title: Generation of acetoin and its derivatives in foods.
abstract: Acetoin is a common food flavor additive. This volatile compound widely exists in nature. Some microorganisms, higher plants, insects, and higher animals have the ability to synthesize acetoin using different enzymes and pathways under certain circumstances. As a very active molecule, acetoin acts as a precursor of dozens of compounds. Therefore, acetoin and its derivatives are frequently detected in the component analysis of a variety of foods using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Because of the increasing importance of these compounds, this paper reviews the origins and natural existence of these substances, physiological roles, the biological synthesis pathways, nonenzymatic spontaneous reactions, and the common determination methods in foods. This work is the first review on dietary natural acetoin.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology, China University of Petroleum , Qingdao 266580, China.
authors.forename: Zijun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Jian R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000093:Acetoin / Q000032:analysis / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism; D005285:Fermentation; D005421:Flavoring Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D005504:Food Analysis; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
chemical_list: D005421:Flavoring Agents; D000093:Acetoin