Effect of sugar and acid composition,aroma release,and assessment conditions on aroma enhancement by taste in model wines

ContextWhen congruent taste and retronasal aroma are perceived simultaneously, aroma can be enhanced by taste. Different explanations have been proposed: (i) physico-chemical interactions between tastants and aroma compounds, inducing a change of the aroma stimulus before it reaches the receptors, (ii) a contextual bias during sensory tests (dumping), when at least one relevant attribute is not proposed to the panelists to assess a product, (iii) a misunderstanding of the conceptual difference between aroma and taste, or (iv) a perceptual incapability of panelists to distinguish between two congruent percepts. This study was undertaken to better understand aroma enhancement by taste in model wines containing different sugar and acid concentrations but the same volatile composition.MethodWe used a twofold approach:(i) model wine retronasal aroma intensity was assessed twice by trained panelists. During the first session, panelists only assessed aroma intensity. During the second session, taste intensity was assessed before aroma intensity, to reduce dumping effects.(ii) in-mouth release of volatile compounds was measured by nosespace analysis with the same panelists.ResultsAcid concentration influenced aroma compounds release, but its effect on perceived aroma intensity was not clear. Increasing sugar concentration delayed ethyl octanoate (EO) release after swallowing. When taste was not assessed, perceived aroma intensity was not explained by aroma compounds release, but it increased with sugar concentration, probably because of a dumping effect. When taste was assessed, aroma intensity also depended on sugar concentration, but it was significantly correlated to the time of release of EO. Our hypothesis is that when taste declined, late aroma was more easily individualized, and thus assessed with a higher intensity. This entails that panelists focused on aroma to individualize it from taste. We concluded that trained panelists understand the conceptual difference between taste and aroma, but are not completely able to distinguish congruent and simultaneous taste and aroma percepts.     

A study on texture–taste–aroma interactions: Physico-chemical and cognitive mechanisms

Texture–taste, texture–aroma and aroma–taste interactions were examined in custard desserts varying in viscosity (at identical composition), sucrose level and aroma nature. All reciprocal interactions were investigated, with each binary interaction addressed through an independent sensory study. Rheological, in vivo aroma release and sucrose release measurements were run in parallel to control for a possible physico-chemical origin of these interactions. Observed interactions were found to be dependent upon the nature of the sensory modalities involved; physico-chemical mechanisms could only in some instances entirely explain these interactions. Taste and aroma did not impact texture perception and this was linked to the fact that rheological properties of the desserts were not modified. Texture affected the taste intensity but not the aroma intensity. Discrepancies between these sensory results and the physico-chemical results were observed. Aroma influenced taste perception and vice-versa, likely through cognitive mechanisms.     

Aroma–taste interactions between a model cheese aroma and five basic tastes in solution

The flavour perception of cheese results from complex sensory interactions between tastes and aromas. Using a model cheese solution, this study investigated perceived interactions between each of five basic tastes and a cheese aroma mixture containing ten volatile compounds commonly found in cheese. The five tastes – sucrose (sweetness), sodium chloride (NaCl) (saltiness), monosodium glutamate (MSG) (umami), lactic acid (sourness), and caffeine (bitterness) – were individually mixed with cheese aroma in water using a 5 taste level (0.2 log series) by 3 aroma level (0.5 log series) design. Aroma controls with no added taste were also included. This resulted in 18 samples for each single taste–aroma combination. An additional 18 samples were produced using a mixture of all 5 tastes with the 3 aroma levels. A panel of trained assessors (n = 10) evaluated cheese flavour intensity and taste intensity using 100 point line scales. Evaluation was carried out in duplicate, with samples grouped by taste type; 1 evaluation session per taste per replicate. Within type, order of presentation was balanced, and taste type order was randomised between replicates. Cheese flavour intensity was enhanced by sucrose and NaCl, while being suppressed by lactic acid. NaCl enhanced cheese flavour intensity the most at high aroma level, while lactic acid suppressed the most at low aroma level. When MSG level was increased, cheese flavour intensity was enhanced at both low and medium aroma levels, but was suppressed at the high aroma level. The greatest enhancement of cheese flavour intensity was found with the mixture of 5 tastes. Aroma significantly enhanced umami and bitterness, but did not enhance sweetness, saltiness, or sourness. This study showed that the perceived interaction between taste and cheese aroma depended on taste type and on the concentration levels of both taste type and aroma. The mixture of tastes was more effective at enhancing cheese flavour intensity than single tastes. This study provides knowledge that will underpin further study of taste–aroma interactions in a model cheese that aims to optimise cheese flavour intensity and character.     

