Coffee brew flavor is known to degrade during storage. Untargeted and targeted LC/MS flavoromics analysis was applied to identify chemical compounds generated during storage that impacted the flavor stability of ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee. MS chemical profiles for sixteen RTD coffee samples stored for 0, 1, 2, and 4 months at 30 °C were modeled against the sensory degree of difference (DOD) scores by orthogonal partial least squares (OPLS) with good fit and predictive ability. Five highly predictive untargeted chemical features positively correlated to DOD were subsequently identified as 3-caffeoylquinic acid, 4-caffeoylquinic acid, 5-caffeoylquinic acid, 3-O-feruloylquinic acid, and 5-O-feruloylquinic acid. The increase in the six acidic compounds during storage was confirmed by sensory recombination tests to significantly impact the flavor stability of RTD coffee during storage. A decrease in pH, rather than an increase in total acidity, was supported to impact the coffee flavor profile.

Whole wheat flour has a shorter shelf life than refined wheat flour due to off-flavor development. An untargeted liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) flavoromics approach was applied to identify compounds that negatively impact the flavor liking in whole wheat bread made from aged flours. The chemical profiles of thirteen breads made from aged flours were obtained using LC/MS and modeled by orthogonal partial least squares (OPLS) to predict flavor liking. Top predictive chemical features (negatively correlated) were identified as pinellic acid (9S,12S,13S-trihydroxy-10E-octadecenoic acid), 12,13-dihydroxy-9Z-octadecenoic acid, and 1-(9Z,12Z-octadecadienoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine. The sensory analysis confirmed the three compounds increased the bitterness intensity of the bread samples. The formation of the trihydroxy fatty acid bitter compound, pinellic acid (9S,12S,13S-trihydroxy-10E-octadecenoic acid), was impacted by the lipoxygenase activity of the flour; however, there was no influence on the formation of 12,13-dihydroxy-9Z-octadecenoic acid or 1-(9Z,12Z-octadecadienoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine. Additionally, the concentrations of all bitter compounds were significantly higher in bread made from aged flour versus non-aged flour.

The aroma composition of condensed hardwood smoke generated from a mixed hardwood was characterized by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry/olfactometry analysis. Twenty-seven odorants with a flavor dilution value ≥4 were identified and quantified, revealing 19 compounds reported with an odor activity value >1 at a 0.3% dosage level. The odorants with the highest dilution values were 2,3-butanedione (buttery), guaiacol (clove, vanilla), 4-methylguaiacol (toasted, vanilla, ashy), 3-ethylphenol (ashy), 4-methylsyringol (burnt, plastic, clove), and butyric acid (cheesy). Sensory descriptive analysis revealed that the condensed smoke consisted of eight main attributes, namely ashy, burnt–sulfurous, creosote, green–woody, pungent, smoky, spicy–sweet, and woody. No significant differences in the aroma attributes were reported between the condensed smoke and the corresponding recombination model, indicating that the odorants effectively captured the characteristic aroma of the condensed smoke.

The instability of rebaudioside A (Reb A) in food product applications during storage challenges their utilization. The pathways of Reb A degradation in aged acidic beverages were investigated. Three Reb A degradation compounds of known sensory importance were monitored, consisting of (1) a rearrangement, (2) a hydration, and (3) an epoxidation/rearrangement product. Using deuterium-labeled water (D₂O) experiments, compounds 1–2 were reported to be generated by acid-catalyzed mechanisms involving the formation of a carbocation on carbon position 16, followed by either deprotonation via E₁ elimination on C15 to form the more thermodynamically stable trisubstituted alkene (compound 1), or by the Markovnikov addition of water via SN₁ substitution to form a tertiary alcohol (compound 2). Compound 3 was generated by epoxidation of the exomethylene at the C16–17 positions, followed by the opening and rearrangement of the ring to form a new alkene bond between C15–C16 and a primary alcohol on C17. Further analysis of the effect of beverage ingredients indicated the addition of caramel color significantly increased (p < 0.0001) the concentrations of compounds 1–2 compared to the aged control by 89 and 83%, respectively, whereas a specific coffee flavor and caramel color were reported to significantly reduce (p < 0.0001) the formation of compound 3 compared to the aged control during storage by 90 and 79%, respectively.

Bovine β-casomorphin-7 (b-BCM7) is a bioactive peptide released during the digestion of A1 and A2 β-casein, with reported possible effects on gastrointestinal and neurological functions. We aimed to determine how the geographical origin of Colombian commercial UHT milks influences the release of b-BCM7 during a static in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. Using a validated LC-MS/MS analytical method combined with the standardized INFOGEST in vitro digestion model, we observed 2 distinct phase-dependent release patterns. Milks from high-tropic regions showed an early release of b-BCM7 during the gastric phase, reaching concentrations from 14.5 to 49.9 ng/mL, whereas low-tropic milks exhibited minimal gastric release (5.0-5.5 ng/mL). In contrast, intestinal digestion resulted in substantially higher b-BCM7 concentrations in low-tropic samples (658-1,050 ng/mL) compared with high-tropic samples (30.5-292 ng/mL). These findings reveal a phase-dependent release pattern in which geographical origin, likely reflecting differences in breed composition CSN2 allele frequency, modulates the timing and magnitude of peptide liberation Understanding these mechanisms enhances our knowledge of milk bioactivity and provides insight for developing differentiated dairy products with potential nutritional and functional value in tropical production systems.