## 4 Conclusions  
For the first time, the effects of germination on the volatile and FA profile of IWG were reported. An MHE method was developed with the aid of multivariate evaluation. More than 50 compounds were identified and quantified, the majority of which were generated through the oxidation of linoleic acid (C18:2n6). Overall, germination at 10 \({}^{\circ}\)C and 15 \({}^{\circ}\)C reduced the concentration of aldehydes, ketones, and alcohols. However, at 20 \({}^{\circ}\)C, the concentration of organic acids and esters increased, suggesting the formation of new off-notes via fermentation. The days of germination showed a greater effect on the reduction of FAs than the temperature. Germanating at 15 \({}^{\circ}\)C for 6 days resulted in the most effective reduction of aldehydes and alcohols in IWG, including nonanal, hexanal, 1-pentanol, and 1-hexanol. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant association between the concentrations of these compounds and the content of C18:2n6. This study sheds new light on the effects of critical germination parameters, including time and temperature, on IWG flour. Future applications of germinated IWG present exciting opportunities to diversify the existing range of morning cereals, pastas, beers, puffs, and more. The food industry can leverage this to drive innovation and promote sustainability by creating new products that incorporate germinated IWG. However, the success of these products hinges on comprehensive sensory evaluations. It is crucial to understand how the reduction of lipid oxidation products influences the flavor and aroma of the final products, ensuringthat they meet consumer expectations for taste and quality. Our findings pave the way for enhanced utilization and broaden the potential applications of this sustainable crop.  
The following supporting information can be downloaded at [[https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/molecules29174268/s1](https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/molecules29174268/s1)]([https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/molecules29174268/s1](https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/molecules29174268/s1)), Table S1: Fatty acid profile (%) in IWG samples germinated at 10, 15 and 20 \({}^{\circ}\)C and 2, 4 and 6 days of germination; Table S2: Compounds quantified (mg.kg-1) in IWG sample without germination (control) and after germination by 2, 4 and 6 days at 10, 15, and 20 \({}^{\circ}\)C; Figure S1: Changes in the concentration of hexanal (A), nonanal (B), 2-hexanal (C), and 2-heptenal (D) during germination of IWG for 2, 4 and 6 days at 10, 15, and 20 \({}^{\circ}\)C; Figure S2: Variation of 1-pentanol (A), 1-hexanol (B), and 1-octenol (C) during the germination of IWG for 2, 4, and 6 days at 10 \({}^{\circ}\)C, 15 \({}^{\circ}\)C, and 20 \({}^{\circ}\)C; Table S3: Correlation between unsaturated fatty acids and volatiles compounds quantified in IWG samples.  
W.S.O.: software, validation, formal analysis, investigation, writing--original draft, and visualization. Q.C.: fatty acid analysis, software, and methodology. D.E.: germination, investigation, and conceptualization. G.A.A.: investigation, conceptualization, funding, and writing--review and editing. F.F.G.D.: investigation, methodology, writing--original draft, visualization, funding, and supervision. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
This research was partially funded by the Forever Green Initiative from the University of Minnesota.  
All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in the published article.  
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.