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Updated: Aug 17, 2026

Fruit Volatile Analysis Using an Electronic Nose
Published on: March 30, 2012
Decoding pickle aroma in rapeseed oil by sensomics, gas chromatography-olfactometry, quantitation, addition studies
Jiani Liu1, Peishan Gu1, Baijun Chu2
1Beijing Key Laboratory of Food Processing and Safety in Forestry, Department of Food Science, College of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
None:
Rapeseed oil, a major global vegetable oil with an annual production of 15.4 million metric tons, is valued for its aroma, notably the pickle attribute critical to quality. This study aimed to elucidate the volatile basis of this aroma and explore its interaction with human olfactory receptors. Molecular sensory science approaches, including GDA, GC-Orbitrap-MS, GC-LRMS-O, GC-HRMS-O, concentration-intensity modeling was applied to 45 commercial oils. Four key compounds-3-butenyl isothiocyanate, dimethyl trisulfide, dimethyl disulfide, and phenylacetonitrile-were identified as primary contributors. Stevens exponents revealed 3-butenyl isothiocyanate as the most perceptually sensitive. Molecular docking demonstrated phenylacetonitrile's broad receptor activation via π-interactions, while others relied on hydrogen bonds. These findings clarify the chemical and molecular mechanisms underpinning pickle aroma, offering insights for optimizing rapeseed oil flavor and advancing odorant-receptor interaction studies in food systems.
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