Identification of bitter compounds in extruded corn puffed products

Differences in the taste profile of corn puffed products formulated with refined versus whole grain mix flour were characterized. The perceived bitter intensity was reported to be the main taste difference between the samples. Based on multidimensional sensory-guided fractionation techniques and subsequent identification by MS and NMR analysis, the primary bitter compounds identified in the whole grain sample were l-tryptophan, chaenorpine, N¹,N⁵-Di-[E]-p-coumaroyl-spermidine, and terrestribisamide. All compounds were reported to contribute to bitterness perception at the concentrations reported in the saliva after mastication of the extruded products; chaenorphine had the highest contribution to the perceived bitterness. All bitter compounds were endogenous products of the corn.