AbstractPrevious studies suggest that phospholipid affects the production of volatile heterocyclic compounds during cooking by participating in the Maiilard reaction, and also plays an important role in the formation of the characteristic aroma of cooked meat. These effects can be mimicked using aqueous model systems. The identities of 109 volatile products of model Maillard reactions involving glycine and ribose, with and without phospholipid, have been investigated using gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry and the individual odours of these systems noted during sensory assessment of the effluent from the gas chromatograph. The incorporation of phospholipid increased the overall number of volatile compounds and variety of odours produced, as well as altering the nature of the dominant components and aroma