Off- odors in food

Odor is complex both because of the large number of compounds that contribute to it and because it involves a subjective human response. Odorants have a major importance for the evaluation of food. Thousands of odorants occur in foodstuffs, but only a small minority of them plays a role for the conscious perception of food aromas. Some odorants can be quite similar on the basis of their chemical properties but strikingly different in their sensory properties.

Off-odors can cause severe problems in foods, leading to economic losses due to product recalls, reduced consumer confidence and to potentially a tarnished brand image.

Off-odors in foods may result from oxidation, light-catalyzed reactions, nonenzymatic browning, chemical reactions and interactions among food constituents, enzymatic reactions and microbial spoilage.

Bacterial spoilage of dairy foods is manifested by the presence of a wide variety of metabolic by-products, causing off-odors and flavors, in addition to visible changes in color or texture. Because of the perishability of milk and the nature of milk production and handling procedures, the development of off-odors is not uncommon. To prevent flavor/odor defects in milk, proper milk handling procedures from the farm to the consumer are essential.

Off-odors are occasionally reported in bottled product. The more common off odor issues result from whisky being transported and stored in unsuitable environmental conditions. For example; transit and storage close to very smelly chemicals can result in odor ingress into the bottle.
Off- odors in food