Flavour and Fragrance Journal最新文献

This study aimed to investigate the antioxidant, antidiabetic, anticholinesterase, dermatoprotective effects, and antimicrobial properties of carvone, thymol and camphor. The antioxidant activity of these monoterpenes was performed by six methods: DPPH, FRAP, CUPRAC, MAC, PBD, and ABTS. The antidiabetic potential was assessed through the inhibition of both α-amylase and α-glucosidase; the inhibition of tyrosinase was assessed to study the dermatoprotective properties, while the antimicrobial efficiency was assessed based on both the agar well diffusion and the microtitration methods. Additionally, in silico investigations combining both molecular docking and dynamics (MD) simulations were conducted to explain the main findings. Thymol demonstrates the highest antioxidant capacity in four of the six assays (FRAP, CUPRAC, ABTS and DPPH). Carvone presents a mechanistically distinct antioxidant profile from thymol, excelling in metal chelation (MAC) and total reducing capacity (PBD), which represents the most scientifically noteworthy finding among the six assays. The three compounds significantly inhibited tyrosinase, with carvone displaying the highest effect (32.518 ± 4.419 mg KAE/g). A notable efficacy against BChE was exhibited; however, no compound inhibited the AChE enzyme. Moreover, modest inhibition of α-amylase was recorded while thymol and camphor exhibited a modest effect on α-glucosidase, with comparable values (1.432 ± 0.023 and 1.431 ± 0.025 mM ACAE/g, respectively). In addition, carvone has been shown to be highly effective with a bactericidal effect against P. aeruginosa, L. monocytogenes, E. coli and S. aureus, whereas thymol and camphor did not show any effect on the four bacterial strains, whereas no anticandidal effect was reported. Molecular docking demonstrated that carvone, thymol and camphor occupied the active site of the examined enzymes via different interactions, while MD simulation helped to corroborate the in vitro findings. Furthermore, ADMET prediction indicated that carvone, thymol and camphor had favourable ADMET profiles. In summary, carvone, thymol, and camphor may be promising as tyrosinase and α-glucosidase inhibitors and/or as lead compounds for developing new semisynthetic drugs for treating diabetes and pigmentation disorders.

Citrus essential oils (EOs) are valued in cosmetics primarily for their appealing aromas; however, a systematic understanding of their chemical composition, bioactivities, and mechanisms of action remains limited. This study characterised the volatile profiles of eight citrus EOs using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), evaluated their antioxidant, anti-tyrosinase, and anti-hyaluronidase activities, and explored the underlying mechanisms of action. A total of 127 volatile compounds (relative peak area > 0.05%) were identified across the eight EOs, with limonene being the predominant component in most samples. Seven components, including α-pinene, α-phellandrene, sabinene, myrcene, limonene, β-phellandrene, and α-terpineol, were common to all eight EOs. In vitro assessment at 0.4% revealed that all eight citrus EOs exhibited antioxidant and enzyme-inhibitory activities. Notably, grapefruit pink and lemon EOs exhibited the strongest tyrosinase inhibition (77.35% ± 4.01% and 75.32% ± 3.08%, respectively), whereas tangerine and lemon EOs showed the highest hyaluronidase inhibition (32.19% ± 2.08% and 30.07% ± 3.51%, respectively). Using network pharmacology, 71 bioactive components were screened, and their potential interactions with key targets associated with free radical scavenging, skin soothing, and anti-tyrosinase activity were mapped. Key targets (e.g., STAT3 and SRC) and pathways (e.g., PI3K-Akt and MAPK signalling), were identified as potential regulators of these multi-target effects. This study not only clarified the chemical and bioactivity profiles of eight citrus EOs but also provided a mechanistic foundation for their application as multi-functional natural ingredients in cosmetics.

