Abstract
In this study, we investigated the effect of the odour-active compounds present in herbs on the taste of vinegar dressings. Herb vinegar dressings were prepared with herbs containing odour-active compounds such as dill, rosemary and basil, and consumed along with other food ingredients including scallop adductor muscles and mozzarella cheese.
The results of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-olfactometry analyses revealed the major odour-active compounds to be dill ether (faintly harbal odour) and bornyl acetate (charcoal-like odour) in dill, eugenol (spicy odour) in rosemary, and eucalyptol (minty odour) in basil. It was observed that the odour-active compounds present in the herbs determined the flavour of the herb vinegar dressing. Results of the sensory evaluation test showed significant differences between the combinations of scallop adductor muscles with basil, dill, and rosemary vinegar dressings respectively (p<0.05). Additionally, significant differences were also observed between the combinations of mozzarella cheese with basil, dill, and rosemary vinegar dressings respectively (p<0.05), out of which the basil vinegar dressing was most highly rated. On the basis of our results, we propose that the odour-active compounds derived from basil, used in the preparation of the basil vinegar dressing, have an aromatic appeal and enhance the taste of the vinegar dressing.
