In the spotlight

Sensomics and flavoromics represent distinct paradigms for studying volatile flavor compounds, differing fundamentally in their underlying logic and research objectives. This review systematically compares both approaches, detailing their workflows while highlighting essential considerations at key stages. For sensomics, this includes obtaining a representative flavor sample, rigorous criteria for compound identification, quantitation, and appropriate matrix design in recombination and omission studies. For flavoromics, critical aspects encompass robust data collection and preprocessing methods alongside model development and validation strategies. We further elucidate the specific strengths, limitations, and complementary nature of each methodology for volatile flavor analysis, together with their respective application scopes and future research trajectories. By establishing clear guidelines and addressing common pitfalls, the current review would provide foundational reference or design robust experimental frameworks in flavor research.

We don’t have a single verb to express smelling something nice. Welsh and Croatian, by contrast, are never caught short when something fragrant gets right up your nose, writes Guardian columnist Adrian Chiles

What began as an exciting gen Z food trend has become ubiquitous. Is the bubble about to burst under the weight of ‘fake’ honey and cheap, mass-produced knock-offs?

Food aromas arise from complex combinations of odorants, yet how these combinations are organized across foods to define aroma identity remains unclear. Decoding this “aroma code” could help bridge the sensory gap between traditional foods and sustainable alternatives, which often struggle with off-notes or to replicate consumer-expected flavor profiles. Here we present KFO-Atlas, a molecular atlas of 896 key food odorants curated from 2,282 food aroma formulations. Analysis shows that food aromas are built from sparse and structured sets of odorants. Plant-derived foods span a broad and diverse aroma space, whereas animal-derived foods tend to exhibit more similar odorant sets. In specific cases, distinct plant- and animal-based foods converge on similar odorant compositions through shared reaction pathways. Building on these insights, we develop a generative AI model that produces category-targeted aroma formulations and validate its outputs by blinded human sensory evaluation. As a proof of principle, the model reconstructs meat-like aromas using exclusively plant-derived odorants, demonstrating a data-driven route to address sensory bottlenecks in sustainable food products. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Ministry of Education, Singapore, under the Academic Research Fund Tier 1, A-8003718-00-00 NUS IT, NUSREC-HPC-00001

Using chemistry, archival records and AI, scientists are reviving the aromas of old libraries, mummies and battlefields

Unexpected combinations and globally-inspired ingredients are defining food and beverage innovation as brands cater to a rise in adventurous eating.

Citrus oils (COs) are extremely popular food-grade natural flavors and are renowned for their health benefits and food preservation attributes. However, challenges related to their low solubility, ...

Chemical contributors to vanilla flavor disliking were identified through an untargeted flavoromics approach. Fifteen beans of Vanilla planifolia species varying in origin were extracted and chemically profiled using GC/MS-QToF and LC/MS-QToF. A consumer liking study and descriptive analysis (DA) were conducted, revealing significant differences in consumer liking scores and flavor attributes among the samples. Orthogonal partial least-squares (OPLS) analysis modeling of chemical profiles against liking scores demonstrated good model fit and predictive ability (R2Y 0.9 and Q2 0.8). 12 key compounds, 7 from GC/MS and 5 from LC/MS, were identified as top predictors of vanilla flavor disliking. Further sensory recombination testing demonstrated that eight of these predictive compounds impacted the flavor perception of vanilla extracts and, in combination, significantly decreased consumer preference and flavor liking of vanilla extracts. These findings highlight specific contributors to vanilla flavor disliking and offer a basis for improving flavor quality and product value.

Sugar-free chewing gums (SFG) rely on added flavourings and sweeteners to compensate for the absence of sucrose. However, the interplay between aroma …

“Kids usually don't like grapefruit because it's too bitter for them,” says Dr. Nir Carmi from Volcani Center in Rishon LeZion, Israel. Dr. Carmi and team edited a gene that led to a reduction in the bitter-tasting chemicals in grapefruit.

Two new polyfunctional thiols, 3-sulfanylhexyl propionate (3SHP) and 3-sulfanylhexyl butyrate (3SHB), were detected in wines, synthesized as reference standards, and their sensory properties were characterized. Fermentations supplemented with short-chain fatty acids (propionic acid and butyric acid) generated 3SHP and 3SHB, which were confirmed by GC-MS using synthetic standards. Analysis of commercial wines from Scheurebe, Sauvignon blanc, and Verdejo further verified the presence of 3SHP and 3SHB, reporting their first identification in wines to our knowledge. To determine the influence of these esters on wine aroma, their odor threshold values (detection and recognition thresholds) were identified. Here, both compounds were described with grapefruit, passionfruit and tropical fruit descriptors. Although concentrations in many commercial samples were below sensory detection thresholds, synergistic sensory interactions with other polyfunctional thiols to the tropical wine aroma can be assumed.

Once a primal instinct, olfaction is now being mapped, measured, and modeled by machines.