Gustatory Properties Research Articles

Does Maternal Diet Influence Future Infant Taste and Odor Preferences? A Critical Analysis.

The dietary choices a mother makes during pregnancy offer her developing fetus its earliest exposure to the family's culinary preferences. This comprehensive literature review synthesizes five decades of research, which has provided valuable insights into fetal flavor learning. Converging evidence across various species supports the functionality of fetal chemoreceptive systems by the end of gestation, enabling the detection of an extensive array of chemosensory cues derived from the maternal diet and transmitted to the amniotic fluid. The fetus effectively encodes these flavors, resulting in their enhanced acceptance after birth. While existing studies predominantly concentrate on fetal learning about odor volatiles, limited evidence suggests a capacity for learning about gustatory (i.e., taste) properties. Examining whether these prenatal odor, taste, and flavor experiences translate into enduring shifts in dietary behaviors beyond weaning remains a crucial avenue for further investigation.

From farm to fork: future supply chains need to measure and trade nutrient content.

In the future, 8-10 billion people will need to be fed by our agriculture and food production system. Moreover, currently up to five billion people are already affected by malnutrition including undernutrition, inadequate consumption of micronutrients, and overweight. A healthy and sustainable diet will therefore play a pivotal role in our future, but most food products are traded and consumed based only on techno-functional or gustatory properties. We wish to stimulate a debate on the urgent need for multidisciplinary research and education to realize future diets with enhanced nutritional profiles. In particular, there is a need to better measure and understand the factors that influence the nutrients of food products along the global supply chains.

Synergistic effect of ultrahigh pressure and allicin on gel properties, flavor characteristics, and myosin structure of the obturator muscle of the scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis).

The synergistic effects of the combination of ultrahigh pressure (UHP) with allicin on the gel properties, flavor characteristics, and myosin structure of scallops were investigated. The results indicated that chewiness reached maximum, uniform, and dense microstructures at B-300MPa, and scallops with favorable gel properties. In addition, the electronic nose and tongue could clearly distinguish the olfactory and gustatory properties of scallops, and the interaction of UHP and allicin increased the variety of volatile compounds in scallops, which mainly included 1-hydroxy-2-propanone, 1-hexenal, 2-butanone-D, and 1-octen-3-ol. The main performance was fruit aroma and a plantlike aroma and mushroomlike odor. UHP and allicin changed the microenvironment of tryptophan residues, and allicin formed larger aggregates by forming disulfides with myosin. The sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis results could show that myosin had low degradation in B-300MPa. Thus, comprehensively viewed, UHP and allicin play a role in gel formation of myosin from obturator muscle at 300MPa, whereas allicin and myosin form disulfides as the main factor of myosin gelation. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: To enhance the diversity of scallop preparation methods and improve the quality of the obtained product, UHP and allicin treatment result in scallops with satisfactory chewiness and flavor, which provides application prospects for scallop processing.

A Study on the Influence of the Use of Sulphur Dioxide, the Distillation System and the Aging Conditions on the Final Sensory Characteristics of Brandy.

Brandy is a unique alcoholic beverage obtained from wine distillates. Numerous studies have been published on its physicochemical traits and the effect of certain elaboration variables on them, but not many studies have been carried out from a sensory point of view or that have followed standardized methods applicable to this discipline. This study intends to determine the effect that certain production variables have on the sensory characteristics of brandy. These variables are the following: The use of sulphur dioxide during the fermentation of the base wine, the subsequent distillation system, the alcohol content during aging, the botanical origin of the aging casks, and their toasting degree. For this purpose, the guidelines provided by the ISO standards for sensory analysis have been followed, and chromatic parameters have also been determined. Heavy extractions from Quercus petraea casks resulted in brandies with widely varying colors, although these were hard to distinguish using the olfactory and gustatory properties associated with the factors under study. Conversely, those brandies aged in Quercus alba casks presented very consistent greenish shades that are not traditionally associated with aged brandy. This lower extraction could explain why the aromatic traits that are found in the fresh spirit are better preserved when this type of oak is used. The spirit obtained through the distillation of SO2-free wines aged in Quercus robur presented average sensory characteristics: Good color, smooth in the mouth, and medium-intensity oak notes. The distillates that were aged at 55% ABV were later perceived as more aromatically intense with a greater oak note on the palate. On the other hand, the brandies obtained from wines without SO2 added were perceived as less alcoholic, sweeter, and more balanced, with a softer oak note.

