Flavors of Cereal Crops and Legumes

Cereals (such as wheat, rice, and corn) and legumes (such as soybeans, chickpeas, and red beans) were the earliest crops domesticated and cultivated on a large scale by humans, forming the dietary foundation of major global civilizations. The flavor characteristics of these crops (e.g., the sweet aroma of cereals and the umami or earthy notes of legumes) have profoundly influenced traditional food processing methods (such as fermentation, baking, and steaming), giving rise to diverse regional culinary cultures.The flavors of cereals and legumes originate from the transformation of chemical components (e.g., carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids) during their growth, storage, and processing. For instance, fatty acids generate aldehydes (e.g., hexanal, pentanal), alcohols, and ketones through the action of lipoxygenase, producing characteristic "grassy" or "beany" aromas. Additionally, complex reactions between reducing sugars and amino acids under heating conditions generate volatile compounds like pyrazines (nutty aroma) and furans (caramel-like fragrance). Although key flavor compounds in cereals and legumes have been preliminarily identified, the dynamic transformation pathways of these compounds across growth, storage, and processing stages, along with their underlying formation mechanisms, remain incompletely understood. This Research Topic aims to collect the latest findings on flavor formation mechanisms in cereals and legumes across production, storage, and processing stages. It seeks to elucidate the transformation patterns of flavor compounds during different phases, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for developing grain and legume products with enhanced flavor profiles through industrial production.The Research Topic “Flavors of Cereal Crops and Legumes” will cover a broad spectrum of themes, including but not limited to:● Identification and confirmation of key flavor components of cereals and legumes● Study on the formation mechanism of key flavor components of cereals and legumes● Analysis of changes of key flavor components in cereals and legumes during storage ● Analysis of changes of key flavor components in cereals and legumes during processing ● From farm to table: sensory quality and sensory quality perception of cereals, legumes, and value-added products.● Exploration of innovative techniques and methods to enhance the flavor of cereals and legumes in planting, storage and processing. Topic editors: Bo Zhang, Jingke Liu, Tao Jiang Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/72614/flavors-of-cereal-crops-and-legumes