Interactions among Odorants, Phenolic Compounds, and Oral Components and Their Effects on Wine Aroma Volatility

Abstract

To determine the impact of oral physiology on the volatility of typical wine aroma compounds, mixtures of a synthetic wine with oral components (centrifuged human saliva (HS), artificial saliva with mucin (AS), and buccal epithelial cells (BC)) were prepared. Each wine type was independently spiked with four relevant wine odorants (guaiacol, β-phenyl ethanol, ethyl hexanoate, and β-ionone). Additionally, the impact of four types of phenolic compounds (gallic acid, catechin, grape seed extract, and a red wine extract) on aroma volatility in the HS, AS, and BC wines was also assessed. Static headspace was measured at equilibrium by solid phase microextraction–GC/MS analysis. Results showed a significant impact of oral components on the volatility of the four tested odorants. Independently of the type of aroma compound, aroma volatility was in general, higher in wines with BC. Moreover, while guaiacol and ethyl hexanoate volatility was significantly lower in wines with HS compared to wines with AS, β-ionone showed the opposite behavior, which might be related to metabolism and retention of mucin, respectively. Phenolic compounds also showed a different effect on aroma volatility depending on the type of compound and wine. Gallic acid had little effect on polar compounds but it enhanced the volatility of the most hydrophobic ones (ethyl hexanoate and β-ionone). In general, flavonoid type polyphenols significantly reduced the volatility of both polar (guaiacol and β-phenyl ethanol) and hydrophobic compounds (β-ionone in HS and BC wines), but through different mechanisms (e.g., π–π interactions and hydrophobic binding for polar and apolar odorants respectively). On the contrary, flavonoids enhanced the volatility of ethyl hexanoate, which might be due to the inhibition exerted on some salivary enzymes (e.g., carboxyl esterase) involved in the metabolism of this odorant molecule.

Understanding human salivary esterase activity and its variation under wine consumption conditions

“…Results from the present work are also in agreement with the lower hydrolysis and signicantly higher amounts of the odorant ethyl hexanoate in the headspace of synthetic wines with avonoids compared to the same wines without them, that have been recently reported. 73 However, saliva recovered aer the oral exposure to the compositionally most complex wine (WLS4) was signicantly higher than that measured for saliva aer rinsing with WLS3 and slightly higher than saliva recovered aer rinsing with WLS2. As previously commented for individual #2, the presence of odorants in the synthetic wine could have produced an effect on salivary secretions, minimising the inhibitory effect exerted by procyanidins, which are also present in this synthetic wine.…”

Flavor Chemistry of Virgin Olive Oil: An Overview

“…During olive oil tasting, factors such as salivation, mouth size, breathing and temperature are able to change the volatility of olive oil odorants and consequently VOO aroma. In addition, another mechanism that can happen is the potential interaction between the matrix components and the volatile compounds that could reduce the aroma release and change the odor perception of food [88,89].…”

Evaluation of the Effect of a Grape Seed Tannin Extract on Wine Ester Release and Perception Using In Vitro and In Vivo Instrumental and Sensory Approaches

“…Interestingly, the decrease rate seemed faster in CW than in PW, which could indicate that the GSE addition could have an effect on aroma persistence. This could be related to an inhibitory effect of polyphenols (present in the GSE) on salivary enzymes as it was recently suggested [17], which will deserve more research. Another interesting finding was related to the fact that the intra-oral release was significantly different among wines during the first monitoring time, with PW releasing less ethyl hexanoate to the oral headspace than CW (35% difference).…”

“…This would be of special relevance in the case of enzymes involved in the metabolization of aroma compounds [18]. In this regard, inhibition of esterases by grape seed tannin extracts was recently suggested [4,17]. Thus, the influence of tannin extracts on salivary enzymes deserves more research.…”

“…Thus, it was suggested that some polyphenols already adsorbed onto the mucosal pellicle might bind certain aroma molecules with aromatic rings, such as guaiacol [16], increasing their retention in the mouth. Apart from physicochemical interactions, polyphenols present in the tannin extracts could affect the activity of salivary enzymes [17]. This would be of special relevance in the case of enzymes involved in the metabolization of aroma compounds [18].…”