Variation in aroma release between panellists consuming different types of confectionary

Physiological and oral parameters contribute prediction of retronasal aroma release in an elderly cohort

Malnutrition is a serious problem in the elderly while understanding flavour perception could be a tool for controlling appetite or food choices. To increase our knowledge, we characterised the health and oral physiology (oral volume, swallowing tongue force, number of teeth and salivary flow rate, protein content and antioxidant capacity) of a cohort of 54 community-dwelling French elderly as well as their individual retronasal release of five aroma compounds (2-pentanone, 2-nonanone, 2,3-hexanedione, octanal and linalool) by proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS). In general, large variability across participants was observed in both oral physiological (>40%) and retronasal aroma release (>56%) parameters. Multivariate analyses revealed a relationship between physiological parameters (mostly salivary antioxidant capacity) and retronasal aroma release that explained up to 46% of the variability observed. This study provides new insights to understand retronasal aroma release in the elderly that could contribute to the development of personalised nutrition strategies.

Ethnicity, gender and physiological parameters: Their effect on in vivo flavour release and perception during chewing gum consumption

In this study, the impact of physiological parameters, ethnicity and gender on flavour perception and flavour release of chewing gum was investigated. Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometry in-nose monitoring of volatile organic compounds was coupled to discontinuous time intensity sensory evaluation for mint flavour and sweetness perception. Each of the 29 subjects, 14 European and 15 Chinese panelists (13 male and 16 females, age 24 ± 1.4 years old) consumed the samples in triplicates. Physiological parameters (oral cavity volume, salivary flow, acetone and isoprene concentration and fungiform papillae density) were measured. Significant differences for in vivo flavour release between Chinese and European panelists after 90 s of consumption and after the gum was removed from the mouth were found. Significant differences were observed also in flavour and sweetness perception while no gender effect was detected. In this work, for the first time an effect of ethnicity on in-nose flavour release monitored through PTR-MS was noticed during chewing gum consumption, in agreement with the findings from sensory evaluation. Single physiological parameters do not explain the relation between flavour in nose release and perception during consumption.

Impact of the nonvolatile wine matrix composition on the in vivo aroma release from wines

The impact of the nonvolatile wine matrix composition on the retronasal aroma release of four volatile compounds added to different types of wines has been evaluated. For this purpose, a tailor-made retronasal aroma trapping device (RATD) was used to entrap the exhaled breath of six panelists previously trained in a specific consumption procedure. Five wines of different composition (white wine, sparkling white wine, young red wine, aged red wine, and a sweet wine) were evaluated. Prior to the evaluation, with the exception of the sweet wine, the wines were adjusted to the same ethanol content and aromatized with a mixture of four target volatile compounds. Aroma release data were submitted to multivariate statistical analysis in order to relate wine chemical composition and aroma release during wine drinking. Results showed interindividual differences and a clustering of panelists among lower and higher aroma releasers, which was in agreement to the differences in their breathing capacity. A significant influence of the matrix composition in the low aroma releasers group during wine consumption was observed. The consumption of red wines provoked a significantly higher aroma release than the consumption of white and sweet wines. From the chemical composition determined in the wine samples (pH, total acidity, total polyphenols, neutral polysaccharides, residual sugar, and nitrogenous compounds), the amount of total polyphenols was better correlated with the observed effect.