pH值对牛肉酶解物美拉德产物风味特性的影响

本研究旨在探讨pH值(5.0~6.5)对牛肉酶解物美拉德反应产物(enzymic beef hydrolysate Maillard reaction product,EBH-MRP)风味特性的影响。结果表明:随着pH值的增加,EBH-MRP的感官特性主要从肉香、咸鲜味向烤香、苦味发展,对空白鸡汤的鲜味提升作用由强至弱,醇厚感提升作用稳步增强。苦味与烤香间存在显著的正相关关系,过度的烤香不仅掩盖肉香,还意味着苦味物质的生成,抑制味蕾对鲜味、鲜味提升作用及醇厚感的感知强度。结合风味物质含量的测定发现,肉香既不与重要前驱物半胱氨酸(Cys)的参与量具有相关性,也不与关键肉香味物质的含量具有相关性。说明肉香的感知是多类气味物质共同调控的结果,且生成机制极为复杂。此外,含氮杂环气味物质的总含量与烤香间有着极显著的正相关关系;大于3 000 D的糖肽交联产物对苦味具有一定贡献;适当的肽降解作用有利于醇厚感的提升。     

Cross-modal interactions between taste and smell: Odour-induced saltiness enhancement depends on salt level

In recent years, health concerns related to salt have led to extensive research on low-salt foods. One major remaining issue is to reduce sodium content while still providing the salty fix, to maintain food appreciation, acceptance and choice. Using well-selected odours has been proposed to compensate for sodium chloride reduction in food, due to the cross-modal interactions between odour and taste. However, interactions between taste and odour, with regards to saltiness, remain poorly investigated. Moreover, although a few studies have assessed the influences of odour and sweet supra-threshold intensity on cross-modal interactions, none focused directly on how they influence saltiness. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to determine if the level of saltiness, i.e., the concentration of sodium chloride in aqueous solutions, influences odour-induced saltiness enhancement (OISE). A panel of 64 untrained panellists evaluated the saltiness of water solutions including salt and a tasteless odorant. Following a full factorial design, three concentrations of salt were used in conjunction with three aroma conditions. The results confirmed that OISE depends on odour-taste congruency but also clearly indicated that OISE depends on salt concentration (salty intensity): the saltiness of a low- or medium-salt-content solution increased significantly when subjects perceived simultaneously the congruent sardine aroma, but OISE was no more significant with high-saltiness solutions. This effect has to be taken into account when using OISE as a compensation strategy in low-salt food.     

Traditional Japanese confection overseas: Cultural difference and retronasal aroma affect flavor preference and umami perception

Food cultures differ among countries and regions. Yokan, a traditional Japanese confection, is culturally familiar to Japanese people but unfamiliar to Westerners. We investigated the effect of cultural differences and retronasal aroma on flavor preference for and taste perception of yokan among Japanese and German participants. As a control food, we also used the marshmallow, which is culturally familiar to both Japanese and German participants. Participants evaluated their preference for flavor as well as the intensity of the five basic taste qualities and retronasal aroma under the nostril-open and nostril-closed conditions. The retronasal aroma of a culturally familiar food significantly increased preference for flavor, whereas the retronasal aroma of a culturally unfamiliar food did not affect preference for flavor. Moreover, for all taste qualities, retronasal aroma induced a similar magnitude of taste enhancement between culturally familiar and unfamiliar foods, suggesting that cultural familiarity with a food does not affect taste perception. However, the retronasal aroma induced significantly greater umami enhancement in Japanese participants than in German participants, suggesting an effect of cultural familiarity with specific taste qualities on taste perception. These findings indicate that cultural differences and retronasal aroma affect flavor preference for and umami perception of food.     

