Sensory Testing of Australian Fragrant, Imported Fragrant, and Non-fragrant Rice Aroma

Abstract

A large consumer panel of mixed age, genders, and cultural background participated in a series of triangle tests involving the aroma of rice samples obtained from retail outlets. The group could, as a whole, distinguish between Australian fragrant (AF) and non-fragrant (NF) rice and between AF and imported fragrant (IF) rices based on aroma. The ability to discriminate between the samples varied with age, gender, and cultural background. In addition descriptions of the aromas by participants implied that the aroma of AF rice was preferable to that of both the IF and Australian NF rice. The NF rice contained approximately twice the amounts of 2-hexenal[E], nonanal, 2-pentylfuran, and 2-octenal[E], and significantly more 2-nonenal[E] and hexanal, compared to the fragrant rices. 2-Acetyl-1-pyrroline (2AP) was present in both fragrant rices but not in the NF sample. The AF rice contained twice the amount of 2-heptenal[E] and three times the amount of 2-decenal[E] and 2,4-decadienal[E,E] compared to the IF rice. The concentrations of significant aroma volatiles were linked to aroma descriptions of the rices.