Research Progress on Determination Methods and Influential Factors of Protein-Aroma Compound Binding

Foods contain a variety of macromolecules such as proteins as well as trace flavor compounds and the binding effect between aroma compounds and the protein matrix has an important impact on the release and perception of the overall flavor of foods. In this paper, we systematically review the mechanism, determination methods, mathematical models and influential factors of the binding effect between proteins and aroma compounds, and summarize the binding interactions between proteins and aroma compounds including non-covalent bonding, covalent bonding and mass transfer effect, and presents a systematic comparison of the application of multispectral techniques such as fluorescence, circular dichroism and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to the investigation of the protein-aroma compound binding effect. Moreover, we summarize several common theoretical models and emerging molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation methods available for research on the binding interactions between proteins and aroma compounds, and review the influential factors of the release and retention of aroma compounds bound to the protein matrix from three perspectives: protein, aroma compounds and food ingredients. Furthermore, we discuss the major problems existing in the current research and put forward some suggestions for future research directions in order to provide a scientific basis and reference for the controllable release of aroma compounds bound to proteins in foods.