The formation of tobacco aroma is significantly influenced by extraction processes, and different process pathways have important regulatory effects on the composition and sensory characteristics of aroma components. In this study, HS-SPME-GC-MS combined with odour activity value analysis, principal component analysis, and sensory evaluation was used to systematically compare the effects of water extraction with alcohol precipitation, alcohol extraction, and water extraction on the aroma components of two American flue-cured tobacco raw materials, 18-BF1M/0 and 18-BF1M/E. The results showed that alcohol extraction significantly improved the coverage of aroma components, with the total number of components increasing by 79%–83% compared with water extraction (p < 0.05). The extraction efficiencies of esters and pyrazines were 3.9–4.7 times and 8–10 times higher than those obtained by water extraction, respectively, indicating that alcohol extraction is more suitable for products requiring high aroma fullness and complexity. Water extraction with alcohol precipitation showed lower impurity levels and retained acidic and hydrophilic aroma characteristics, while water extraction selectively enriched water-soluble components such as acetic acid and furfural. PCA and sensory evaluation indicated that the aroma profiles of the extracts were jointly affected by raw material type and extraction process: 18-BF1M/0 was associated with floral and aldehyde/ketone-related notes, whereas 18-BF1M/E showed stronger ester, roasted, and nutty characteristics. A process–aroma relationship was established for key aroma components, indicating that alcohol extraction is suitable for complex floral or full-bodied aroma profiles, while water extraction with alcohol precipitation and water extraction are more appropriate for light-aroma products with sweet floral, roasted sweet, nutty, or acidic characteristics. These findings provide a quantitative basis for selecting extraction processes and improving the targeted regulation of tobacco extract aroma quality through characteristic marker identification and sensory correlation analysis.

Single-use food packaging materials contribute to major solid waste pollution in the environment and become a major concern for researchers. To deal with this problem, the conventional fossil-fuel-based polymers are now being replaced with renewable carbon resources to suggest green materials for the food packaging industry. In this regard, a biopolymer is a natural polymer synthesised from microbes or plants and has the quality of being renewable, sustainable and widely available. Biopolymer structural characteristics are fitted for tailoring their properties to meet the conditions for food packaging. Essential oils (EO) are purely natural, sustainable and harmless alternatives to synthetic antioxidant and antimicrobial agents for adoption in biopolymer-inferred food packaging materials. The inclusion of EOs within the polymeric matrix works on their physicochemical properties. EOs in food packaging materials not only control their shelf life but also the barriers, tensile and optical characteristics of the biopolymer. So, the integration of essential oils with biopolymer matrices is a recent approach in the food packaging industry that opens the door towards a greener environment.

Variegated calamondin, a rare variant of four-season orange, possesses a unique woody aroma and abundant sesquiterpenes in its peels, demonstrating tremendous value in the development of premium spices and functional products. This study employed headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) and electronic nose (E-nose), combined with linear discriminant analysis (LDA), orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), and odour activity value (OAV) to systematically characterise the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and key aroma compounds in variegated calamondin peels across three maturity stages. A total of 228 VOCs were identified, primarily consisting of heterocycles, terpenes, hydrocarbons, and alcohols. Notably, tetradecane concentration significantly increased from 3.42 ± 0.51 μg/g (green-stem stage) to 8.76 ± 1.23 μg/g (mature stage) (p < 0.01), while 2,6-octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, (Z)- decreased from 15.83 ± 2.14 μg/g to 4.27 ± 0.89 μg/g (p < 0.01). The LDA model achieved 100% classification accuracy across all maturity stages (sensitivity = 100%, specificity = 100%), and was further validated with an independent test set (accuracy = 97.2%). OPLS-DA identified 112 characteristic VOCs through pairwise comparisons. Twenty-nine key aroma compounds (OAV > 1) were identified: 1-octen-3-one dominated the grassy odour in early development (OAV = 3191.30); (E,E)-2,4-decadienal (OAV = 821.09) and decanal (OAV = 298.94) characterised the colour-change stage; butanoic acid, 3-methyl-, 2-phenylethyl ester (OAV = 1674.89), decanal, β-myrcene, and α-pinene collectively contributed to the intense fruity, floral, and woody aroma at full maturity. This study elucidated the flavour evolution mechanisms during peel maturation and provided a theoretical foundation for standardised harvesting and high-value utilisation of variegated calamondin.

