Asimi Sailimuhan, Min Zhang
School of Public Health, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi 830011, China.
Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China.
Food Chem X. 2025 Apr 1;27:102427. doi: 10.1016/j.fochx.2025.102427. eCollection 2025 Apr.
The sensorial experience of japonica rice is a critical factor that profoundly influences consumer choice. Despite this, the mechanisms underlying the release and perception of flavors during the oral processing of japonica rice are still not clearly understood. To address this gap, we conducted an in-depth investigation into the flavor release and gustatory perception dynamics of japonica rice during mastication using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and molecular docking simulations. Our findings revealed that umami taste was predominant during the initial stages of oral processing, whereas sweetness emerged as the dominant flavor in the subsequent phases. Moreover, we identified 16 key taste-active compounds that are released during the oral processing of japonica rice. Utilizing partial least squares regression (PLSR) analysis, we observed that glucose, sucrose, proline, maltose, and fructose were positively and significantly associated with the perception of sweetness in japonica rice. Concurrently, aspartic acid and glutamic acid contributed to the enhancement of umami perception, while concurrently diminishing the perception of sweetness and sourness. Further molecular docking studies demonstrated that glucose and sucrose interact with the amino acid residues of the sweet taste receptors T1R2/T1R3, engaging in hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. These interactions potentiate the activity of T1R2/T1R3, thereby facilitating the detection of sweetness. Similarly, aspartic acid and glutamic acid bind to the amino acid residues of the umami receptors T1R1/T1R3, establishing hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. This binding enhances the activity of T1R1/T1R3, leading to an augmented perception of umami.
粳米的感官体验是深刻影响消费者选择的关键因素。尽管如此，粳米在口腔加工过程中风味释放和感知的潜在机制仍未被清楚理解。为了填补这一空白，我们使用高效液相色谱（HPLC）和分子对接模拟对粳米咀嚼过程中的风味释放和味觉感知动态进行了深入研究。我们的研究结果表明，鲜味在口腔加工的初始阶段占主导地位，而甜味在随后阶段成为主要风味。此外，我们鉴定出了16种在粳米口腔加工过程中释放的关键呈味活性化合物。利用偏最小二乘回归（PLSR）分析，我们观察到葡萄糖、蔗糖、脯氨酸、麦芽糖和果糖与粳米甜味的感知呈正相关且具有显著相关性。同时，天冬氨酸和谷氨酸有助于增强鲜味感知，同时降低甜味和酸味的感知。进一步的分子对接研究表明，葡萄糖和蔗糖与甜味受体T1R2/T1R3的氨基酸残基相互作用，形成氢键和疏水相互作用。这些相互作用增强了T1R2/T1R3的活性，从而促进了甜味的检测。同样，天冬氨酸和谷氨酸与鲜味受体T1R1/T1R3的氨基酸残基结合，形成氢键和疏水相互作用。这种结合增强了T1R1/T1R3的活性，导致鲜味感知增强。