Imaging chocolate at the nanoscale using field emission techniques

It is well-known that the structure of complex food systems, such as chocolate, drastically influences both functionality and gustatory properties. In this study, we used the nanoscale capabilities of field emission techniques to image dark chocolate specimens with atomic scale resolution, but also investigated the possibility of inducing field evaporation, field desorption and in situ readsorption. These preliminary experiments proof that chocolate presents a crystallinity down to the nanoscale and, most importantly, highlight the possibility to study complex organic molecules and their properties down to the nanoscale.

Coffee terroir: cupping description profiles and their impact upon prices in Central American coffees

We examine the gustatory properties and flavors of 742 coffees from the Cup of Excellence program in Central America to determine if there are distinct quality profiles for each of five coffee-growing countries, which can provide evidence of coffee terroir. We further compare these properties with the price of a coffee at auction to answer the following research questions: (1) Does the presence or absence of specific properties impact a coffee’s price at auction? (2) Can flavor profiles be used to identify a coffee’s country of origin? (3) Are the effects of descriptors upon price mitigated by country, or do they vary by country? Employing statistical and machine learning techniques, we find evidence of terroir in coffee production, and that the country-scale flavor profiles resulting from this can have a substantial impact on the coffee’s auction price. This information can potentially assist coffee growers in aligning their product’s qualities with the qualities their buyers are seeking. It can also enable the development of formal appellations to confirm each country’s unique coffee profile.

Characteristic features of the unique house sake yeast strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae Km67 used for industrial sake brewing

For several decades, almost all sake has been brewed with sake yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae Kyokai no. 7 (K7) group strains. Although the widespread use of these strains has contributed to sake quality improvement, it may have lessened the diversity of sake gustatory properties brought about by house sake yeast (indigenous yeast of sake brewery). Sake yeast S.cerevisiae strain Km67 derives from the house yeast strain of Kiku-masamune Sake Brewing Co., Ltd., and it has been playing a central role in industrial sake brewing for decades. By using DNA sequencing, we revealed that strain Km67 does not possess specific loss-of-function mutations of stress response-related genes, which are characteristic of K7 group strains. Km67 had higher stress tolerance than K7 group strains likely because of the more efficient function of the stress response and heat shock elements in this strain. Sensory evaluation and taste sensor analysis demonstrated that sake brewed with Km67 had characteristically thicker body than sake brewed with K7 group strains. Chemical analysis suggested that unique sensory properties of the sake brewed with Km67 were due to high citramalic acid concentration. Taken together, these results revealed that strain Km67 differs from K7 group strains by genetic background and confers unique chemical composition and taste qualities upon sake it generates. It is expected that sake quality and gustatory properties will be diversified by utilizing house yeast such as strain Km67.

Kinetics of complex formation of Fe(III) with syringic acid: Experimental and theoretical study

Kinetic study on the complexation of syringic acid with Fe(III) was described in aqueous solution at pH 9.0 together with a reappraisal of spectral evidence for chelate formation. The complexation reaction was found to be a first-order with rate constants for k1 (formation) 3.67 × 10−2 min−1. Additionally, the effect of concentration and temperature on the complexation reaction was investigated. The gustatory properties of the isolated complex were investigated and complex showed no metallic taste. The isolated complex was stable at pH 9.0. The apparent activation energy of the complexation reaction was evaluated to be 168 kcal/mol.The total iron content was determined in the isolated complex by AAS technique and was found 0.0073/100 ml. The specific rotation of the complex was found at −85°.

Influence of viticultural practices on the sensory characteristics of wine grape varieties

Sensory descriptors, which characterize quality of grape varieties Zagrey and Aromatnyiy of selection of the NCS “IVW named after V. Ye. Tairov” (Ukraine), were determined in accordance with the procedure, developed by Institut Cooperatif du Vin (Montpelier, France). For evaluating visual, tactile and gustatory properties of pulp, skin and seeds, the scientific protocol, which consists of 20 parameters, was used. A one-way analysis of variance and data analysis by the method of principal components made it possible to establish the interrelation between the viticultural practices of growing a grapevine (planting scheme, trunk height) and sensory descriptors of the berries of the studied varieties. Growing grape variety Aromatic according to planting scheme, corresponding to 2222 plants per ha, contributed to enhancement of fruit aromas of skin. Training of vines of this variety on the trunk of 160 cm in height intensified perception of sweetness and pulp aroma. The low-dense planting of grape variety Zagrey (3333, 2222 plants per 1 ha) were distinguished by the harvest with high elasticity of berries, high ability to fall and weak adhesion of tissues of berries. At planting vines by the scheme 3´1, the most intensive aromas of pulp were noted at growing on the trunk of 40 cm in height. At planting vines by the scheme 3´1.5 m, growing on the trunk of 80 cm in height was optimum by indicators of adhesion of pulp and skin, pulp sweetness and intensity of tannin substances of seeds. Examination of the influence of the complex of viticultural factors on the sensory profile of berries was performed by the methods of two-way analysis of variance based on the example of grape variety Zagrey. The value of calculation indicator η 2 made it possible to establish that the factor of trunk height has the most pronounced influence, determining final grades of ability of berries to fall, ability of skin to rupture, color of skin, sweetness, aroma and intensity of pulp aroma, color and intensity of tannin substances of seeds.