This study aimed to compare the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties of the hydrosol extract and essential oil of the roots of Carlina vulgaris L., with a view to identifying new bioactive compounds. The chemical composition was analysed using gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Antioxidant activity was assessed using the DPPH, FRAP, and β-carotene bleaching assays, anti-inflammatory effects through protein denaturation inhibition, and antimicrobial activity was evaluated against selected bacterial and fungal strains. The essential oil contained mainly hexadecanoic acid (27%), carlina oxide (23.6%), and neophytadiene (24.1%), whereas the hydrosol was rich in acetylenic compounds (92.5%), including carlina oxide (79.3%). The hydrosol showed strong antioxidant activity (IC₅₀ = 8.9 mg/L), strong anti-inflammatory activity (94.6% inhibition), and inhibition zones ranging from 15.8 to 38.1 mm. These results suggest that C. vulgaris hydrosol may be a promising natural agent for pharmaceutical applications.

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a biopolymer of growing interest due to its biodegradability and potential applications in biomedical and environmental fields. In this study, spore-forming Bacillus species were isolated from nitrogen- and phosphorus-rich agricultural soils in Uşak, Turkey, and evaluated for their PHB production capacity, structural characteristics, and potential immune interactions. Eight isolates were confirmed as Gram-positive, spore-forming bacilli capable of utilizing sucrose and glucose as carbon sources. PHB accumulation reached up to 87.15 μg/mL in isolate Y1, indicating that these bacteria can synthesize PHB even under nutrient-rich conditions, likely as a metabolic adaptation to excess carbon and redox imbalance. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy revealed characteristic ester and aliphatic bands consistent with PHB and other polyhydroxyalkanoates, with variations among isolates suggesting differences in polymer crystallinity and purity. In silico analyses predicted low binding affinities to COX-2, TLR4, and IL-6R, while molecular dynamics simulations indicated stabilization of protein structures upon PHB interaction. Toxicity predictions highlighted potential nephrotoxicity and blood–brain barrier penetration, but overall immunotoxicity, mutagenicity, and carcinogenicity were negligible. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that Bacillus isolates from nutrient-rich soils are efficient PHB producers with structurally distinct polymers and a promising biocompatibility profile. These results underscore the potential of these strains for sustainable bioplastic production and advanced biomaterial applications, warranting further in vitro and in vivo validation.

This study employed 32-channel electroencephalography (EEG) to systematically investigate the spatiotemporal patterns of brain electrical responses in healthy participants naturally exposed to four essential oil components: myrcene, limonene, bornyl acetate, β-caryophyllene. Results showed that all four compounds induced a sedative-anxiolytic electrophysiological profile characterized by dominant α waves and elevated α/β ratios, yet each exhibited distinct spatiotemporal features: limonene triggered rapid prefrontal activation, myrcene elicited mild and sustained whole-brain responses, bornyl acetate produced late-stage widespread high activation and β-caryophyllene showed strong responses in the parieto-occipital regions. The findings provide objective physiological evidence for the anxiolytic effects of essential oil components and support personalized intervention strategies based on individual EEG activity.

The aromatic flowers of Rosa x damascena, priced for their captivating fragrance, are a crucial resource in essential oil production, finding versatile use in both fragrances and food products. This review explores the extensive research on Rosa x damascena, emphasising its distinct fragrance and varied applications. Covering cultivation practices, product uses, oil extraction methods, chemical components, and challenges faced, this study aims for a holistic understanding of this aromatic shrub. The discussion extends to products, emphasising its role in the essential oil industry and its incorporation into diverse food items. Oil production methods are analysed, showcasing traditional and modern extraction techniques. Chemical components contributing to the unique fragrance and therapeutic properties are explored. The review also examines applications in perfumery, cosmetics and medicinal products, addressing challenges in cultivation and production. This comprehensive overview aims to serve scholars, researchers and industry professionals, synthesising information on Rosa x damascena cultivation, applications, production, components, challenges and future prospects on the global stage of essential oil production.