1
|
Puleo S, Braghieri A, Pacelli C, Bendini A, Toschi TG, Torri L, Piochi M, Di Monaco R. Food Neophobia, Odor and Taste Sensitivity, and Overall Flavor Perception in Food. Foods 2021; 10:foods10123122. [PMID: 34945673 PMCID: PMC8702209 DOI: 10.3390/foods10123122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Smell, which allows us to gather information about the hedonic value of an odor, is affected by many factors. This study aimed to assess the relationship among individual factors, odor sensitivity, and enjoyment, and to evaluate how overall flavor perception and liking in actual food samples are affected by odor sensitivity. A total of 749 subjects, from four different Italian regions, participated in the study. The olfactory capabilities test on four odors (anise, banana, mint, and pine), as well as PROP (6-n-prpyl-2-thiouracil) status and food neophobia were assessed. The subjects were clustered into three groups of odor sensitivity, based on the perceived intensity of anise. The liking and intensity of the overall flavor were evaluated for four chocolate puddings with increasing sweetness (C1, C2, C3, and C4). The individual variables significantly affected the perceived intensity and liking of the odors. Even if all of the odor sensitivity groups perceived the more intensely flavored samples as the C1 and C4 chocolate puddings, the high-sensitivity group scored the global flavor of all of the samples as more intense than the low-sensitivity group. The low-sensitive subjects evaluated the liking of the sweeter samples with higher scores than the moderate-sensitive subjects, whereas the high-sensitive subjects gave intermediate scores. In conclusion, odor sensitivity plays a pivotal role in the perception and liking of real food products; this has to be taken into account in the formulation of new products, suitable for particular categories with reduced olfactory abilities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Puleo
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Food Science and Technology Division, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy; (S.P.); (R.D.M.)
| | - Ada Braghieri
- School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0971-205101
| | - Corrado Pacelli
- School of Agricultural, Forestry, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Basilicata, 85100 Potenza, Italy;
| | - Alessandra Bendini
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DiSTAL), University of Bologna, Piazza Goidanich 60, 47521 Cesena, Italy; (A.B.); (T.G.T.)
| | - Tullia Gallina Toschi
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DiSTAL), University of Bologna, Piazza Goidanich 60, 47521 Cesena, Italy; (A.B.); (T.G.T.)
| | - Luisa Torri
- Sensory and Consumer Science, University of Gastronomic Sciences, 12042 Pollenzo, Italy; (L.T.); (M.P.)
| | - Maria Piochi
- Sensory and Consumer Science, University of Gastronomic Sciences, 12042 Pollenzo, Italy; (L.T.); (M.P.)
| | - Rossella Di Monaco
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Food Science and Technology Division, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Portici, Italy; (S.P.); (R.D.M.)
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Cameron EL. Olfactory perception in children. World J Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2018; 4:57-66. [PMID: 30035263 PMCID: PMC6051253 DOI: 10.1016/j.wjorl.2018.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to smell is important for protection from danger and quality of life, even in children. Although smell loss is rare in children, it can be indicative of some childhood disorders and may be useful for understanding some disorders. This paper reviews the methods and results of behavioral testing olfaction in children, with an emphasis on odor identification, the most common method of assessing the sense of smell in both children and adults. The Pediatric Smell Wheel® is described as a relatively new and powerful tool for testing olfaction in children as young as 4 years of age. An example of its use in testing children with a childhood disorders (autism spectrum disorder, ASD) is provided in addition to a review of the literature on smell function in ASD. It is possible to reliably test sense of smell in children as young as 4 years old and many studies have shown that performance improves with age and can be impacted by childhood disorders. Sex differences in children are briefly discussed. Finally, the paper suggests other methods of testing olfaction in children, such as odor discrimination, that depend less on cognitive factors, which may enhance our understanding of the olfactory capabilities of young children.
