Salt and Aroma Compound Distributions Influence Flavour Release and Temporal Perception While Eating Hot-Served Flans

Abstract

To counteract the negative effect of salt overconsumption on health, strategies have been developed to reduce the salt content in food products. Among them, two promising strategies based on odour-induced saltiness enhancement and the heterogeneous distribution of flavour compounds were combined and assessed in four-layer cream-based snacks. To investigate the relationship between saltiness enhancement, temporal release and perception of flavour compounds in hot snacks with heterogeneous distribution of salt and aroma compounds, complementary techniques were used: nose space PTR-Tof-MS (Proton Transfer Reaction-Time of Flight–Mass Spectrometry) to assess the release of aroma compounds in vivo, and ATI (Alternate Time-Intensity) and TDS Temporal Dominance of Sensations) to evaluate perception as a function of time. The obtained results confirmed that the strategy of concentrating salt in the outer layer of a multilayer product was the optimal solution with respect to taste intensity. Heterogeneous salt distribution decreased aroma compound release and consequently aroma intensity but in different ways according to both salt and added aroma distribution in the food matrix. The salty taste enhancement could be due to the initial strong dominance of the salty sensation at the very beginning of the eating process. The involved mechanisms rely on a combination of physico-chemical and perceptual effects which are not clear yet.

Flavoring of sea salt with Mediterranean aromatic plants affects salty taste perception

“…The World Health Organization recommended level of less than 5 g of salt intake per day in adults 11 . Thus, considering the substantial role that salt taste plays in food acceptance/choice, 5,6 the food industry is looking for ways to reduce or replace salt in processed foods 4‐6,12,13 . Along with the search for salt substitutes, 4,5,7,14 actual research focuses on approaches that rely on modification or manipulation of salt taste 5‐7,13 .…”

“…11 Thus, considering the substantial role that salt taste plays in food acceptance/choice, 5,6 the food industry is looking for ways to reduce or replace salt in processed foods. [4][5][6]12,13 Along with the search for salt substitutes, 4,5,7,14 actual research focuses on approaches that rely on modification or manipulation of salt taste. [5][6][7]13 Several studies were conducted to individuate flavor enhancers, 4,6,7,12,15 compounds that do not taste salty itself but increase the taste intensity of a low amount of salt.…”

“…[4][5][6]12,13 Along with the search for salt substitutes, 4,5,7,14 actual research focuses on approaches that rely on modification or manipulation of salt taste. [5][6][7]13 Several studies were conducted to individuate flavor enhancers, 4,6,7,12,15 compounds that do not taste salty itself but increase the taste intensity of a low amount of salt. 7 In addition, other chemosensory systems (smell and chemesthesis) that contribute to overall flavor perception and play a crucial role in food acceptance, are actually taken into consideration in developing strategies to successfully reduce salt in the food supply.…”

Influence of Heterogeneity of Salt Content in Food Structure on the Sensory Profile and Consumer Perception of Beef Burgers

“…There are a lot of approaches for salt reduction, including reduction by stealth, salt alternatives, flavour enhancers, changes in the salt crystal size and structure, and alternative processing techniques [4,6]. Among them, heterogeneous spatial distributions of salt and aroma-taste interactions are promising strategies for taste enhancement [7].…”

“…The majority of previous works investigating heterogeneous spatial distribution in food were carried out on starch-based matrices, i.e., bread [11][12][13][14][15] and cream-based foods [7,16,17], but limited studies have focused on protein-based foods, such as gels and sausages [12,18], beef frankfurters [19], and beef patties [20].…”