Pulses are a nutrient-dense and sustainable protein source; however, only 17% of Americans consume them at or above the level recommended in dietary guidelines. Incorporating pulse flour into wheat-based products can promote consumption, but adoption remains limited due to undesirable flavors. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) responsible for these off-flavors primarily include aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, acids, pyrazines, and sulfur compounds. Understanding the factors influencing VOC formation and their impact on sensory perception is critical for improving the quality of pulse-based products. To examine the effects of cultivar, processing (roasting and boiling), and harvest year on the volatile composition of eight pulse cultivars, headspace-solid phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) was used. Processing trade-offs for mitigating undesirable flavors were assessed by pre-treating some of the pulses by roasting, followed by milling and cooking into model products (porridges), as well as soaking and boiling to evaluate changes in volatile concentrations. Additionally, cultivar differences were analyzed to identify variations in volatile profiles. The impact of crop year was assessed by comparing seven common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) cultivars grown in Michigan in 2022 and 2023 to one commercially sourced chickpea (Cicer arietinum) grown in 2022. Roasted and non-roasted: flours and model product and boiled pulses prepared from each of the eight cultivars were analyzed by HS-SPME-GC-MS. Hierarchical clustering (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) revealed clustering based on harvest year and distinct volatile profiles among cultivars based on seed coat color. Roasting and boiling influenced VOC composition, with variations observed across different compound classes. To further investigate how variations in volatile profiles due to cultivar and processing treatments impact sensory perception, descriptive sensory analysis (DA) was conducted. Given the high cost of sensory panel testing, this study also evaluated the effectiveness of instrumental techniques such as GC-MS and electronic nose (e-nose) in predicting sensory attributes. PCA indicated that sensory variability among cultivars was driven by seed coat color which influenced both appearance and flavor, while HCA indicated that samples with shared sensory attributes clustered based on processing treatment. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed stronger correlations of e-nose discriminant ions with DA than GC-MS. By integrating sensory and instrumental analyses, this research supports efforts to improve consumer acceptance and increase pulse flour consumption in food products.
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