MATERIALS AND METHODS OF THE STUDY OF INFLUENCE OF AGROTECHNICAL METHODS ON SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF TECHNICAL SORTS OF GRAPE

The topicality of using the sensory analysis of berries in enological practice at planning of agrotechnical complex at vineyard to receive the certain style and quality of production was grounded. For study of the influence of agrotechnical methods on sensory characteristics of technical sorts of grape Zagrey and Fragrant, selected by NSC “IVaW named after V.E. Tairov” (Ukraine), there was elaborated the algorithm of research, including field experiment and laboratory sensory analysis. The method of organoleptic analysis of berries, consisted of 20 parameters for assessment of visual, tactile and gustatory properties of pulp, peel and seeds, was approbated. Mathematical processing of experimental data was carried out by the methods of one- and two-factor analysis of variance and analysis of main components in the environment of package of applied programs MS Excell 2010, Statistica Statsoft ver. 7. 0 (Tulsa, USA). The sensory descriptors, characterizing the quality of studied sorts of grape, were determined. It was established, that agrotechnical methods of planting grape bushes influenced the sensory characteristics of berries of studied sorts.

THE STUDY OF BEER QUALITY WITH THE REDUCED TOXIC EFFECT

There was grounded the expedience of using unconventional vegetable raw material, namely Pinus sylvestris needle that partially replaced hop for beer enrichment. The optimal parameters of extraction of Pinus sylvestris needle relative to anti-oxidant activity of extract: hydromodulus 1:20, temperature 60 ºС, extraction 30 min. The needle extract has pure smell, harmonic refreshing taste with needle note. The content of ascorbic acid in extraction is 0,275 mg / 100 g, antioxidant activity – 202,3 C/100 g. The quantitative ratio of hop and pine needle in beer receipt was determined by the way of mathematical modeling. Quantitative content of Pinus sylvestris needle is no more than 20 % by mass from the rated norm of hop that is enough for preserving hop bitterness and smell. The receipt of beer, including Pinus sylvestris needle, was elaborated. The quality parameters of ready drink were studied. The addition of needle increases the beer gustatory properties, decreases methanol content. The content of ascorbic acid in ready drink is 3,52 mg/100 g. Antioxidant activity of elaborated beer is 178,1 C/100 g that determines its high biological value. The influence of beer with needle extract on antioxidant system of organism of biological objects was assessed. Under conditions of acute pathological condition the beer with needle extract decreases oxidative influence of drink on brain of biological objects. The beer “Smaragd” decreases toxic effect on organism of living creature due to its antioxidant properties. The introduction of needle extract that includes vegetable antioxidants in beer is the one of the ways to increase antioxidant capacity of ready drink. It opens the prospect of studies, directed on elaboration of arrangements of stabilization of different sorts of beer. The studies may be introduced in production that has positive effect on ready product quality.

Influence of Laccase and Tyrosinase on the Antioxidant Capacity of Selected Phenolic Compounds on Human Cell Lines.

Polyphenolic compounds affect the color, odor and taste of numerous food products of plant origin. In addition to the visual and gustatory properties, they serve as radical scavengers and have antioxidant effects. Polyphenols, especially resveratrol in red wine, have gained increasing scientific and public interest due to their presumptive beneficial impact on human health. Enzymatic oxidation of phenolic compounds takes place under the influence of polyphenol oxidases (PPO), including tyrosinase and laccase. Several studies have demonstrated the radical scavenger effect of plants, food products and individual polyphenols in vitro, but, apart from resveratrol, such impact has not been proved in physiological test systems. Furthermore, only a few data exist on the antioxidant capacities of the enzymatic oxidation products of phenolic compounds generated by PPO. We report here first results about the antioxidant effects of phenolic substances, before and after oxidation by fungal model tyrosinase and laccase. In general, the common chemical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay and the biological tests using two different types of cell cultures (monocytes and endothelial cells) delivered similar results. The phenols tested showed significant differences with respect to their antioxidant activity in all test systems. Their antioxidant capacities after enzymatic conversion decreased or increased depending on the individual PPO used.

