Multivariate Statistical Analysis and Odor-Taste Network To Reveal Odor-Taste Associations

Comprehensive investigation of coffee acidity on eight different brewing methods through chemical analyses, sensory evaluation and statistical elaboration

Even if the acids composition and their role in coffee still need to be clarified, acidity is one of the main sought-after features in coffee and it is becoming one of the main quality markers. Hence, the aim of this paper was to evaluate the main parameters influencing coffee acidity with a focus on carboxylic acids. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study regarding filter coffee prepared from specialty and mainstream coffee, differently roasted and through eight diverse extraction methods. Coffee cup chemical composition in terms of organic and chlorogenic acids, caffein and physicochemical parameters were correlated with perceived sourness and mouthfeel to better understand the influence of extracted compounds on the final beverage acidity. Statistical tools revealed that a major impact of chlorogenic acids emerged in pH and titratable acidity, while the sensorial sourness appeared more correlated with organic acids concentration. Thus, these findings suggests that organic acids could be potential predictors of beverage perceived acidity.

Effects of polyols at low concentration on the release of sweet aroma compounds in model soda beverages

This study investigated the effect of polyols erythritol, d-mannitol, and maltitol on the volatility of aroma compounds γ-butyrolactone, 3-methyl-1-butanol, and 2-phenylethanol in aqueous solution. Headspace solid-phase microextraction/gas chromatography and diffusion-ordered nuclear magnetic resonance techniques were used to obtain information on aroma-food matrix interaction. Results demonstrated that adding polyols at final low concentrations of 5% or 10% (w/w) to an aqueous solution of 2-phenylethanol reduced the release of vapor-phase aromas, except in the case of 3-methyl-1-butanol, which was not affected by the presence of polyols in the liquid matrix. Polyols also reduced the diffusion coefficients of all three aroma compounds, probably due to friction between the molecules. At low polyol concentrations, aroma compound volatility and diffusion coefficient values were altered compared to those of aromas released from pure water. This observation is related to the physicochemical properties of the aroma compounds. These insights may help guide the use of the combination of aroma compounds and polyols in the formulation of sugar-free and reduced-sugar beverages.

Chemical compounds

γ-butyrolactone (PubChem CID: 7302), 3-methyl-1-butanol (PubChem CID: 31260), 2-phenylethanol (PubChem CID: 6054), erythritol (PubChem CID: 222285), d-mannitol (PubChem CID: 6251), maltitol (PubChem CID: 493591).

Recent Advances in the Health Benefits and Application of Tangerine Peel (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium): A Review

Citrus fruits, renowned for their abundant of phytochemicals and bioactive compounds, hold a prominent position as commercially grown fruits with health-promoting properties. In this context, tangerine peel (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, CRP) is garnering attention as a byproduct of citrus fruits. Within the framework of the circular economy, CRP has emerged as a focal point due to its potential health benefits. CRP, extracted from Citrus reticulata cv. and aged for over three years, has attracted increasing attention for its diverse health-promoting effects, including its anticancer, cardiovascular-protecting, gastrointestinal-modulating, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. Moreover, CRP positively impacts skeletal health and various physiological functions. This review delves into the therapeutic effects and molecular mechanisms of CRP. The substantial therapeutic potential of CRP highlights the need for further research into its applications in both food and medicine. As a value-added functional ingredient, CRP and its constituents are extensively utilized in the development of food and health supplements, such as teas, porridges, and traditional medicinal formulations.

Could the aroma of spices produce a cross-modal enhancement of food saltiness and contribute to reducing salt intake?

BACKGROUND

As a result of its correlation with cardiovascular diseases, salt intake must be reduced. According to multi-sensory integration, aroma plays an important role in saltiness enhancement; this could enable a food's salt content to be reduced without losing acceptance. We therefore studied the effect of three spices, Curcuma longa, Laurus nobilis L. and Petroselinum crispum L., on saltiness enhancement through sensory tests on consumers. This was followed by olfactometric analysis with the aim of relating the effect to the spices' aromatic composition.

RESULTS

According to the odour-induced salty taste enhancement (OISE) mean values, bay leaf and turmeric had the highest effect on saltiness enhancement, at a similar level to dry-cured ham aroma, wherwas parsley had a significantly lower OISE value. Only one odour-active compound (OAC), eugenol, showed a direct correlation with the spices' OISE values. Turmeric primarily had OACs with sweet aroma, whereas bay leaf had more OACs belonging to the spicy-aroma category.

