Archive | 2019
Koku Attribute-Enhancing Odor Compounds
Abstract
Koku is a popular Japanese term describing improved “complexity,” “continuity,” and “mouthfulness” as attributes of palatability when experiencing flavor. While koku has long been thought to derive from taste substances and textural sensations, certain kinds of odor compounds have been reported as “koku attribute” enhancers. In this chapter we will present three cases to illustrate the possibility that a single volatile compound in a given food can produce an odor sensation to enhance the “koku attribute.” The cases introduce the effects of the three types of volatile compounds: phthalide compound in celery, (4Z,7Z)-trideca-4,7-dienal in dried bonito, and rotundone in several fruits.