BSF’s News Digest January - February 2026 ¦ Selector Ján Peťka

In the spotlight

Molecular atlas of key food odorants reveals structured aroma organization and enables generative aroma design | bioRxiv
Here we present KFO-Atlas, a molecular atlas of 896 key food odorants curated from 2,282 food aroma formulations. 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.

Scent, In Silico | Asimov Press
Once a primal instinct, olfaction is now being mapped, measured, and modeled by machines.

Kokumi substances as taste modulators: Sensory properties and molecular mechanisms | Chemical Senses
Oral perception during food consumption is influenced by various sensory processes and is complex. This review examines kokumi substances, which are taste modulators increasingly studied in relation to oral perception, now termed kokumi. The review discusses the functionality, chemical diversity, and molecular mechanisms of kokumi substances, particularly γ-glutamyl kokumi peptides and their interaction with the calcium-sensing receptor. Understanding kokumi substances could enhance food palatability and facilitate the creation of healthier, sustainable food options with lowered salt, sugar, and fat content, guiding future research directions.

Identification and sensory evaluation of 3-sulfanylhexyl propionate and 3-sulfanylhexyl butyrate in wine | Journal of Agricultural and Food
Two new polyfunctional thiols, 3-sulfanylhexyl propionate (3SHP) and 3-sulfanylhexyl butyrate (3SHB), have been identified in wines. Commercial wines from Scheurebe, Sauvignon blanc, and Verdejo revealed the presence of these thiols for the first time. Their odor threshold values were established, and both compounds were associated with descriptors such as grapefruit, passionfruit, and tropical fruit.

Things reek, stink and pong – but why are there no verbs for describing a delightful odour? | Adrian Chiles | The Guardian
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

From ‘newstalgia’ to ‘swangy’: The flavor trends taking over 2026 | Food Dive
Unexpected combinations and globally-inspired ingredients are defining food and beverage innovation as brands cater to a rise in adventurous eating.

‘Are we reaching peak hot honey?’ Why the ‘swicy’ taste is everywhere – from pizzas to crisps | Life and style | The Guardian
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?

Experts develop grapefruit without the bitterness | Crop Biotech Update - ISAAA.org
“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.

How sweetener type and aroma concentration shape aroma release and flavour perception in sugar-free chewing gum | LWT
This study examined these interactions during sugar-free chewing gums SFG consumption through two experiments. Experiment 1 assessed five concentrations of tutti-frutti aroma, finding higher concentrations increased aroma perception significantly without affecting sweetness perception. Aroma perception peaked early during chewing and declined rapidly. Experiment 2 investigated sweetener release dynamics via a chewing simulator, identifying a biphasic release profile with xylitol displaying the highest relative release and aspartame the slowest. While aroma concentration improved volatile release, sweetener dynamics did not solely explain flavour perception.

How scientists recreate historical scents | Knowable Magazine
Using chemistry, archival records and AI, scientists are reviving the aromas of old libraries, mummies and battlefields

Nonvolatile and volatile contributors to flavor disliking in vanilla | Jourmal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Chemical contributors to vanilla flavor disliking were identified using an untargeted flavoromics approach, analyzing fifteen Vanilla planifolia beans through GC/MS-QToF and LC/MS-QToF. A consumer liking study showed significant differences in preference among the samples. Twelve key compounds, combined from both analysis methods, were identified as predictors of vanilla flavor disliking. Sensory tests confirmed that eight compounds significantly reduced consumer preference for vanilla extracts, providing insights for enhancing flavor quality and product value.

Advances in efficient encapsulation and controlled release strategies for citrus oils | Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition
This review summarizes the natural biopolymers that have been used as encapsulation materials (e.g., protein-based and carbohydrate-based). It also explores the encapsulation techniques, predominantly the non-thermal methods (e.g., low-energy emulsification, spraying, and electrospinning techniques), and the controlled release of citrus oil (CO)-loaded encapsulation systems, including release profiles, release kinetics, and multiple factors affecting release. Finally, it provides a detailed summary of commercial applications and future potential of encapsulated COs.

From molecule identification to sensory prediction: Approaches, applications, and perspectives of sensomics and flavoromics in volatile flavor compound research | Jourmal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
 Sensomics and flavoromics are distinct paradigms for studying volatile flavor compounds, differing in logic and objectives. This review compares both approaches, detailing their workflows and essential considerations. For sensomics, key aspects include obtaining representative flavor samples, identification criteria, quantitation, and matrix design. For flavoromics, important factors are data collection, preprocessing, model development, and validation. The review highlights the strengths and limitations of each methodology, their complementary nature, application scopes, and future research directions, aiming to provide guidelines and address common pitfalls in flavor research.