CONCLUSION

The three spices, turmeric, bay leaf and parsley, investigated in the present study appear to enhance the salty taste of mashed potato with a low salt content. The results suggest that an interaction effect among OACs with different aromatic ranges may exist. Therefore, when the global OAC modified frequency value, grouped according to aroma range, was considered, the sweet range appears to counteract the effect of the spicy aroma on saltiness. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Sensory Nutrition and Bitterness and Astringency of Polyphenols

Recent studies have demonstrated that the interaction of dietary constituents with taste and olfactory receptors and nociceptors expressed in the oral cavity, nasal cavity and gastrointestinal tract regulate homeostasis through activation of the neuroendocrine system. Polyphenols, of which 8000 have been identified to date, represent the greatest diversity of secondary metabolites in plants, most of which are bitter and some of them astringent. Epidemiological studies have shown that polyphenol intake contributes to maintaining and improving cardiovascular, cognitive and sensory health. However, because polyphenols have very low bioavailability, the mechanisms of their beneficial effects are unknown. In this review, we focused on the taste of polyphenols from the perspective of sensory nutrition, summarized the results of previous studies on their relationship with bioregulation and discussed their future potential.

Exploration of optimal preparation strategy of Chenpi (pericarps of Citrus reticulata Blanco) flavouring essence with great application potential in sugar and salt-reduced foods

To obtain flavouring essence with application potential in sugar and salt-reduced foods, the optimal strategy for extraction and microencapsulation of essential oil (EO) from Chenpi was investigated. UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS and liquid-liquid-extraction-GC-MS confirmed the selectivity for volatiles ranked in hydrodistillation > supercritical fluid extraction > solvent extraction. The aroma characteristic of Chenpi EO was distinguished by 33 key volatiles (screened out via headspace-SPME-GC-MS) and quantitative descriptive analysis. EO extracted by supercritical fluid extraction was preferred for preserving the original aroma of Chenpi and displaying more fruity, honey and floral. Chenpi flavouring essence with superior encapsulation efficiency, particle size, water dispersibility, and thermostability was obtained through optimally microencapsulating EO with gum arabic and maltodextrin (1:1) by high-pressure homogenization coupled with spray drying. Chenpi flavouring essence was able to reduce the usage of sugar and salt by 20 % via enhancing flavour perception of sweetness and saltiness. This study first developed a flavouring essence promisingly effective in both sugar and salt-reduced foods.

Enhancement effect of odor and multi-sensory superposition on sweetness

The impact of sugary foods on public health has contributed to the development of low-sugar and sugar-substituted products, and sugar reduction has become a major challenge for the food industry. There is growing empirical evidence that odor can enhance the perception of sweetness without increasing the caloric load. This current review summarizes the researches on odor-induced sweetness enhancement published in recent years and discusses the mechanisms and influencing factors of odor-sweetness interactions. In addition, by combing existing studies, this paper also summarizes the research methods and strategies to investigate odor-induced sweetness enhancement. Finally, the feasibility of synergistic enhancement of sweetness through the superposition of odor with other senses (texture, visual, etc.) is also discussed and analyzed. In conclusion, odor-induced sweetness enhancement may present an alternative or complementary approach for developing foods with less sugar.

Study on the Suitability of Tea Cultivars for Processing Oolong Tea from the Perspective of Aroma Based on Olfactory Sensory, Electronic Nose, and GC-MS Data Correlation Analysis

The oolong tea aroma is shown to consist of cultivar aroma and technical aroma in this study based on the aroma differences between oolong tea products of cultivars of different suitability, as determined by correlation analysis of olfactory, sensory, electronic nose, and GC-MS data. Human senses were significantly affected by the aroma components, which included eight terpene metabolites (β-Ocimene, (Z)-Furan linalool oxide, linalool, (3E)-4,8-Dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene, (E)-Pyranoid linalool oxide, γ-Elemene, Humulene, (Z,E)-α-Farnesene), three carotenoid metabolites (β-Ionone, (Z)-Geranylacetone and 6-methyl-5-Hepten -2-one), three lipid metabolites ((Z)-3-Hexenyl (Z)-3-hexenoate, Butanoic acid hexyl ester, and (Z)-Jasmone), four amino acid metabolites (Methyl salicylate, Geranyl isovalerate, indole, and Phenylethyl alcohol), and six thermal reaction products (2-Pentylfuran, Octanal, Decanal, (E,E)-2,4-Nonadienal, (Z)-2-Decenal, and (E)-2-Undecenal). Meanwhile, several aroma compounds (such as (E)-Nerolidol and α-Farnesene), mainly comprising the “technical aroma” formed in the processing mode, were noted to be less closely related to cultivar suitability. This study sheds light on the aroma characteristics of different tea cultivars for oolong tea processing.

