Concentration Effect on Odor Addition or Synergism in Mixtures of Methyl Sulfide and Tomato Juice

Abstract

SUMMARY: The effect of various concentrations of tomato juice and methyl sulfide (Me2S) in triple distilled water on threshold values of the juice‐Me2S mixtures was studied on juices prepared from five varieties of canning tomatoes. When Me2S and tomato juice were diluted to less than 10 ppb and 1,000 ppm respectively, before mixing, no significant interaction between juice and Me2S was observed in the juice‐Me2S mixture. The odor intensities of the two components (as measured by threshold values in distilled water) were additive at subthreshold concentrations. As the concentrations of juice and Me2S were increased before mixing, an increasing degree of interaction or synergism was observed in the mixture. At concentrations of 105 ppm juice and 1 ppm Me2S odor intensity of the mixture was approximately double that which would be expected on an additive basis. However, this may not be a case of true synergism if the concentrations which give rise to the effect produce other products of lower threshold values.