Effectiveness of Several Palate Cleansers on Carry-Over Effect of Minty Chewing Gums

Abstract

During sensory evaluations of minty products, white chocolate is proposed as a palate cleanser between sample tastings. However, this is not an evidence-based practice, as no literature proves this. The aim of this study was therefore to identify the best palate cleanser to use in sensory evaluation of minty confectionery products. Three chewing gums with different cooling intensity were chewed for 3 min by a trained panel and evaluated for overall cooling, nose tingling, mouth burning, minty aroma, and sweetness. After the sample tasting, the following different palate cleansers were proposed: low-salt breadstick, whole milk, milk chocolate, white chocolate, and sunflower oil, compared with the resting time (control). The residual sensations were measured for the next 15 min. Breadstick and seed oil are the most effective palate cleansers on overall cooling carry-over. White chocolate seems to be effective on mint aroma, but this is likely to be due to its strong flavour, masking other perceptions. Moreover, both white and milk chocolates affect negatively the sweetness perception, by increasing it soon after the consumption, and even impacting on the next sample evaluation. None of the palate cleansers were able to fully re-establish the oral environment after 15 min. Therefore, further studies on combinations, or on repeated use of the same palate cleanser, are proposed. The use of an effective palate cleanser can reduce the time for product testing and increase data precision. Finding a proper palate cleanser for minty products is a strategy to optimise sensory evaluations in confectionery industry.