Insights into the flavor perception and enhancement of sodium-reduced fermented foods: A review

Salt (sodium chloride, NaCl) is a vital ingredient in fermented foods, which affects their safety, texture, and flavor characteristics. Recently, the demand for reduced-sodium fermented foods has increased, as consumers have become more health-conscious. However, reducing sodium content in fermented foods may negatively affect flavor perception, which is a critical quality attribute of fermented foods for both the food industry and consumers. This review summarizes the role of salt in the human body and foods and its role in the flavor perception of fermented foods. Current sodium reduction strategies used in the food industry mainly include the direct stealth reduction of NaCl, substituting NaCl with other chloride salts, and structure modification of NaCl. The odor-induced saltiness enhancement, application of starter cultures, flavor enhancers, and non-thermal processing technology are potential strategies for flavor compensation of sodium-reduced fermented foods. However, reducing sodium in fermented food is challenging due to its specific role in flavor perception (e.g., promoting saltiness and volatile compound release from food matrices, inhibiting bitterness, and changing microflora structure). Therefore, multiple challenges must be addressed in order to improve the flavor of low-sodium fermented foods. Future studies should thus focus on the combination of several strategies to compensate for the deficiencies in flavor resulting from sodium reduction.

The Enhancement of the Perception of Saltiness by Odorants Selected from Chinese Douchi in Salt Solution

Douchi is a traditional fermented soya bean product that is popular for its smelled saltiness and unique flavor. In order to look for the relationship between smelled saltiness of volatiles and their saltiness-enhancing properties, gas chromatography-olfactometry/associated taste was used to select odorants associated with saltiness in Yongchuan Douchi. The enhancement effects of saltiness intensity by selected odorants were further verified by sensory evaluation analyses of 2-alternative forced-choice and odor-induced saltiness enhancement in a follow-up study. A total of 14 odorant compounds were selected for their odor-associated saltiness perception. The compounds of 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethyl pyrazine, 2,5-dimethyl pyrazine, dimethyl trisulfide, 3-(methylthio) propanol and 3-(methylthio) propanal could significantly enhance saltiness perception in salt solution. Among them, 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethyl pyrazine was reported for the first time to be able to improve the salty taste. The study suggested that salty food is an ideal material for selecting saltiness-enhancing odorants, which could provide more direct theoretical support for salt reduction in the food industry.

A novel strategy for discriminating different cultivation and screening odor and taste flavor compounds in Xinhui tangerine peel using E-nose, E-tongue, and chemometrics

A rapid strategy for discriminating Quanzhi (QZ) and Bozhi (BZ) of different cultivation of Xinhui tangerine peel was established by combining electronic nose, electronic tongue and chemometrics, which can be used as tool in the market to identify food fraud. 30 volatiles and 34 low molecular weight compounds of characteristic fingerprints of Xinhui tangerine peel of 108 samples were identified using GC-MS and UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS. Key compounds of BZ and QZ were screened and further compared by chemometrics. We discriminated odor and taste of BZ and QZ using electronic nose and electronic tongue, respectively. Our studies showed that β-myrcene, limonene, β-trans-Ocimene, γ-terpinene and terpinolene, etc, were screened the chief volatile flavor compounds by Spearman's rank correlation. Hydroxymethyl furfural, hesperitin, nobiletin and tangeretin, etc, were screened the key taste flavor compounds based gray relational analysis and partial least squares regression. Our study provides further insight for quality evaluation of Xinhui tangerine peel.

Exploring the Mystery of the Sweetness of Baijiu by Sensory Evaluation, Compositional Analysis and Multivariate Data Analysis

Sweetness is an important Baijiu quality marker, but there is limited research on it. In this study, the main contributors to Baijiu sweetness were identified by “sensomics” combined with “flavoromics”. A total of 43 volatile compounds (mostly esters) were found that appeared to contribute to Baijiu sweetness, through sensory-guided fractionation and compositional analysis. Correlation analysis between the volatile composition and perceived sweetness of 18 Baijiu samples with different sweet intensities identified 14 potential contributors. Additional testing verified that combining the 14 compounds reproduced Baijiu sweetness exactly, and omission testing identified ethyl hexanoate, hexyl hexanoate and ethyl 3-methylbutanoate as the major contributors to Baijiu sweetness. These findings not only broadened our understanding of Baijiu sweetness, but also highlighted the major contribution of volatile compounds to sweetness perception, knowledge which may facilitate future flavor modification of a wide variety of foods and beverages.

