Retronasal Odor of Dried Bonito Stock Induces Umami Taste and Improves the Palatability of Saltiness

Abstract

A traditional Japanese umami-rich stock, dried bonito stock, was reported to improve the palatability of a low-salt diet due to its characteristic aroma. Two pathways are available for the presentation of odors: the orthonasal and retronasal pathways. Aroma is perceived through the orthonasal pathway. In contrast, retronasal application of odors is thought to evoke different sensations from the orthonasal pathway, which is typically perceived as taste and modifies taste. Therefore, the effect of retronasal odor on salt-reduction might be different from that of aroma, that is, orthonasal odor. Thus, the effects of the retronasal odor of dried bonito stock on the enhancement and improvement of palatability upon salt reduction were examined using sensory evaluation. Moreover, the contributions to flavor expression and palatability of dried bonito stock were also investigated. Although the retronasal odor of dried bonito did not enhance saltiness, it improved the palatability of saltiness. In the presence of no tastants except 0.68% NaCl, a content 15% less than that of Japanese traditional soup, the retronasal odor of dried bonito generated umami, enhanced the suitability for dried bonito stock, and increased palatability. This indicates that the retronasal odor of dried bonito stock could improve the palatability of a salt-reduced diet. These findings can be applied to the development of new seasonings for improving the palatability of salt-reduced foods.

Contribution of the retronasal odor of soy sauce to salt reduction

“…The experiments were carried out in accordance with the standards for Research Ethics regarding Human Subjects at Doshisha Women's College of Liberal Arts, based on the Helsinki Declaration of 1964 (amended in 2013). The panel consisted of 75 members (women, 21 to 26 years old) who were selected from among the staff or students in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at Doshisha Women's College of Liberal Arts, based on the results of preliminary tests (Manabe et al, 2014), including a standard five-odorant T&T olfactometer identification test and a difference threshold test for saltiness (NaCl) perception. All panelists participated in the experiment voluntarily.…”

“…The five NaCl concentrations (w/v %) in the set of test samples were prepared at 7.5% intervals (I/I = 0.075, where I is the NaCl concentration [%] of test sample I and I is the difference between the NaCl concentrations of test sample I and test sample I + 1 or I -1 ), as shown in Table 1. The appropriate interval was decided by a pilot study using the apparatus in Figure 1 (Manabe et al, 2014). Each test sample with the retronasal odor of one of the soy sauce samples (uncooked SS, cooked SS, or cooked SS residue) or water vapor was paired with a reference sample of 0.80 w/v % NaCl aqueous solution with the retronasal odor of water vapor, and the pairs were randomly presented to the panelists.…”

“…The effect of soy sauce on the enhancement of saltiness was assessed by sensory evaluations using the apparatus shown in Figure 1. As described in a preceding study (Manabe, Ishizaki, Yamagishi, Yoshioka, & Oginome, 2014), the apparatus allowed the panelists to taste aqueous solutions of NaCl along with the retronasal olfactory stimulation produced by the odor of various soy sauce samples.…”

Taste of breath: the temporal order of taste and smell synchronized with breathing as a determinant for taste and olfactory integration

“…Many studies have examined the interaction between odor and taste. For instance, associations between a strawberry odor and sweetness 13 , 14 , caramel and sweetness 15 , waterchestnut and sweetness 16 , ethyl hexanoate (sweet smelling) and sweetness 17 , dried bonito stock and umami 18 , and soy sauce and saltiness 14 have been reported. In these studies, the odor stimuli were mixed in a drink containing gustatory stimuli.…”

Differences in Salt Bittern Components and Effects on Rice Porridge Taste

“…Reducing salt intake is recommended because excessive salt uptake causes disease. Research on low-salt food technology with excellent palatability is progressing actively to strengthen saltiness by adding aroma and flavors to foods and creating alternative structures of foods (2)(3)(4)(5)(6). From this perspective, we are investigating the possibility of reducing salt intake using interaction between salty taste and other taste ingredients (7,8).…”