食品中的内酯类物质主要包括γ-内酯、δ-内酯、葫芦巴内酯、威士忌内酯，它们对食品整体风味的形成具有重要作用，能赋予食品奶香、水果香、坚果香、焦糖香等优良的风味特征，研究食品中内酯类化合物的风味贡献及形成机制具有重要意义。该研究综述了食品中常见的内酯类化合物，食品中内酯类化合物的组成及香气贡献，总结了对食品风味贡献较大的内酯类化合物的形成机制包括：δ-内酯和γ-内酯的羟基脂肪酸-内酯生成途径、一步分子内酯交换反应途径、葫芦巴内酯的羟醛缩合反应途径、果实中脂肪酸-酰基CoA-内酯形成途径、果实中不饱和脂肪酸-羟基脂肪酸-内酯形成途径等，并对当前研究中存在的问题和未来研究方向做了归纳与展望。为全面认知食品中内酯类风味化合物及其形成，改善食品风味并提高食品品质，实现食品产业转型和升级提供理论参考。

Lactones in food, which mainly include γ-lactone, δ-lactone, fenugreek lactone, and whisky lactone, play an important role in the formation of the overall flavor. They can grant the food a milky, fruity, and nutty flavor, as well as caramel and other excellent flavor characteristics. Thus, it is of great significance to the food industry to better understand the flavor contribution and biosynthesis mechanism of lactones in food. The type, composition, and aroma contribution of lactones commonly found in food were herein reviewed and their biosynthesis mechanisms were summarized, including the hydroxy fatty acid-lactone formation pathway of δ-lactone and γ-lactone, the one-step molecular lactone exchange pathway, the aldol condensation pathway of fenugreek lactone, the fatty acid-acyl CoA-lactone formation pathway in fruit, and the unsaturated fatty acid-hydroxy fatty acid-lactone formation pathway in fruit. Issues in current research and future research directions are also summarized and discussed. The purpose of this study is to provide theoretical references for comprehensive understanding of lactone flavor compounds and their formation, which may contribute for improving food flavor and food quality, and consequently transform and enhance the use of lactones in the food industry.

国家自然科学基金项目（32072346）