Andrea Buettner

Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging | IVV

In this work, we present a concept for a raw-milk monitoring sensor system aiming at demonstrating a generalized approach for low-cost gas sensor system development in future. These systems are expected to be comparatively less expensive than conventional gas chromatography (GC) systems and can therefore likewise be used by farmers to monitor on-si...

The conching process plays a key role in determining the sensory and rheological properties of dark chocolate. To further understand this process, changes in the chocolate mass during plastic conching were investigated on a time-resolved basis with varying conching temperature, shear direction, and with or without the presence of residue from previ...

This study focuses on developing hybrid scaffolds incorporating phytotherapeutic agents via a combination of three‐dimensional (3D) printing and electrospinning to enhance mechanical properties and provide antibacterial activity, in order to address the limitations of traditional antibiotics. In this regard, 3D‐printed polycaprolactone (PCL) struts...

As one of the most common tree species, birch wood (Betula pendula Roth) is widely used as a material of furniture and decoration indoors for its many excellent characteristics. Whereas there are some studies on the volatile composition of the essential oil from the leaves of Betula pendula Roth, only limited information is available on the odor-ac...

Chemistry of Flavor and Indulgence. Compiling recent advances in the chemistry of sex, smoke, and spirits, this work showcases applications of common methods of analysis and mechanistic learning to diverse subjects. This work addresses emerging concerns about environmental smoke, the under-representation of the chemistry of attraction, and challeng...

Off-flavors are a major challenge for companies using recirculated aquaculture systems (RAS). In the presented work, we comprehensively characterize the odorant composition of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) raised in RAS and compare the impact of two depuration processes on the odorant composition and aroma profile of the fish. Fish collected...

The consumption of seafood is driven by flavour, yet achieving its high quality remains a challenge for many species reared in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). A comprehensive knowledge of off‐odour sources in aquatic foods is indispensable in ensuring flavour quality standards. At the beginning of the production chain, early post‐harvest l...

Since 2006, the responsible regulatory bodies have proposed five health-based guidance values (HBGV) for bisphenol A (BPA) that differ by a factor of 250,000. This range of HBGVs covers a considerable part of the range from highly toxic to relatively non-toxic substances. As such heterogeneity of regulatory opinions is a challenge not only for scie...

Scope The excretion of dietary odorants into urine and milk is evaluated and the impact of possible influencing factors determined. Furthermore, the metabolic relevance of conjugates for the excretion into milk is investigated. Methods and Results Lactating mothers ( n = 20) are given a standardized curry dish and donated one milk and urine sample...

Dietary exposure to N-nitrosamines has recently been assessed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to result in margins of exposure that are conceived to indicate concern with respect to human health risk. However, evidence from more than half a century of international research shows that N-nitroso compounds (NOC) can also be formed endoge...

Scope For most substances, there are several routes of excretion from the human body. This study focuses on urinary excretion of dietary odorants and compares the results with previously obtained results on excretion into milk. Methods and results Lactating mothers ( n = 18) are given a standardized curry dish and donate urine samples before and a...

Within this study sixteen odour active substances (1-butanol, butyl acetate, 3-methyl-4-heptanone, butyl acrylate, styrene, ethylbenzene, propylbenzene, cumene, sec-butylbenzene, benzaldehyde, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, naphthalene, 1-methylnaphthalene, 2-methylnaphthalene, 1,2-dimethylnaphthalene, 1,7-dimethylnaphthalene), that have previously been id...

In molecular communication (MC), combining different types of particles at the transmitter is a degree of freedom which can be utilized to improve performance. In this paper, we address the problem of pulse shaping to simplify time synchronization requirements by exploiting and combining the received signal characteristics of particles of different...

In this second part of our survey on experimental research in Synthetic Molecular Communication (SMC), we review works on long-range SMC systems, i.e., systems with communication ranges of more than a few millimeters. Despite the importance of experimental research for the evolution of SMC towards a mature communication paradigm that will eventuall...

