Study on the effect of different bitter masking inhibitors on the bitter masking of Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim

Abstract

Zanthoxylum Bungeanum Maxim. is widely used in the food seasoning industry because of its remarkable numbing taste and fragrance. But Z. bungeanum also tastes bitter, affecting its flavor quality. It is urgent to study the method of masking the bitter taste of Z. bungeanum. With Z. bungeanum oleoresin (ZBO) as the research object, the masking effect of different bitter masking agents on the bitter taste intensity of Z. bungeanum using sensory evaluation was investigated. Moreover, the masking rule of the bitter masking agents was studied in this paper. The results showed that acesulfame-k, aspartame, sucrose, NaCl, sodium glutamate, AMP, glycine, and sucralose had a good effect on the bitter masking of ZBO. Furthermore, acesulfame-k had the lowest addition and the satisfying masking effect. The results of this study could provide an experimental basis for the broad application of Z. bungeanum in the food industry, such as the development of new flavors.