College of Tobacco Science, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China.
School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, China.
Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2024 Jul;23(4):e13389. doi: 10.1111/1541-4337.13389.
Volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) significantly influence food flavor and garner considerable attention in flavor research due to their low sensory thresholds, diverse odor attributes, and high reactivity. Extensive research studies have explored VSC formation through thermal processes such as the Maillard reaction, thermal pyrolysis, oxidation, and enzymatic reactions. However, understanding of the specific reaction mechanisms and processes remains limited. This is due to the dispersed nature of existing studies, the undefined intermediates involved, and the complexity of the matrices and processing conditions. Given these limitations, the authors have shifted their focus from foods to sulfides. The structure, source, and chemical characteristics of common precursors (sulfur-containing amino acids and derivatives, thiamine, thioglucoside, and lentinic acid) and their corresponding reactive intermediates (hydrogen sulfide, thiol, alkyl sulfide, alkyl sulfenic acid, and thial) are provided, and the degradation mechanisms, reaction rules, and matrix conditions are summarized based on their chemical characteristics. Additionally, the VSC formation processes in several typical foods during processing are elucidated, adhering to these identified rules. This article provides a comprehensive overview of VSCs, from precursors and intermediates to end products, and is crucial for understanding the mechanisms behind VSC formation and managing the flavor qualities of processed foods.
挥发性硫化合物（VSCs）由于其低感官阈值、多样的气味属性和高反应性，显著影响食物的风味，在风味研究中受到了相当大的关注。大量的研究已经探索了通过热过程（如美拉德反应、热解、氧化和酶反应）形成 VSC。然而，对于具体的反应机制和过程的理解仍然有限。这是由于现有研究的分散性质、涉及的未定义中间体以及基质和加工条件的复杂性。鉴于这些限制，作者将研究重点从食品转移到了硫化物上。本文提供了常见前体（含硫氨基酸及其衍生物、硫胺素、硫葡萄糖苷和香菇酸）及其相应的反应中间体（硫化氢、硫醇、烷基硫醚、烷基亚磺酸和硫代）的结构、来源和化学特性，并根据其化学特性总结了降解机制、反应规则和基质条件。此外，还阐述了在加工过程中几种典型食品中 VSC 的形成过程，遵循这些已确定的规则。本文全面概述了 VSCs，从前体和中间体到最终产物，对于理解 VSC 形成的机制和管理加工食品的风味质量至关重要。
