Development of a New Approach to Estimate the In-mouth Release Characteristics of Odorants in Drinks

Abstract

To easily evaluate the in-mouth release characteristics of beverage odorants from the viewpoint of release rate, the quantitative value ratio (dividing the quantitative value for 10 breaths by that for the first breath) was calculated using the Retronasal Flavor Impression Screening System (R-FISS) for odorants contained in retronasal aroma after drinking. It was expected that this ratio would be large for odorants released slowly and small for odorants released rapidly. The quantitative value ratio for odorants contained in the retronasal aroma when drinking a coffee beverage calculated by the R-FISS had a unique value for each odorant. Odorants with a small quantitative value ratio (sulfur-containing compounds with a roasty note) may be released in a short time, while odorants with a large quantitative value ratio (pyrazines with a nutty note, phenols with a smoky note) may be continuously released over a long period of time. Therefore, as a result of examining the relationship between the quantitative value ratio in the R-FISS and the time change of the retronasal aroma by real-time measurement, it was found that the concentration of odorants with a small quantitative value ratio decreased quickly after drinking and odorants with a large quantitative value tended to maintain a constant concentration for a long time after drinking. Furthermore, a sensory evaluation by the Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS) method indicated that the retronasal aroma felt after drinking changed from a roasty note to a nutty, smoky note over time. These findings indicate that the quantitative ratio in the R-FISS can be applied to estimate the in-mouth release characteristics (release rate) for each odorant in beverages.