Identifying aroma-active compounds in coffee-flavored dairy beverages.

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Sensory Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Coffee aroma is a complex blend of volatile compounds.
• Understanding these compounds is crucial for formulating palatable coffee-flavored products.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize aroma-active compounds linked to consumer liking in coffee-flavored dairy beverages.
• To investigate the impact of fat and coffee concentrations on aroma profiles.

Main Methods:

• Formulation of nine distinct coffee-flavored dairy beverages varying in fat and coffee content.
• Sensory evaluation by 231 regular coffee consumers using a nine-point hedonic scale.
• Analysis of volatile compounds using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry (GC-MS-O) and modified frequency (MF) approach.

Main Results:

• Fifty-two aroma-active compounds were detected, with 31 identified as important (MF-value ≥ 50%).
• Fat and coffee concentrations influenced the number and intensity of aroma-active compounds.
• Partial least squares regression (PLSR) revealed 25 compounds positively associated with liking, 16 negatively, and 11 with no association.

Conclusions:

• Specific aroma compounds significantly correlate with consumer liking in coffee-flavored dairy beverages.
• Optimal formulation requires balancing fat and coffee concentrations to enhance desirable aroma notes and avoid off-flavors.
• Findings can guide the development of coffee-flavored dairy products with maximized consumer acceptance.