Cheddar cheese taste can be reconstructed in solution using basic tastes

The taste of cheese contributes to flavour character directly and by cross-modal interactions with aroma. However, the relative contribution of specific tastes, i.e., sweet, salt, umami, sour, and bitter, is not well understood. Twelve cheeses were profiled by a trained sensory panel and the five tastes shown to significantly differ in intensity. Sucrose, NaCl, monosodium glutamate, lactic acid, and caffeine were mixed in water and adjusted using a 2^5-1 fractional factorial design (FFD) to reconstruct cheese taste; the optimised construct was compared with a Cheddar cheese to measure similarity for each taste type. The FFD provided knowledge of taste–taste interactions and aided the reconstruction of the taste profile of Cheddar cheese in solution. The reconstructed cheese solution did not significantly differ in overall intensity, saltiness, sourness, umami, and bitterness from the Cheddar cheese based on chi-squared tests. Sweetness was a difficult attribute to adjust due to its relatively low intensity.     

滋味物质间相互作用的研究进展

人类的味觉提供了有关食品质量及其组成的必要信息。人类可鉴别出食物的5 种基本味觉,即甜、咸、酸、苦和鲜味,但食物是多种滋味化合物组成的混合体系,因此滋味物质间相互作用是不可避免的。滋味物质间的相互作用发生在3 个层面,即化合物混合时的化学反应、一种物质对另一种物质滋味受体的影响、混合物质在大脑中的综合感知。其中研究较多的是滋味物质在第二层面上的相互作用。二元、三元及多元滋味物质之间的关系是复杂的：当滋味化合物低强度/浓度混合时呈现增强效应;中等强度/浓度往往呈现加和作用;高强度/浓度混合时常呈现抑制作用。另外,滋味感知受很多因素的影响,如温度、pH值、黏度、硬度、受试者生理状况等。滋味物质间相互作用的研究主要聚焦在饮料滋味改良、药品苦味掩盖和口腔护理产品开发等具有广阔研究前景。     

Development of a Time–Intensity Evaluation System for Consumers: Measuring Bitterness and Retronasal Aroma of Coffee Beverages in 106 Untrained Panelists

In order to develop products that are acceptable to consumers, it is necessary to incorporate consumers’ intentions into products’ characteristics. Therefore, investigation of consumers’ perceptions of the taste or smell of common beverages provides information that should be useful in predicting market responses. In this study, we sought to develop a time–intensity evaluation system for consumer panels. Using our system, we performed time–intensity evaluation of flavor attributes (bitterness and retronasal aroma) that consumers perceived after swallowing a coffee beverage. Additionally, we developed quantitative evaluation methods for determining whether consumer panelists can properly perform time–intensity evaluation. In every trial, we fitted an exponential function to measured intensity data for bitterness and retronasal aroma. The correlation coefficients between measured time–intensity data and the fitted exponential curves were greater than 0.8 in about 90% of trials, indicating that we had successfully developed a time–intensity system for use with consumer panelists, even after just a single training trial using a nontrained consumer. We classified participants into two groups based on their consumption of canned coffee beverages. Significant difference was observed in only AUC of sensory modality (bitterness compared with retronasal aroma) among conventional TI parameters using two‐way ANOVA. However, three‐way ANOVA including a time course revealed significant difference between bitterness and retronasal aroma in the high‐consumption group. Moreover, the high‐consumption group more easily discriminated between bitterness and retronasal aroma than the low‐consumption group. This finding implied that manufacturers should select consumer panelists who are suitable for their concepts of new products.     

Aroma and color development during the production of specialty malts: A review

Specialty malts comprise a promising field for innovative approaches concerning their potential in terms of color, aroma, and taste influence on the composition of beer and other beverages. Nevertheless, poor reproducibility of aroma and taste is a recurrent struggle between maltsters, leaving color as a practical parameter for quality control. However, malts with similar coloration can present distinct aroma profiles, leaving open questions concerning key aroma compounds, their dynamic responses to malting process variations and to what extent they may vary in a certain color range. Key aroma volatiles have been identified in the matrix of barley malt, comprising a variety of products of non-enzymatic browning reactions (e.g., caramelization, pyrolysis, and Maillard reactions). Here, water plays a crucial role together with the intensity of the temperature regimes. Nevertheless, the final aroma profile of a malt product is the result of a balance between aroma formation and losses. Therefore, the correlation between color and aroma is of big complexity. That being the case, the present article questions if key aroma compounds responsible for the peculiar flavors of specialties have been defined by scientific literature and whether their production dynamics is unveiled. In this manner, this work proposes an overview of the aroma compounds present in specialty malt products studied up to the current date. More specifically, the process production of specialty malts and its potential impact on the formation of aroma and taste is studied alongside the key aroma-active compounds, their correlation to color, and trending analytical techniques for aroma and color assessment.     

