61B-7 |
Influence of sweetener type on aroma release from a model strawberry beverage |
J. A. RAPP, Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, 1334 Eckles Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108, G. A. Reineccius, and T. L. Peppard, Robertet Flavors, Inc., 10 Colonial Drive, Piscataway, NJ 08854. Although the sweetness of a diet beverage can be provided by high intensity sweeteners, the flavor differs from bulk (sucrose or high fructose corn syrup) sweetened beverages. In addition to imparting slightly different taste qualities, it is thought that high potency sweeteners may interact with aroma compounds in the drink, thereby altering the time-release profile received at the olfactory receptors and ultimately changing the flavor of the beverage. The objective of this study was to determine how sweetener type (aspartame vs. sucrose) influences aroma release in the mouth from a model strawberry beverage. Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization-Mass Spectrometry APCI-MS) was used for breath-by-breath analysis of aroma molecules released from model strawberry-flavored beverages. Time-release profiles for several strawberry aroma compounds were obtained for sucrose and aspartame sweetened beverages. Time-release profiles showed that the more volatile aroma compounds were very rapidly released from the beverages while the heavier lactones and esters were released very slowly and over a longer time period. The volatile profile of the aroma compounds in the first breath after swallowing was markedly different from the second breath; subsequent breaths also differed greatly from each other until a baseline was achieved. The sucrose sweetened model beverage released the more volatile esters more rapidly than did the aspartame sweetened beverage while there were little effects of sweetener type on the less volatile aroma components. This work indicates that we form our perception of a beverage flavor very rapidly with the aroma profile of the first breath being the greatest determinant and the entire aroma release profile may be less important. Furthermore, flavor differences between high potency sweetened beverages and bulk sweetened beverages are partially explained by the influence of sweetener type on the release of highly volatile esters.
Session 61B, Food Chemistry: Flavor and aroma chemistry
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