Effect of lipids on food palatability: holding effect for aroma compounds and enhancement effect of Koku attributes

Abstract

Lipids in foods play important roles in the improvement of their palatability as well as the supply of nutrition for energy. Lipids improve the food property which is decided by lots of factors such as taste, aroma, texture and so on involved in food palatability. In the case of taste, lipids enhance the intensity of sweetness and umami taste of foods, while they suppress their bitterness. Lipids also affect the food palatability related to aroma through the lipid oxidation in foods or the precursor of the aroma compounds such as linoleic acid and linolenic acid. In the case of texture, lipids in foods make them more tender and juicier. Recently, lipids were found to hold aroma compounds in foods and enhance the complexity, mouthfulness, and lingerngness in Koku attributes. Aroma compounds in foods are released from their lipids during chewing foods in oral cavity, and they enhance Koku attributes.