Research Progress in Influences of Plant-Derived Organic Sulfur Compound on Food Flavor

Abstract:

Organic sulfur compounds are often potent odorants, being key flavor components of plant-based foods and bioactive compounds with pro-health functions. In many vegetables and fruits, especially Brassica and Allium vegetables, sulfur compounds determine their specific flavors. Main groups of sulfur compounds in plants include sulfides, polysulfides, isothiocyanates (ITCs), nitriles, epithethriles, thiols, thiosulfinates, as well as heterocyclic sulfur compounds found in shiitake or truffle. The author summarized the roles of major organic sulfur compounds in flavors of plants, reviewed the recent progress in metabolism and transformation of these organic sulfur compounds under various processing conditions, and made an outlook on the future research directions of organic sulfur compounds.