Since its emergence from the communication engineering community around one and a half decades ago, the field of Synthetic Molecular Communication (SMC) has experienced continued growth, both in the number of technical contributions from a vibrant community and in terms of research funding. Throughout this process, the vision of SMC as a novel, rev...

The typical new car smell is very distinctive. Depending on vehicle brand and class, this characteristic odor differs in intensity and elicits either approval or rejection among vehicle purchasers. Up to now, only limited information has been available on the molecular composition of the new car odor. Vehicle manufacturers (OEMs) are mainly concern...

Due to the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity and their associated health problems, the demand for low‐calorie and low‐fat foods is growing worldwide, especially in the fast food and convenience sectors. However, fat‐ or calorie‐reduced products are often accompanied by sensory deficiencies. Although fat reduction in foods has been add...

In this paper, we propose a novel concept for engineered molecular communication (MC) systems inspired by animal olfaction. We focus on a multi-user scenario where several transmitters wish to communicate with a central receiver. We assume that each transmitter employs a unique mixture of different types of signaling molecules to represent its mess...

Wild and farmed rainbow trout were compared with chemical profiling, chemosensory properties, carbon concentration and isotope analyses, 1- and 2-GC/O-MS, GC-FID, and aroma profile analyses. Results were linked with the prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbiological profile of the fish sources using multivariate statistical analysis. Fish from natural...

Since its emergence from the communication engineering community around one and a half decades ago, the field of Synthetic Molecular Communication (SMC) has experienced continued growth, both in the number of technical contributions from a vibrant community and in terms of research funding. Throughout this process, the vision of SMC as a novel, rev...

In this second part of our survey on experimental research in Synthetic Molecular Communication (SMC), we review works on long-range SMC systems, i.e., systems with communication ranges of more than a few millimeters. Despite the importance of experimental research for the evolution of SMC towards a mature communication paradigm that will eventuall...

Chocolate conching is a highly complex, thermomechanical process that transforms the aroma and flow properties of a dry starting material. Different conched plastic masses of dark chocolate were characterized. Rheological characterization of plastic masses was performed for the first time using a closed cavity rheometer (CCR¹). In free cocoa butter...

The typical new car smell is not only perceived directly after vehicle delivery. Vehicle interiors maintain their characteristic odors for a period of time during use even though the gas composition of the vehicle interior changes due to external influences. To obtain deeper insights into the odorant composition of a passenger cabin, this study aim...

Acrylates as well as 1-alken-3-ones are both known to be odour active substances but are generally identified in different materials. Nonetheless, butyl acrylate and 1-octen-3-one were both found to elicit a similar mushroom-like odour in previous studies. This led to the question of whether acrylates and enones with the same overall chain length g...

Odorants are relatively small molecules which are easily taken up and distributed in the human body. Despite their relevance in everyday life, however, only a limited amount of evidence about their metabolism, pathways, and bioactivities in the human body exists. With this Review, we aim to encourage future interdisciplinary research on the functio...

The comprehensive use of natural polymers, such as lignin, can accelerate the replacement of mineral oil-based commodities. Promoting the material recovery of the still underutilized technical lignin, polyolefin-lignin blends are a highly promising approach towards sustainable polymeric materials. However, a limiting factor for high-quality applica...

Odorants are relatively small molecules which are easily taken up and distributed in the human body. Despite their relevance in everyday life, however, only a limited amount of evidence about their metabolism, pathways, and bioactivities in the human body exists. With this review, we aim to encourage future interdisciplinary research on the functio...

In this paper, we propose a novel concept for engineered molecular communication (MC) systems inspired by animal olfaction. We focus on a multi-user scenario where transmitters employ unique mixtures of different types of signaling molecules to convey their messages to a central receiver, which is equipped with an array comprising $R$ different typ...

div> In this paper, we propose a novel concept for engineered molecular communication (MC) systems inspired by animal olfaction. We focus on a multi-user scenario where several transmitters wish to communicate with a central receiver. We assume that each transmitter employs a unique mixture of different types of signaling molecules to represent i...

div> In this paper, we propose a novel concept for engineered molecular communication (MC) systems inspired by animal olfaction. We focus on a multi-user scenario where several transmitters wish to communicate with a central receiver. We assume that each transmitter employs a unique mixture of different types of signaling molecules to represent i...

