overview of the physiology and psychology involved in odor perception and discusses the chemicals responsible for food aromas.