Influence of Prebiotic Fructans on Retronasal Aroma from Elderly Individuals.

Carolina Muñoz-González,Christophe Martin,Francis Canon,Gilles Feron,Marine Brule

doi:10.3390/molecules26102906

Abstract

This study investigates for the first time the role of fructans with prebiotic effects (oligofructose and inulin) on retronasal aroma among elderly individuals. The impact of oligofructose (20% w/w) on retronasal aroma release was investigated using proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) after 73 elderly individuals consumed aqueous solutions aromatized with five aroma compounds (pentan-2-one, nonan-2-one, hexan-2,3-dione, octanal and linalool). The influence of oligofructose and inulin (10% w/w) on the perceived intensity (n = 26) of two aroma descriptors (butter and floral) was also studied together with the possibility of a dumping effect on aroma evaluation due to the sweetness provided by the fructans. The results showed that the presence of oligofructose produced a significant reduction in retronasal aroma release, which could be generally explained by the physicochemical properties of aroma compounds. The presence of prebiotic fructans did not significantly affect the perceived intensity of butter and floral notes, although a dumping effect for the butter descriptor in the presence of oligofructose was observed. To conclude, these findings suggest that although fructans can exert an impact on retronasal aroma, they can be used at precise concentrations to increase the prebiotic fibre content of food products without affecting the aroma profile of foods.

Highlights

Individuals sometimes suffer from gastrointestinal problems, such as constipation, diverticulosis, upper gastrointestinal bleeding and colon cancers [1], that can negatively affect their quality of life
For three of the four compounds assayed, the authors observed that the addition of oligofructose and the other carbohydrates tested decreased aroma release from aqueous solutions relative to pure water, which is in agreement with our findings
This study aimed to evaluate for the first time the effects of fructans with prebiotic effects on retronasal aroma in a panel of elderly individuals

Summary

Introduction

Individuals sometimes suffer from gastrointestinal problems, such as constipation, diverticulosis, upper gastrointestinal bleeding and colon cancers [1], that can negatively affect their quality of life. These pathologies might be promoted by nutritional changes [2], such as a reduced consumption of fibre [3] or non-starch carbohydrates, that result from changes in food habits and food preferences produced by disabilities related to oral processing of food or cognitive conditions. Cognitive impairment in elderly individuals is associated with poor oral health [9] and reduced sensory perception [10], which can affect food preferences and habits [8]

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