Recent advances in the contribution of glucosinolates degradation products to cruciferous foods odor: factors that influence degradation pathways and odor attributes

Abstract

As one of the most important vegetables and oils consumed globally, cruciferous foods are appreciated for their high nutritional value. However, there is no comprehensive knowledge to sufficiently unravel the "flavor mystery" of cruciferous foods. The present review provides a comprehensive literature on the recent advances regarding the contribution of glucosinolates (GSL) degradation products to cruciferous foods odor, which focuses on key GSL degradation products contributing to distinct odor of cruciferous foods (Brassica oleracea, Brassica rapa, Brassica napus, Brassica juncea, Raphanus sativus), and key factors affecting GSL degradation pathways (i.e., enzyme-induced degradation, thermal-induced degradation, chemical-induced degradation, microwave-induced degradation) during different processing and cooking. A total of 93 volatile GSL degradation products (i.e., 36 nitriles, 33 isothiocyanates, 3 thiocyanates, 5 epithionitriles, and 16 sulfides) and 29 GSL (i.e., 20 aliphatic, 5 aromatic, and 4 indolic) were found in generalized cruciferous foods. Remarkably, cruciferous foods have a distinctive pungent, spicy, pickled, sulfur, and vegetable odor. In general, isothiocyanates are mostly present in enzyme-induced degradation of GSL and are therefore often enriched in fresh-cut or low-temperature, short-time cooked cruciferous foods. In contrast, nitriles are mainly derived from thermal-induced degradation of GSL, and are thus often enriched in high-temperature, long-time cooked cruciferous foods.

HIGHLIGHTS

1. Processing and cooking can cause degradation of glucosinolates and formation of volatiles.

2. Structure–odor relationship of glucosinolates degradation products is discussed.

3. Nitriles, isothiocyanates, and sulfides play an important role in cruciferous foods odor.

4. Both enzyme- and thermal-induced degradation of glucosinolates is strongly pH-dependent.

Keywords:

• Influence factor
• isothiocyanates
• nitriles
• processing
• pungent odor
• structure–odor relationship
• sulfides

Authors’ contributions

Xiao Jia: Conceptualization, Visualization, Data curation, Writing–original draft; and Writing–review and editing. Qi An: Formal analysis. Nawei Zhang: Investigation. Jingnan Ren: Supervision. Siyi Pan: Writing–review and editing. Chang Zheng: Data curation. Qi Zhou: Funding acquisition. Gang Fan: Funding acquisition.

Disclosure statement

The authors claim no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (U21A20274, 32372383), Key Research and Development Program in Hubei Province (2022BBA0030), and Hubei Science and Technology Innovation Talent Program (2023DJC116).