Determination of a lexicon for the sensory flavor attributes of smoked food products

Abstract

AbstractSmoking of food is one of the oldest methods of food preservation and still is used widely to help preserve foods such as ham, bacon, sausage, fish, and cheeses. Apart from its conservation function, the smoking process also has a considerable influence on the sensory characteristics of the products. A highly trained, skilled descriptive sensory panel identified, defined, and referenced 14 attributes related to the flavor of food products labeled as smoked or smoky. The panel evaluated sauces, meats, fish, cheeses, vegetables, and flavorings that are on the market in addition to samples that were smoked in‐house. Attributes attributed to the smoke flavor in each sample were written down and discussed. The list was narrowed to include only those attributes that were thought to be specifically related to the smoke flavor and not to the base notes of the product or other cooked/processed notes. The lexicon includes: Smoky (Overall), Ashy, Woody, Musty/Dusty, Musty/Earthy, Burnt, Acrid, Pungent, Petroleum‐Like, Creosote/Tar, Cedar, Bitter, Metallic, and Sour. Definitions of these attributes were written and references were found that anchor a 0–15 point scale. The references include market products, chemical solutions and commonly found non‐food products. This lexicon can be used to evaluate the smoke flavor on all types of food products.Practical applicationsThis research provides a list of sensory terms that can be used to describe the smoky flavor of products. The lexicon will help sensory analysts, product developers, researchers, and technologists better understand the flavor of products that have been naturally or artificially smoked to modify or improve the products.