Volatile organic compounds of the vehicle interior are well investigated, but only limited information is available on the odorants of the passenger cabin. To close this gap, we aimed at specifically elucidating the odor, as a general proof of principle, of two new cars with different seat upholstery in a controlled environment using a targeted odo...

Automotive coatings such as the cavity preservation contribute to corrosion protection of the vehicle body. However, the odour of such coating may be perceived in the vehicle interior. Therefore, we analysed the causative odorants of a wax-based aqueous cavity preservation before and after hardening. A combined sensory-instrumental approach compris...

The odor of an automotive cavity preservation has been shown to be perceivable in the vehicle interior due to negative pressure forces in the passenger cabin during driving. To obtain deeper insights into its odor composition, this study aimed at characterizing the odorants by means of emission test chamber measurements adapted from ISO 12219-4, a...

In molecular communication (MC), combining different types of particles at the transmitter is a degree of freedom which can be utilized for facilitating communication. In this paper, we address the problem of pulse shaping to simplify time synchronization requirements by exploiting and combining the received signal characteristics for particles of...

The still-rising global demand for plastics warrants the substitution of non-renewable mineral oil-based resources with natural products as a decisive step towards sustainability. Lignin is one of the most abundant natural polymers and represents an ideal but hitherto highly underutilized raw material to replace petroleum-based resources. In partic...

An important impediment to the acceptance of recyclates into a broader market is their unwanted odor after reprocessing. Different types of washing procedures are already in place, but fundamental insights into the deodorization efficiencies of different washing media are still relatively scarce. Therefore, in this study, the deodorization efficien...

Scope: The diet of breastfeeding mothers could bring nurslings into contact with flavor compounds putatively contributing to early sensory programming of the infant. The study investigated whether tastants from a customary curry dish consumed by mothers are detectable in their milk afterwards and can be perceived by the infant. Methods and result...

Scope: Breast milk is repeatedly postulated to shape the first aroma and taste impressions of infants and thus impact their flavor learning. The objective of this study is to assess the transition of aroma compounds from a customary curry dish into milk. Methods and results: The article prepares a standardized curry dish and administers the dish...

Oak wood contains aroma-active compounds that contribute significantly to the chemical structure, olfactory and gustatory qualities of alcoholic beverages and vinegars as by-products that have been either fermented and/or aged in oak barrels. The chemical composition of cooperage oak is highly variable, depending on the degree of toasting and natur...

Scope The alteration of the flavour of human milk by the maternal diet and thereby the possibility of sensory programming of the infant has been reported in several studies. The objective of this study was to exemplarily illustrate and compare the simultaneous transition of odour- and taste-active compounds from a customary curry dish into milk....

Naturally occurring compounds such as sesquiterpenes and sesquiterpenoids (SQTs) have been shown to modulate GABAA receptors (GABAARs). In this study, the modulatory potential of 11 SQTs at GABAARs was analyzed to characterize their potential neurotropic activity. Transfected HEK293 cells and primary hippocampal neurons were functionally investigat...

This study aimed to fabricate novel cinnamon essential oil (CO)-laden 45S5 bioactive glass (BG) / soy protein (SP) scaffolds exhibiting antioxidant and antibacterial activity. In this regard, 45S5 BG-based scaffolds were produced by the foam replica method, and subsequently the scaffolds were coated with various concentrations of CO (2.5, 5 and 7 (...

Aroma-active compounds of lupin protein isolate and lupin protein isolate fermented with Staphylococcus xylosus and Lactobacillus sakei ssp. carnosus were investigated. The changes in aroma-active compounds were determined by application of aroma extract dilution analysis in combination with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/olfactometry for ide...

The (semi)volatile fraction of Matricaria chamomilla L., an annual herbal plant from the family of Asteraceae, contains high quantities of sesquiterpenes and sesquiterpenoids. A method was developed to achieve isolation and separation of these compounds, using a combination of solvent assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE) and solid support-free liquid...

