The factors determining the generation of aroma in starch extrudates containing added ingredients with aroma precursors were elucidated. Analyses were performed using headspace analysis of raw materials and extrudates and subsequent analysis by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and Gas Chromatography-Olfactometry (GC-O. Study I described the volatile, amino acid and fatty acid profiles of Hydrolised vegetable protein (HVP)and Soy protein isolate (SPI). Studies II, III and IV descibed the volatiles developed from extrusion of different feedstocks under mild and extreme processing conditions. Wheat starch was chosen as the carrier.A comparison of the influence of the three different ingredients HVP, SPI and glucose, added to the starch feed, showed the formation of Strecker aldehydes and Maillard-type compounds were significantly affected by the addition of these ingredients. The work in this thesis demonstrated that the addition of ingredients such as HVP, SPI, glucose, cysteine, cysteine-HCI, modifies the aroma of wheat starch extrudates. Furthermore, it showed the changes in conditions of extrusion and pH will greatly influence the aroma profile of the products. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Meerkats are known to strongly rely on chemical communication in social contexts. However, little is known about their use of the sense of smell in food detection and selection. The aim of the present study was therefore to assess whether meerkats are able to (1) detect hidden food using olfactory cues, (2) distinguish the odour of real food from a single food odour component, and (3) build an association between the odour of real food and a novel odour. I employed the buried food test, widely used with rodents to assess basic olfactory abilities, designed to take advantage of the propensity of meerkats to dig. I found that the meerkats were clearly able to find all four food types tested (mouse, chicken, mealworm, banana) using olfactory cues alone and that they successfully discriminated between the odour of real food and a food odour component. In both tasks, the animals dug in the food-bearing corner of the test arena as the first one significantly more often than in the other three corners, suggesting development of an efficient foraging strategy. No significant association-building between a food odour and a novel odour was found within the 60 trials performed per animal. I conclude that meerkats are able to use olfactory cues when foraging and that their sense of smell is well-adapted for recognizing specific odours of behavioural relevance. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first study to successfully employ the buried food test with a carnivore species.