Collapse
|
3
|
Goubet N, Durand K, Schaal B, McCall DD. Seeing odors in color: Cross-modal associations in children and adults from two cultural environments. J Exp Child Psychol 2018; 166:380-399. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2017.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Revised: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
|
4
|
Goubet N, McCall DD, Ducz JK, Bingham ML. Semantic context facilitates odor identification in children and adults. Dev Psychobiol 2013; 56:592-8. [DOI: 10.1002/dev.21124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2012] [Accepted: 03/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jennifer K. Ducz
- The Graduate Center of the City University of New York; New York New York
| | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Valentin D, Chanquoy L. Olfactory categorization: A developmental study. J Exp Child Psychol 2012; 113:337-52. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2012.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2011] [Revised: 03/23/2012] [Accepted: 05/01/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
6
|
Rinck F, Barkat-Defradas M, Chakirian A, Joussain P, Bourgeat F, Thevenet M, Rouby C, Bensafi M. Ontogeny of Odor Liking during Childhood and Its Relation to Language Development. Chem Senses 2010; 36:83-91. [DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjq101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
|
7
|
Poncelet J, Rinck F, Bourgeat F, Schaal B, Rouby C, Bensafi M, Hummel T. The effect of early experience on odor perception in humans: psychological and physiological correlates. Behav Brain Res 2009; 208:458-65. [PMID: 20035792 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2009.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2009] [Revised: 12/09/2009] [Accepted: 12/14/2009] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The olfactory function in humans is characterized by wide variability between individuals. One of the prominent factors that contribute to this plasticity is early exposure. The present study examined how brain activity is modulated by such olfactory experience. To this end, two groups of people living in France but originating from different cultures ("European-French" (EF, 18 subjects) vs. "Algerian-French" (AF, 19 subjects)) were tested, and their perceptual and physiological responses to the smells of mint (presumed to be experienced earlier in life by "Algerian-French" subjects) and of rose (control odorant) were compared. Neurophysiological responses were obtained in the form of chemosensory event-related potentials (CSERP). The results confirmed that the AF group was exposed to Mint tea earlier than the EF group. On the perceptual level, when asked to associate the smell of mint with objects or events retrieved from memory, the discourse of AF subjects included more "experience-oriented" associations than that of EF subjects. This was associated with longer P2 latency in CSERPs in response to the smell of mint in the AF group. These findings highlight the plasticity of behavioral and neural olfactory processes as a result of differential lifetime exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Johan Poncelet
- Laboratoire Neurosciences Sensorielles, Comportement, Cognition, Université de Lyon and CNRS UMR 5020, Lyon, France.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Monnery-Patris S, Rouby C, Nicklaus S, Issanchou S. Development of olfactory ability in children: Sensitivity and identification. Dev Psychobiol 2009; 51:268-76. [DOI: 10.1002/dev.20363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
|
10
|
Abstract
In humans, the pleasantness of odors is a major contributor to social relationships and food intake. Smells evoke attraction and repulsion responses, reflecting the hedonic value of the odorant. While olfactory preferences are known to be strongly modulated by experience and learning, it has been recently suggested that, in humans, the pleasantness of odors may be partly explained by the physicochemical properties of the odorant molecules themselves. If odor hedonic value is indeed predetermined by odorant structure, then it could be hypothesized that other species will show similar odor preferences to humans. Combining behavioral and psychophysical approaches, we here show that odorants rated as pleasant by humans were also those which, behaviorally, mice investigated longer and human subjects sniffed longer, thereby revealing for the first time a component of olfactory hedonic perception conserved across species. Consistent with this, we further show that odor pleasantness rating in humans and investigation time in mice were both correlated with the physicochemical properties of the molecules, suggesting that olfactory preferences are indeed partly engraved in the physicochemical structure of the odorant. That odor preferences are shared between mammal species and are guided by physicochemical features of odorant stimuli strengthens the view that odor preference is partially predetermined. These findings open up new perspectives for the study of the neural mechanisms of hedonic perception.
Collapse
|
11
|
Bensafi M, Rinck F, Schaal B, Rouby C. Verbal Cues Modulate Hedonic Perception of Odors in 5-Year-Old Children as well as in Adults. Chem Senses 2007; 32:855-62. [PMID: 17728278 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjm055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The judgment of pleasantness/unpleasantness is the prominent reaction to the olfactory world. In human adults, the hedonic valence of odor perception is affected by various factors, among which is an individual's lexical knowledge about smells. The present study examined whether such top-down effects of lexical knowledge on hedonic judgment of olfactory input are similar in children (5-6 years) and adults (20-25 years). In both groups, the lexical knowledge was found to influence the perception of the least emotional (or most neutral) odors: the pleasantness of the smells of banana and mint was enhanced when participants were given the corresponding odor label before olfactory sensation. These results lend support to the notion that, during childhood, smells are not only encoded perceptually but that verbal encoding also steers contextual effects that may be prominent factors in the early memorization and categorization of odors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moustafa Bensafi
- Laboratoire Neurosciences Sensorielles, Comportement et Cognition, CNRS UMR 5020, Université Claude Bernard-Lyon 1, 50 Avenue Tony Garnier, 69366, Lyon, France.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|