For promoting a sustainable end-of-life-management for plastic packaging, mechanical recycling of especially post-consumer plastic packaging waste constantly gains more attention. To fulfill both industrial and consumer demands, and to increase the recycled content in new applications, high-quality recyclates are of prime importance. However, the o...

Plastic packaging represents a large proportion of the plastic consumption throughout the world. The negative environmental impact associated with plastic packaging waste can be in part abated by recycling plastics, and increasing numbers of regulatory frameworks are being adopted towards this goal. Despite recent advances in modern recycling techn...

Due to its characteristic flavor and positive effects on human health, garlic is a highly valued food ingredient. Consumption of garlic alters the quality of body odors, which may in some instances hinder social interaction but be beneficial in other contexts, as it is assumed to contribute to early flavor learning in the breastfeeding context, for...

Despite the growing interest of the automotive industry in using recycled polymers, their undesired odor is limiting their application in vehicles’ interior components. To get deeper insights into its causes, this study aimed at characterizing the odor of post-consumer and recycled automotive polypropylene with different contents of talc and an ant...

The wood of the Cembran pine (Pinus cembra L.), also known as Swiss pine, Arolla pine or Stone pine, has a prominent and long-lasting odor which has been reported to relieve stress in humans. However, the odorants responsible for this are unknown and it is also unclear whether the odor profile depends on the origin of the trees, namely different ge...

The Acknowledgement Statement was incorrect in the original publication of this article [1] and the previous correction note [2]. The correct statement is as follows.

Thymoquinone was recently reported as having a unique pencil-like odor and being the impact compound for the cedar-like and cedar wood-based product smell such as pencils. The compounds thymol and carvacrol are structurally related odorants commonly found in plants and foods such as thyme and oregano, also having a significant contribution to their...

For complying with the recently set higher EU recycling targets, the quality parameters of polyolefin recyclates need improvements to enter new sales markets. Consequently, the plastics recycling sector is increasingly confronted with higher demands on the sensory properties of recycled plastics from post-consumer packaging material. The objective...

The establishment of recycling systems aiming at high-quality recyclates from post-consumer plastic waste are essential to avoid the waste of resources. One main impediment for introducing recyclates into the market is their unwanted odor. For this reason, this study aimed at determining if the collection strategy affects the odor profile of post-c...

The significance of wood odors beyond flavoring effects for barbecues and wine aged in barrels has recently been under discussion. Wood has an immense influence on our physical and mental condition through our palate, such as positive health and mood-stimulating effects. As a result of increased public interest, the key odorants from various natura...

The aim of this study was to fabricate and characterize various concentrations of peppermint essential oil (PEP) loaded on poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) electrospun fiber mats for healing applications, where PEP was intended to impart antibacterial activity to the fibers. SEM images illustrated that the morphology of all electrospun fiber mats was smo...

Odor masking is a very prominent problem in our daily routines, mainly concerning unpleasant sweat or toilet odors. In the current study we explored the effectiveness of odor masking both on a behavioral and neuronal level. By definition, participants cannot differentiate a fully masked unpleasant odor from the pleasant pure odor used as a masking...

The objective of this study was to produce antibacterial poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)-gelatin (GEL) electrospun nanofiber mats containing clove essential oil (CLV) using glacial acetic acid (GAA) as a “benign” (non-toxic) solvent. The addition of CLV increased the fiber diameter from 241 ± 96 to 305 ± 82 nm. Aside from this, the wettability of PCL-GE...

Odorants related to offensive odours in three children’s toy swords were identified and characterized by human sensory and chemical analyses. Samples were initially evaluated by a trained sensory panel. Panellists reported unpleasant smells in all samples that were dominated by mothball-like, phenolic and rubber-like notes and additionally almond-l...

A series of recent global and local policymaking processes is promoting or demanding developments in the recycling of post-consumer plastic packaging waste. After successfully clearing most hurdles in the PET bottle sector to promote a successful market launch of the recycled PET products, it is now important to take measures to meet the challenges...

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