Sensory-directed identification of creaminess-enhancing volatiles and semivolatiles in full-fat cream

Aimed at defining the chemical nature of creaminess-related flavor compounds in dairy products on a molecular level, a full-fat cream was analyzed for sensorially active volatiles and semivolatiles by means of activity-guided screening techniques. Application of the aroma extract dilution analysis on an aroma distillate prepared from pasteurized cream (30% fat) revealed δ-decalactone, (Z)-6-dodeceno-γ-lactone, γ-dodecalactone, δ-dodecalactone, and 3-methylindole with by far the highest flavor dilution (FD) factors among the 34 odor-active volatiles identified. Using a complementary approach involving silica column chromatography and fractionated high-vacuum distillation combined with sensory experiments enabled the additional identification of δ-tetradecalactone, δ-hexadecalactone, γ-tetradecalactone, γ-hexadecalactone, and δ-octadecalactone as semivolatile flavor components in the cream fat. Although a series of lactones is present in dairy cream, spiking of cream samples with individual lactones revealed that only the δ-tetradecalactone is able to enhance the typical retronasal creamy flavor of the product when added in amounts above its theshold level of 66 μmol/kg. Rather than contributing to the retronasal aroma of cream, first evidence was found that, particularly, γ- and δ-octadecalactones and γ- and δ-eicosalactones are able to influence the melting behavior of cream in the oral cavity.