Molecular atlas of key food odorants reveals structured aroma organization and enables generative aroma design | bioRxiv
Here we present KFO-Atlas, a molecular atlas of 896 key food odorants curated from 2,282 food aroma formulations. 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.

Scent, In Silico | Asimov Press
Once a primal instinct, olfaction is now being mapped, measured, and modeled by machines.

Kokumi substances as taste modulators: Sensory properties and molecular mechanisms | Chemical Senses
Oral perception during food consumption is influenced by various sensory processes and is complex. This review examines kokumi substances, which are taste modulators increasingly studied in relation to oral perception, now termed kokumi. The review discusses the functionality, chemical diversity, and molecular mechanisms of kokumi substances, particularly γ-glutamyl kokumi peptides and their interaction with the calcium-sensing receptor. Understanding kokumi substances could enhance food palatability and facilitate the creation of healthier, sustainable food options with lowered salt, sugar, and fat content, guiding future research directions.

Identification and sensory evaluation of 3-sulfanylhexyl propionate and 3-sulfanylhexyl butyrate in wine | Journal of Agricultural and Food
Two new polyfunctional thiols, 3-sulfanylhexyl propionate (3SHP) and 3-sulfanylhexyl butyrate (3SHB), have been identified in wines. Commercial wines from Scheurebe, Sauvignon blanc, and Verdejo revealed the presence of these thiols for the first time. Their odor threshold values were established, and both compounds were associated with descriptors such as grapefruit, passionfruit, and tropical fruit.

Things reek, stink and pong – but why are there no verbs for describing a delightful odour? | Adrian Chiles | The Guardian
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

From ‘newstalgia’ to ‘swangy’: The flavor trends taking over 2026 | Food Dive
Unexpected combinations and globally-inspired ingredients are defining food and beverage innovation as brands cater to a rise in adventurous eating.

‘Are we reaching peak hot honey?’ Why the ‘swicy’ taste is everywhere – from pizzas to crisps | Life and style | The Guardian
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?

Experts develop grapefruit without the bitterness | Crop Biotech Update - ISAAA.org
“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.

How sweetener type and aroma concentration shape aroma release and flavour perception in sugar-free chewing gum | LWT
This study examined these interactions during sugar-free chewing gums SFG consumption through two experiments. Experiment 1 assessed five concentrations of tutti-frutti aroma, finding higher concentrations increased aroma perception significantly without affecting sweetness perception. Aroma perception peaked early during chewing and declined rapidly. Experiment 2 investigated sweetener release dynamics via a chewing simulator, identifying a biphasic release profile with xylitol displaying the highest relative release and aspartame the slowest. While aroma concentration improved volatile release, sweetener dynamics did not solely explain flavour perception.

How scientists recreate historical scents | Knowable Magazine
Using chemistry, archival records and AI, scientists are reviving the aromas of old libraries, mummies and battlefields

Nonvolatile and volatile contributors to flavor disliking in vanilla | Jourmal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Chemical contributors to vanilla flavor disliking were identified using an untargeted flavoromics approach, analyzing fifteen Vanilla planifolia beans through GC/MS-QToF and LC/MS-QToF. A consumer liking study showed significant differences in preference among the samples. Twelve key compounds, combined from both analysis methods, were identified as predictors of vanilla flavor disliking. Sensory tests confirmed that eight compounds significantly reduced consumer preference for vanilla extracts, providing insights for enhancing flavor quality and product value.

Advances in efficient encapsulation and controlled release strategies for citrus oils | Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition
This review summarizes the natural biopolymers that have been used as encapsulation materials (e.g., protein-based and carbohydrate-based). It also explores the encapsulation techniques, predominantly the non-thermal methods (e.g., low-energy emulsification, spraying, and electrospinning techniques), and the controlled release of citrus oil (CO)-loaded encapsulation systems, including release profiles, release kinetics, and multiple factors affecting release. Finally, it provides a detailed summary of commercial applications and future potential of encapsulated COs.

From molecule identification to sensory prediction: Approaches, applications, and perspectives of sensomics and flavoromics in volatile flavor compound research | Jourmal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Sensomics and flavoromics are distinct paradigms for studying volatile flavor compounds, differing in logic and objectives. This review compares both approaches, detailing their workflows and essential considerations. For sensomics, key aspects include obtaining representative flavor samples, identification criteria, quantitation, and matrix design. For flavoromics, important factors are data collection, preprocessing, model development, and validation. The review highlights the strengths and limitations of each methodology, their complementary nature, application scopes, and future research directions, aiming to provide guidelines and address common pitfalls in flavor research.

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