Chromatographic Fingerprinting Strategy to Delineate Chemical Patterns Correlated to Coffee Odor and Taste Attributes

Coffee cupping includes both aroma and taste, and its evaluation considers several different attributes simultaneously to define flavor quality and therefore requires complementary data from aroma and taste. This study investigates the potential and limits of a data-driven approach to describe the sensory quality of coffee using complementary analytical techniques usually available in routine quality control laboratories. Coffee flavor chemical data from 155 samples were obtained by analyzing volatile (headspace-solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS)) and nonvolatile (liquid chromatography-ultraviolet/diode array detector (LC-UV/DAD)) fractions, as well as from sensory data. Chemometric tools were used to explore the data sets, select relevant features, predict sensory scores, and investigate the networks between features. A comparison of the Q model parameter and root-mean-squared error prediction (RMSEP) highlights the variable influence that the nonvolatile fraction has on prediction, showing that it has a higher impact on describing acid, bitter, and woody notes than on flowery and fruity. The data fusion emphasized the aroma contribution to driving sensory perceptions, although the correlative networks highlighted from the volatile and nonvolatile data deserve a thorough investigation to verify the potential of odor-taste integration.

Perceptual interactions among food odors: Major influences on odor intensity evidenced with a set of 222 binary mixtures of key odorants

This study explored the impact of perceptual interactions on the odor intensity of 222 binary mixtures designed from 72 odorants found in food products. Odor intensity was rated by 30 trained subjects. The results showed that in most cases, the components' odor was perceived within the mixture and their intensity remained the same as in the unmixed situation in 54.3% of cases. Masking was the second major effect (44.8%) and occurred more frequently when components' pleasantness was significantly different. Synergy occurred in a small number of cases (0.9%) and only for four compounds. The overall odor intensity of the mixture was determined to be equal to the strongest component in most cases (73.9%), while partial addition was observed as the second most frequent effect (21.7%), especially when the components had equal intensity. Overall, this work provides general rules about the outcome to expect when mixing key components of food aromas.

NIH Workshop Report: sensory nutrition and disease

In November 2019, the NIH held the "Sensory Nutrition and Disease" workshop to challenge multidisciplinary researchers working at the interface of sensory science, food science, psychology, neuroscience, nutrition, and health sciences to explore how chemosensation influences dietary choice and health. This report summarizes deliberations of the workshop, as well as follow-up discussion in the wake of the current pandemic. Three topics were addressed: A) the need to optimize human chemosensory testing and assessment, B) the plasticity of chemosensory systems, and C) the interplay of chemosensory signals, cognitive signals, dietary intake, and metabolism. Several ways to advance sensory nutrition research emerged from the workshop: 1) refining methods to measure chemosensation in large cohort studies and validating measures that reflect perception of complex chemosensations relevant to dietary choice; 2) characterizing interindividual differences in chemosensory function and how they affect ingestive behaviors, health, and disease risk; 3) defining circuit-level organization and function that link and interact with gustatory, olfactory, homeostatic, visceral, and cognitive systems; and 4) discovering new ligands for chemosensory receptors (e.g., those produced by the microbiome) and cataloging cell types expressing these receptors. Several of these priorities were made more urgent by the current pandemic because infection with sudden acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the ensuing coronavirus disease of 2019 has direct short- and perhaps long-term effects on flavor perception. There is increasing evidence of functional interactions between the chemosensory and nutritional sciences. Better characterization of this interface is expected to yield insights to promote health, mitigate disease risk, and guide nutrition policy.

Enhancing Effects of Herbs on the Salty Taste Perception of Saline

In many countries, excessive consumption of sodium chloride (salt) has become a serious social problem and reducing salt has been required. Herbs have been reported to enhance the saltiness of food; however, few studies have focused on the numerical evaluation of the degree of saltiness enhancement by herbs. The purpose of this study was to quantify the degree of saltiness enhancement by herbs via human sensory evaluation using a visual analog scale (VAS). The sensory evaluation was conducted on 69 students who were able to arrange the five different saline concentrations in order. The sensory salt concentration of herb-added 0.4 wt% saline solutions were perceived in comparison with the saltiness of 0.2 to 0.6 wt% reference saline solutions. The results were recorded by an arrow on a VAS. Hot-water extracts of the herbs basil, rosemary, parsley, anise, and oregano were used. The sensory salt concentration of a 0.175 wt% herb-added saline was equivalent to the actual salt concentration (0.4 wt%). However, the sensory salt concentrations of salines with 0.35 wt% herb extracts were significantly higher (p<0.001). There were no significant differences in the saltiness-enhancing effects depending on the species of, preference for, and familiarity with a particular herb. It was estimated that the addition of 0.35 wt% herb extracts enhanced the salty taste of the saline by 1.13 to 1.22 times.