Food Chemistry and Molecular Sensory Science, Technical University of Munich, Lise-Meitner-Str. 34, 85354 Freising, Germany.
Department of Molecular Genetics, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke (DIfE), Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558 Nuthetal, Germany.
Food Chem. 2021 Dec 1;364:130420. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.130420. Epub 2021 Jun 19.
Licorice saponins, the main constituents of Glycyrrhiza glabra L. roots, are highly appreciated by the consumer for their pleasant sweet and long lasting licorice taste. The objective of the present study was to understand the molecular features that contribute to bitter, sweet and licorice sensation of licorice roots, and whether individual compounds elicit more than one of these sensations. Therefore, a sensomics approach was conducted, followed by purification of the compounds with highest sensory impact, and by synthesis as well as full characterization via HRESIMS, ESIMS/MS and 1D/2D-NMR experiments. This led to the discovery and structure determination of 28 sweet, bitter and licorice tasting key phytochemicals, including two unknown compounds. A combination of sensorial, cell-based and computational analysis revealed distinct structural features, such as spatial arrangement of functional groups in the triterpenoid E-ring, driving to different taste sensations and sweet receptor hTAS1R2/R3 stimulation.
甘草皂苷是甘草根的主要成分，因其甜味持久而深受消费者喜爱。本研究旨在了解甘草根产生苦味、甜味和甘草味的分子特征，以及是否有一种化合物能引起不止一种感觉。因此，采用了一种感观组学的方法，对具有最高感官影响的化合物进行了分离和纯化，并通过高分辨率质谱、电喷雾质谱/质谱和 1D/2D-NMR 实验进行了合成和全谱特征分析。这导致了 28 种具有甜味、苦味和甘草味的关键植物化学物质的发现和结构确定，其中包括两种未知化合物。感官、基于细胞的和计算分析的组合揭示了不同的结构特征，例如三萜 E 环中功能基团的空间排列，导致不同的味觉和甜味受体 hTAS1R2/R3 的刺激。