Neuroendocrine Responses to Hedonic Eating in Obese Patients with and Without Binge Eating

Introduction Hedonic eating refers to the consumption of food uniquely because of its gustatory rewarding properties and not for homeostatic needs; so the subject eats also when not in a state of energy depletion. Hedonic eating may stimulate powerfully food intake; hence, understanding its physiological modulation could improve our knowledge of the pathophysiology of obesity. Furthermore, obese people often present binge-eating behaviours, and binge-eating is experienced as rewarding. Endocannabinoids, including anandamide (AEA) and 2- arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), and endocannabinoid-related compounds, oleoylethanolamide (OEA) and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), are involved in the modulation of food-related reward. Objectives and Aims Therefore, in the present study we aimed to investigate the responses of endocannabinoids and endocannabinoid-related compounds to hedonic eating in obese patients with and without binge eating disorder (BED). Methods Peripheral levels of AEA, 2-AG, OEA and PEA were measured in 7 obese patients with BED and 7 obese patients without BED after eating hedonic and non-hedonic food, and compared to those of normal weight healthy controls. Results Peripheral levels of endocannabinoids and endocannabinoid-related compounds exhibited different response patterns to hedonic eating among the groups. Conclusions These data confirm the role of endocannabinoids and endocannabinoid-related compounds in food-related reward and suggest a dysregulation of their physiology in obesity and in the BED. These findings may have potential relevance to the prevention and treatment of obesity and BED.

Superadditive opercular activation to food flavor is mediated by enhanced temporal and limbic coupling.

Food perception is characterized by a transition from initially separate sensations of the olfactory and gustatory properties of the object toward their combined sensory experience during consumption. The holistic flavor experience, which occurs as the smell and taste merge, extends beyond the mere addition of the two chemosensory modalities, being usually perceived as more object-like, intense and rewarding. To explore the cortical mechanisms which give rise to olfactory-gustatory binding during natural food consumption, brain activation during consumption of a pleasant familiar beverage was contrasted with presentation of its taste and orthonasal smell alone. Convergent activation to all presentation modes was observed in executive and chemosensory association areas. Flavor, but not orthonasal smell or taste alone, stimulated the frontal operculum, supporting previous accounts of its central role in the formation of the flavor percept. A functional dissociation was observed in the insula: the anterior portion was characterized by sensory convergence, while mid-dorsal sections activated exclusively to the combined flavor stimulus. psycho-physiological interaction analyses demonstrated increased neural coupling between the frontal operculum and the anterior insula during flavor presentation. Connectivity was also increased with the lateral entorhinal cortex, a relay to memory networks and central node for contextual modulation of olfactory processing. These findings suggest a central role of the insular cortex in the transition from mere detection of chemosensory convergence to a superadditive flavor representation. The increased connections between the frontal operculum and medial temporal memory structures during combined olfactory-gustatory stimulation point to a potential mechanism underlying the acquisition and modification of flavor preferences.

Development of an analytical methodology using Fourier transform mass spectrometry to discover new structural analogs of wine natural sweeteners

Volatile and non-volatile molecules are directly responsible for the thrill and excitement provided by wine-tasting. Their elucidation requires powerful analytical techniques and innovative methodologies. In a recent work, two novel sweet compounds called quercotriterpenosides (QTT) were identified in oak wood used for wine-ageing. The aim of the present study is to discover structural analogs of such natural sweeteners in oak wood. For this purpose, an analytical approach was developed as an alternative to chemical synthesis. Orbitrap mass spectrometry proved to be a crucial technique both to demonstrate the presence of QTT analogs in oak wood by targeted screening and to guide the purification pathway of these molecules using complementary chromatographic tools. Four compounds were isolated and identified for the first time: two isomers, one glucosyl derivative and one galloyl derivative of QTT. Their tasting showed that only the two new isomers were sweet, thus demonstrating both the pertinence of the strategy and the influence of functional groups on gustatory properties. Finally, this paper presents some developments involving multistage Fourier transform mass spectrometry (FTMS) to provide solid structural information on these functional groups prior to any purification of compounds. Such analytical developments could be particularly useful for research on taste-active or bio-active products.

