Perceived taste of NaCl and acid mixtures in water and bread

Abstract

SummaryThe perceived intensity of saltiness, sourness, and overall taste of aqueous solutions containing NaCl, acetic, or lactic acid and rye bread samples was rated by 14 assessors. Pleasantness of the bread samples was also rated. Samples were prepared combining four levels of NaCl (0–1.6%), and four levels of acetic or lactic acid (0–0.9%) in water, and three levels of NaCl (0.5–1.7%) and three levels of acid (0.1–0.9%) in rye bread, yielding a total of 16 samples in all in both water series and a total of 9 samples in both bread series. Acetic‐lactic acid mixtures (two ratios) were used as the acid component in the bread samples.The perceived saltiness increased as the acid concentration was raised with low levels of NaCl in water and with all levels of NaCl in bread samples. Saltiness decreased with increasing acid concentration with high levels of NaCl in water. Sourness was depressed with increasing concentration of NaCl in water. The reduction of sourness by NaCl was more prominent in lactic than in acetic acid solutions. In contrast, sourness was not affected by NaCl in bread samples. The acid component was slightly dominant in terms of overall taste. This, there were noteworthy differences between the two media and the acids in the strength and in the type of inter‐relationships with NaCl. Direct transformation of results from one medium to another may be misleading. It may be possible to achieve marked reduction of NaCl in solid food such as rye bread without a decrease in perceived saltiness or pleasantness by increasing the level of acidity through the addition of acids or through natural fermentation.