Stabilized aroma-providing components such as chocolate, tea or coffee aromas that are stabilized against loss or degradation of desirable flavor or sensory characteristics of its aroma during storage. The stabilizing agent is present with the aroma-providing component in an amount effective to chemically interact with compounds in the aroma-providing component to (a) provide increased amounts of desirable compounds that impart desirable flavor or sensory characteristics to the aroma or (b) reduce the amount of undesirable compounds that suppress desirable flavor characteristics or that contribute to or generate undesirable flavor or sensory characteristics in the aroma. The stabilizing agent preferably is a nucleophile that contains sulfur or nitrogen, such as sulfur dioxide, sulfites, compounds or substances that contain or generate sulfites, thiols, amines or amino acids, cysteine, gluathione or an enzyme. The stabilized aroma-providing component retains the desirable flavor and sensory characteristics of the aroma for a time period of at least six months to one year or longer.