The relative importance of texture,taste and aroma on a yogurt-type snack food preference in the young and the elderly

The study examined the relative importance of texture, taste and aroma for overall pleasantness of a yoghurt-like fermented oat bran product in the elderly (n=45, 65–82 years) compared to the young (n=47, 20–35 years). Texture (lumpy vs. smooth), taste intensity (sweetness) and aroma intensity (orange aroma) were varied using 2×2×2 factorial design. For the young, the most important factor predicting overall pleasantness of the samples was aroma, while taste and texture had only little importance. The elderly responded equally strongly to aroma and taste and found both textures almost equally acceptable. However, texture had a relatively small effect on the overall pleasantness in general. In conclusion, the relative importance of texture, taste and aroma of the fermented oat bran product differed from the young to the elderly: the relative importance of taste was more pronounced in the case of the elderly compared to the young.     

Could cider aroma modify cider mouthfeel properties?

The objective of this work was to evaluate whether aroma–taste interactions could occur in cider due to cognitive interactions such as a dumping effect or a congruency phenomenon. Sixteen French ciders were selected with different organoleptic characteristics. Three different tasting conditions were compared in order to evaluate the presence of aroma interactions with taste. A trained panel was first asked to assess ciders, with and without a nose clip, on four attributes: sweetness, sourness, bitterness and astringency. Secondly, they had to score the same four attributes with seven aroma attributes added. It was shown that the perception of sweetness and astringency was modified in the presence of aroma. Ciders with fruity and caramel aromatic notes were perceived sweeter contrary to ciders with hay, animal and earthy notes, which were perceived less sweet. Moreover, the aroma interaction with sweetness was sugar concentration-dependent. It occurred only in cider containing around 40 g/L of sugar. Finally, ciders were perceived more astringent when tasted without wearing a nose clip.     

Quality assessment of corn snacks enriched with soybean ferritin among young healthy people and patient with Crohn’s disease: the effect of extrusion conditions

Fortified extruded snacks are convenient products to supplement malnourished patients’ diet, e.g. suffering from Crohn’s disease. The snacks were extruded with different additions of iron-biofortified sprouts under varying process conditions (temperature and humidity). The sensory profiling showed the correlation between extrusion temperature and snack stickiness (R = 0.835), crispiness (R = 0.727), hardness (R=−0.485), as well as the intensity of corn (R = 0.888), powder (R=−0.795), metallic (R=−0.606) and bitter (R=−0.901) tastes. The sprouts addition affected metallic taste (R = 0.606) and aroma (R = 0.666) intensity. The product desirability was compared between healthy people (HP) and Crohn’s patients (CP). Overall desirability positively correlated with taste desirability in both groups. In the HP group, taste desirability was associated with metallic taste (R=−0.857) and Fe(III) content (R=−0.717). Also, aroma desirability (connected with pyrazines) was more significant to HP. Higher tolerance of CP to metallic and bitter flavours was observed. This confirms that the taste and aroma preferences of CP and HP are different.     

An overview of binary taste–taste interactions

The human gustatory system is capable of identifying five major taste qualities: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and savory (umami), and perhaps several sub-qualities. This is a relatively small number of qualities given the vast number and structural diversity of chemical compounds that elicit taste. When we consume a food, our taste receptor cells are activated by numerous stimuli via several transduction pathways. An important food-related taste question which remains largely unanswered is: How do taste perceptions change when multiple taste stimuli are presented together in a food or beverage rather than when presented alone? The interactions among taste compounds is a large research area that has interested electrophysiologists, psychophysicists, biochemists, and food scientists alike. On a practical level, taste interactions are important in the development and modification of foods, beverages or oral care products. Is there enhancement or suppression of intensity when adding stimuli of the same or different qualities together? Relevant psychophysical literature on taste–taste interactions along with selected psychophysical theory is reviewed. We suggest that the position of the individual taste stimuli on the concentration-intensity psychophysical curve (expansive, linear, or compressive phase of the curve) predicts important interactions when reporting enhancement or suppression of taste mixtures.     

