Sweetener/Sweetness-Induced Changes in Flavor Perception and Flavor Release of Fruity and Green Character in Beverages

Abstract

Green leaf volatile (GLV) mixtures, commercial orange flavors, and commercial strawberry flavors were applied to beverage bases in which concentrations of citric acid as well as a sweetener (sucrose or aspartame/acesulfame-K) were varied. Sensory profiling showed that flavor-specific fruity character increased as perceptible sweetness increased, independent of whether the sweetness resulted from sucrose (a change from 9 to 12 Brix) or aspartame/acesulfame-K (a change from 0.2 to 0.4 Brix). Sweetness was affected only by the tastants in the base and not by the flavors, although flavor-specific interactions between sweetener type and sweetener level occurred. Flavor release from the sucrose bases was compared to flavor release from bases containing aspartame/acesulfame-K by static headspace measurements and by MS-Nose measurements using an artificial throat. These measurements showed greater flavor volatility from bases having low Brix (fewer soluble solids). This negative Brix effect was also evident in the sensory data for perception of some GLV green notes. The headspace data could not support a positive Brix effect, the typical salting out, which would correspond to the observed perceptual enhancement of fruity notes.

Chemical input – Sensory output: Diverse modes of physiology–flavour interaction

“…This has been shown, for example, when investigating flavour perception from chewing gum consumption whereby perception of the 'minty' attribute was clearly not related to the release patterns of the menthone 'mint stimulus' over a certain time interval, but followed the patterns of the sweet sucrose stimulus (Davidson, Linforth, Hollowood, & Taylor, 1999). Further recent studies confirm these findings (King et al, 2006;Linforth, Blissett, & Taylor, 2005;Potineni & Peterson, 2008). Similar results were obtained when the fruity odorant ethyl butanoate was presented either in a 'tasteless', sweetened, or salty gel matrix (Buettner & Mestres, 2007).…”

“…Using this setup, various effects on flavour release, e.g. exchanging sucrose with sweeteners, have been studied and compared to human sensory perception (King et al, 2006). Nevertheless until now, to our knowledge, there is no system at hand that implements all different physiological compartments involved in retronasal aroma perception, i.e.…”

Effect of protein‐flavour binding on flavour delivery and protein functional properties: A special emphasis on plant‐based proteins

“…Carbohydrate matrices possess a diverse capacity to interact with volatile flavour compounds due to their different levels of hierarchy varying from simple sugars to very complex polysaccharides . Small sugar molecules or sweeteners affect flavour partitioning indirectly via binding with water molecules, leading flavours to be concentrated in the remaining available water which favours their release . Cyclic oligosaccharides especially cyclodextrin and polysaccharides such as starch, gum and pectin substances are known for their ability to form inclusion complexes with aromatic compounds; therefore, they are recognized as good candidates for flavour carriers and materials for flavour encapsulation …”

Influence of carbonation on aroma release from liquid systems using an artificial throat and a proton transfer reaction–mass spectrometric technique (PTR–MS)

“…The use of this device, together with sensitive MS techniques for fast real-time analysis, such as Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization (APCI)-MS, have been shown to be potent tools to simulate in vivo aroma release from liquids and semi-solid foods. [5,18] The aim of this work was to investigate whether carbonation affects aroma release from liquid model systems. Aroma compounds differing in physicochemical properties were used as single aroma compounds or as a mixture.…”