Evaluating Stabilizers Effects on Aroma Release Dynamics in Ice Cream: A PTR-ToF-MS Analysis

Capturing the dynamic volatilome of frozen matrices during phase transitions remains an analytical challenge, typically requiring invasive sampling. This study employs proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS) as a rapid, noninvasive technique that directly samples headspace volatiles without preconcentration to efficiently monitor four peach-related aroma compounds (isoamyl acetate, 3-hexenyl acetate, linalool, and furaneol) from frozen to melted ice cream. The samples vary in stabilizer composition, including a control (no stabilizer), single-gum, binary, and ternary blends. Monitoring occurred in the frozen state (incubation for 1 min at 4°C) and after melting (incubation for 20 min at 30°C). Results demonstrate that all stabilizer blends attenuated volatile release (average reduction in total aroma release of 40.39%) compared with the control, although statistically significant formulation effects were compound dependent and were not observed for furaneol. The magnitude of suppression was dependent on both stabilizer composition and the physicochemical properties of the aroma compounds. Notably, individual aroma compounds displayed differential release patterns across formulations; isoamyl acetate generally showed a more pronounced release than cis-3-hexenyl acetate in specific stabilized formulations (LGK and LAK). Stabilizers that consistently suppressed peach-related volatiles also demonstrated reduced total odor activity values. These results validate PTR-ToF-MS as an effective tool for monitoring the volatilome of frozen matrices and tracking aroma release during melting, illustrating how stabilizer selection can be optimized for aroma delivery in ice cream.