真空回潮工序对烤烟烟叶感官质量的影响

为明确真空回潮工序对烤烟烟叶感官质量的作用,将烤烟烟叶在真空回潮工序不同加工强度条件下处理,比较烟叶感官质量变化.结果表明:真空回潮工序中等以上加工强度会改变烤烟烟叶香气风格,随着加工强度增大,香气风格变化幅度增大;真空回潮工序对烤烟烟叶杂气、香气质和细腻程度影响较大,对刺激性、干净程度、香气量、干燥感、浓度和劲头影响较小;在适宜的加工强度范围内,真空回潮工序具有显著改善香气质、减少杂气和改善细腻程度的作用.     

烟叶及卷烟产品评吸指标间的相关性分析

分析了烟叶和卷烟产品各评吸指标间的相关性,结果表明:无论是单料烟叶,还是卷烟产品,它们的各项评吸指标之间均存在着比较密切的关系;相比之下,卷烟产品各评吸指标间的关系更为密切.按照相关性由大到小的顺序排列,烟叶是:杂气与余味、香气质与余味、香气质与杂气、香气质与香气量、杂气与刺激性、香气量与杂气、香气质与刺激性、香气量与余味、刺激性与余味;卷烟产品是:香气与余味、杂气与余味、香气与杂气、香气与刺激性、刺激性与余味、杂气与刺激性.     

Formulation of Corn Zein Chewing Gum and Evaluation of Sensory Properties by the Time-Intensity Method

This study was conducted to determine the feasibility of using corn zein as a natural gum base to be an alternative to the currently used synthetic gum base. The objectives were to (1) develop a corn zein chewing gum and (2) evaluate the taste, texture, and aroma qualities compared with synthetic gum base using a time‐intensity (T‐I) method. Four corn zein gum samples, each made with a different plasticizer (oleic acid, glycerin, propylene glycol, and 1 without any plasticizer), were included in the study along with 2 synthetic gum‐base samples. Nine panelists participated in the T‐I study. Thirteen attributes were evaluated. Maximum intensity, time to maximum intensity, and duration were parameters extracted from the T‐I curve. The synthetic gum‐base samples were rated higher for the maximum intensity of sweet taste and cinnamon aroma‐by‐mouth and lower for the maximum intensity of bitter taste. The propylene glycol corn zein sample was rated the highest for cinnamon aroma and the lowest for stale, rancid, and cheesy aromas. Out of the corn zein gums, the oleic acid sample was rated the lowest for the maximum intensity of hardness. It was also rated highest for the maximum intensity of bitter taste and the lowest for sweet taste. This study showed that it is feasible to use corn zein as a gum base, but future work is needed to develop an acceptable product for consumers.     

How trigeminal,taste and aroma perceptions are affected in mint-flavored carbonated beverages

The integration of olfactory, taste and trigeminal perceptions must be taken into account to better understand the perception of beverages. To do this, seven beverages were formulated to investigate the role of ingredients on trigeminal perception. All mutual interactions between olfactory, gustatory and trigeminal perceptions were studied. Instrumental measurements and sensory evaluation were used to elucidate both physicochemical and sensory interactions. Sensory profiling was conducted according to monadic product presentation, and in vivo aroma release was assessed in the nasal cavities of subjects during beverage consumption.This study further revealed the influence of trigeminal perception on taste and aroma in complex beverages. The addition of CO₂ in beverages induced a decrease in sweetness perception, an increase in sourness perception and an enhancement of aroma perception. Physicochemical and/or physical mechanisms (pH, aroma stripping effect) were assumed to be at the origin of these gustatory and olfactory interactions. Furthermore, the addition of mint flavoring enhanced tingling and freshness perceptions, highlighting perceptual interactions. The presence of sugar was shown to decrease the freshness perception but not the tingling perception.