Contribution of oak lignans to wine taste: chemical identification, sensory characterization and quantification

The modification of wine taste during oak ageing is due to the release of non-volatile compounds from wood. Among these molecules, some lignans have been previously described as exhibiting bitterness. However, the lack of knowledge concerning this class of compounds in oak wood led us to explore both their structural diversity and their sensory properties. Nine lignans were isolated from extracts of Quercus petraea oak heartwood. Among them, one new compound called quercoresinol was identified and four other molecules were described for the first time in Quercus genus. The presence of these lignans in oaked wine was then established and their gustatory properties were evaluated. Lyoniresinol was the bitterest compound with a detection threshold of 1.5 mg/L. An LC–HRMS quantitative method was performed to study the influence of oenological practices on lyoniresinol concentration in wine.

EPA-0534 - Endocannabinoid and gastroenteric hormone responses to hedonic eating in humans: implications for eating disorders

Introduction Hedonic eating is characterized by the consumption of food uniquely for its gustatory rewarding properties and not for the occurrence of short-term energy depletion. Eating a piece of cake after a satiating meal is a typical example of hedonic eating. It is intuitive that hedonic eating may stimulate powerfully food intake; hence, understanding its physiological modulation could help to contrast obesity and other eating disorders. Aims To explore the role of endogenous appetite and/or reward modulators in hedonic eating. Methods We measured plasma levels of ghrelin, endocannabinoids, colecystokinin-33 (CCK) and peptide YY3-36 (PYY3-36), in 8 satiated healthy subjects after ad libitum consumption of high palatable food as compared to the consumption of isoenergetic non-palatable food. Results Hedonic eating was characterized by increased levels of ghrelin and the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) but a decreased secretion of the satiety hormone CCK. Levels of other endocannabinoids and PYY3-36 did not significantly differ between hedonic and non-hedonic eating. Conclusions Present findings suggest that, when motivation to eat is generated by the availability of high palatable food and not by food deprivation, the increased levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin and the reduced secretion of the satiety hormone CCK could promote eating in spite of no energy need. Otherwise, the increased secretion of ghrelin and 2-AG could promote the ingestion of high palatable food via the activation of the endogenous rewarding system.

Ion-exchange complex of famotidine: sustained release and taste masking approach of stable liquid dosage form.

A stable controlled release resinate-complex for the highly bitter taste famotidine (FAM) was developed to allow once-daily administration and improve patient compliance especially in pediatric and geriatric medicine. The drug-resinate complexes were prepared in different drug to resin (Amberlite IRP-69) ratios by weight (1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, 1:5 and 1:6). The optimized drug-resinate complex resulted from 1:6 drug to resin ratio experienced maximum drug loading and sustained release property. Hence, it was subjected to physicochemical characterizations by differential scanning colorimetry (DSC), x-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The optimized complex was further dispensed in the prepared syrup and the suspension was subjected to accelerated stability study, as mentioned in the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines. Furthermore, the gustatory properties of the complex were evaluated on humans. The syrup complied successfully with ICH guidelines and sufficiently alleviated the bitterness of famotidine.

Experiencing Dalmatia: What Constitutes the Sensory Landscape Identity of the Dalmatia Region?

The article addresses the concept of landscape identity considered from a new perspective – a perspective of five fundamental human senses: sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste. Landscape identity is mostly understood as a phenomenon based on its distinguishable visual characteristics. However, human environment is a multisensory medium, rich in information from all fields of perception. Equally, a man is a multisensory being and experiences his environment with multiple senses. The underlying assumption is that human identification with places does not only arise from the interaction with their visual, but also with their auditory, olfactory, tactile, and even gustatory properties. As a research area, the Dalmatia region in Croatia has been chosen. By the content analysis method, applied on samples of lyric poems and promotional (mostly tourist) materials, the aim was to examine what features, visual and non-visual, the social conception of Dalmatian landscape is based on. The results show that landscape identity of Dalmatia, in terms of sensory perception, is rather diverse. Understanding landscape identity as a sensory multidimensional phenomenon opens many new questions and possibilities in the field of landscape theory and practice.

TCH-050 Use of Electroencephalography (EEG)-Based Metrics to Test the Gustatory Properties of Liquid Trimethoprim Formulations

BackgroundIt is well known that the gustatory properties of a formulation strongly affect patient adherence to a treatment. However measuring these properties is highly subjective and difficult, especially for the...