Effect of Breathing and Saliva Flow on Flavor Release from Liquid Foods

Abstract

Using the penetration theory of interfacial mass transfer, mathematical models have been developed to describe flavor release from liquid foods in the mouth, which incorporates the effects of breathing and saliva dilution. It has been assumed that the rate-limiting step for flavor release is resistance to mass transfer across the liquid−gas interface. This model has been applied to two types of liquid foods: first, aqueous solutions containing aroma-binding macromolecules and, second, liquid oil-in-water emulsions. The initial rates of release were found to be independent of both the rate of saliva production and gas flow rates due to breathing. However, at slightly longer times the saliva flow rate greatly influenced the quantity of flavor available for perception in the headspace. Keywords: Interfacial mass transfer; penetration theory; saliva; partitioning; headspace