Browsing by Person "Liang Jiaqi"

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    Characterization of aroma and sensorial variation of basil and ginger during short-time drying process
    (2024) Liang Jiaqi; Zhang, Yanyan
    Industries are increasingly interested in aromatic herbs and spices, such as basil and ginger, which play a crucial role in daily life as flavoring agents in foods, beverages, and pharmaceuticals. Basil, an annual herb from the mint family (Lamiaceae), is renowned for its wonderful “royal” fragrance and numerous health benefits. Ginger, one of the most widely consumed dietary spices worldwide, has seen a surge in interest due to its significant healthpromoting properties. In 2023, global market sales for basil leaves and ginger reached 50 million euros and 4.2 billion euros, respectively. As may other herbs and spices, basil and ginger are typically used in dried form to extend shelf life and facilitate transportation. However, the drying process significantly alter the aroma from fresh samples, reduce the quality of the final products and generate numerous by-products. This study aims to identify the off-odor compound(s) produced during basil drying process using molecular sensory techniques and to develop effective strategies to inhibit their formation. Additionally, ginger peel and ginger fiber by-products generated during the industrial and domestic use, as well as the spray drying process, were investigated and reintroduced into the procedure to preserve the aroma compounds of ginger and promote environmental sustainability. In the first part of the study, a method using stir bar sorptive extraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactory (SBSE-GC-MS-O) was established to analyse the aroma changes of basil and ginger during short-term spray drying. This approach was designed to maximize desorption efficiency for various odorants with diverse physicochemical properties under different desorption conditions through four types of mathematical modelling. Among these models, the Random Forest model demonstrated the highest performance and minimal errors, with an R value of 0.910 after validation using a dataset of six new compounds. In addition, the model determined that cryo-focusing temperature was the most important factor, followed by molecular weight, log P, boiling point, desorption temperature, desorption time, and helium flow. This algorithm can be further utilized to predict the optimal parameters for maximizing desorption efficiency in aroma analysis of basil and ginger by SBSE-GC-MS-O. Subsequently, to investigate the formation of the hay-like off-odor that lowers consumer acceptability in dried basil products, the responsible compound was identified in thawed, airdried, and spray-dried basil samples using a trained human panel (n = 10) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry–olfactometry. 3-Methylnonane-2,4-dione (3-MND) was found to be the odorant contributing to the hay-like off-odor in all basil samples. In order to reduce this odorant, the effects of light, oxygen, and temperature on the formation of 3-MND during the processes of thawing, spray drying, and air drying were studied based on a potential pathway involving 3-MND precursors. The results revealed that controlling light exposure, employing nitrogen protective environment, and maintaining low temperatures are critical processing parameters for minimizing the generation of the hay-like compound 3-MND, thereby meeting consumer demands for high-quality dried basil products. Regarding the processing of ginger, the drying process generates a significant amount of ginger peel as an industrial by-product. To facilitate environmental sustainability and establish a reference for its potential applications, the effect of ginger peel on aroma, sensory profiles, and nutrition-related physicochemical properties was investigated. The total concentration of aroma compounds in unpeeled ginger was 1.3 times higher than that in peeled ginger, according to SBSE-GC-MS-O analysis. Sensory evaluation data indicated that unpeeled ginger had significantly enhanced citrus-like and fresh impressions compared to peeled ginger, which is associated with the higher odor activity values of odorants such as β-myrcene (pungent, citruslike), geranial (citrus-like), citronellal (citrus-like, sourish), and linalool (floral, fresh). Additionally, the total polyphenol content in unpeeled ginger was 7.96 mg/100 g higher than that in peeled ginger. Unpeeled ginger not only demonstrates more intense aromatic and sensory qualities but also offers superior nutritional and environmental benefits, making it a promising option for future global spice use and reducing ginger side streams. In the spray drying process of ginger, ginger fibre is also typically regarded as industrial byproduct, as ginger juice is often used as a feed material. To achieve sustainable development and produce a clean-labeled product, a split-stream spray-drying process was developed to address sugar-rich feed solutions by reintroducing ginger fiber in their natural composition as a carrier material, rather than treating them as a by-product. The characterizations of both feed materials were then compared. The method was optimized for aroma retention by adjusting the inlet and outlet temperatures to 220 ℃ and 80 ℃, respectively. Aroma decoding results using SBSE-GC-MS-O demonstrated that reintegrating ginger fiber significantly increased the concentration of eight key odorants, including hexanal, linalool, neral, borneol, geranial, citronellol, nonanoic acid, and α-bisabolol, in comparison to the concentration observed in ginger juice. This presents a promising solution for maximizing the utilization of ginger in spray drying, enhancing the aroma profiles of feed material, and addressing sustainability considerations in the food industry. Overall, the presented work comprehensively explores the challenges and potential solutions associated with the drying process of basil and ginger, highlighting the impact of various processing conditions on aroma and sensory properties. By identifying key off-odor compounds and optimizing techniques to reduce their formation, as well as investigating aroma profiles and sustainable approaches for utilizing by-products such as ginger peel and ginger fiber, this research offers valuable insights into improving both the aromatic quality and environmental sustainability of dried herb and spice products.