Flavour interactions in mixtures of odorants can be measured using omission testing (Grosch 2001). By removing one component at a time from the mixture (n-1 process) and assessing the overall flavour using sensory analysis, the relative contributions of each component to the overall flavour perception can be determined. An adaptation of the method (GB Patent 2012) will be presented where a fraction of one component is removed and an untrained consumer panel is used to assess differences in overall flavour. The method can also be applied to measure the interaction of odours and tastants. By removing a fraction of each component, more detailed information about flavour interactions can be obtained and the use of a large consumer panel (around 100 assessors) makes the results relevant to the general public rather than being just a research tool. To develop the fractional omission testing procedure, a simple strawberry flavour was used. Initially, odour-odour interactions were investigated using orthonasal sniffing. In a second step, tastant-odour interactions were studied, when samples were consumed and odour perception occurred via retronasal perception. Significant differences in interactions were observed between (n-1) and (n-0.5) omission testing which resulted in a deeper understanding of flavour interactions.Grosch, W (2001), Evaluation of the key odorants of foods by dilution experiments, aroma models and omission. Chemical Senses, 26, 533-545).GB Patent Assignees Mars Incorporated & The University of Nottingham; Title: MethodsPatent#: GB1216074.3; Date of filing: 10 September 2012

Measuring flavour interactions using fractional omission testing

245th National Meeting (2013)

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