Effects of Hydrocolloid Thickeners on the Perception of Savory Flavors

Abstract

The perceived intensities of savory flavors in hydrocolloid-thickened solutions were investigated using sensory paired comparison tests between two distinct thickener concentrations (high and low viscosities). The perceived saltiness of 3.5 g/L NaCl was found to be significantly reduced (P < 0.01) at the higher thickener concentration of both hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) and lambda-carrageenan, relative to the lower concentration. Mushroom flavor (8 ppm of 1-octen-3-ol with 3 g/L NaCl) was perceived as significantly more intense (P < 0.05) in 1.7 g/L lambda-carrageenan as compared with the same concentration of flavoring in 10.2 g/L lambda-carrageenan. Garlic flavor (2.5 ppm of diallyl disulfide with 2 g/L NaCl) was perceived to be significantly more intense in 2 g/L HPMC (P< 0.01) than in 10 g/L HPMC. However, when the NaCl concentration in the more viscous sample was increased to 3 g/L, the garlic flavor intensities of the two systems were not significantly different, suggesting a perceptual interaction (enhancement) between salt taste and garlic flavor. In vivo aroma release measurements from the same samples, using API-MS, showed that hydrocolloid concentration did not significantly alter the amount of mushroom or garlic aromas released when solutions were consumed. It was concluded that changes in perceived saltiness were driving the reduction in savory flavor perception even though the aroma stimulus was unchanged (a taste-aroma interaction). These findings parallel previous results in sweet hydrocolloid-thickened solutions.

Determination of Odor Release in Hydrocolloid Model Systems Containing Original or Carboxylated Cellulose at Different pH Values Using Static Headspace Gas Chromatographic (SHS-GC) Analysis

“…It has diverse applications as an anti-caking agent, stabilizer, dispersing agent, thickener, and gelling agent, but these are generally secondary to its most important use as a water-holding agent [17]. This macromolecule has three kinds of hydroxyl groups with different acidities/reactivities: Secondary OH at the C-2 position, secondary OH at the C-3 position, and primary OH at the C-6 position; these can form strong and various intermolecular and intramolecular hydrogen bonds [16].…”

Time to first fracture affects sweetness of gels

“…an increase in viscosity) resulted in a decrease of the perceived sweetness (Hollowood, Linforth, & Taylor, 2002). The same effect of polymer concentration on saltiness was observed for HPMC and lcarrageenan solutions (Cook, Linforth, & Taylor, 2003). By submitting samples to shear-treatment it was possible to produce custard desserts with varying viscosity at constant composition (Tournier et al, 2009).…”

Oral texture influences the neural processing of ortho- and retronasal odors in humans

“…The involvement of the primary taste cortex in the apparent processing of texture information is an interesting observation in the light of discussions on the loci of textureinduced taste suppression. The reduction of taste intensity by raising the viscosity of a solution, is a robust finding with ample basis in literature (Mackay and Valassi, 1956;Moskowitz and Arabie, 1970;Christensen, 1977;Weel et al, 2002;Cook et al, 2003a;Cook et al, 2003b;Visschers et al, 2006;Bult et al, 2007;Burseg et al, 2011;Roudnitzky et al, 2011). However, the debate on possible causes of this interaction is still very much alive.…”