The world in which we live surrounds us with a multitude of odorants everyday. From fresh cut grass to a hot pot of coffee, the odors we encounter in our daily routines modify our memories and shape our experiences. But while we have discovered the most potent odorants that activate our olfactory receptors, we do not know how they work together to form our perceptions. David Laing in 1989 showed that in complex mixtures of odorants only three or four key odorants can be detected and correctly identified. Among the odorants in potato chips, three are at least 10 times more potent than all the rest: methional, methanethiol, and 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine with the respective aromas of cabbage, potato, and toast. Using Sniff Olfactometry (SO), this study analyzed how subjects perceive odors individually and in mixtures when exposed to puffs of odorants for brief periods of time (&lt;70ms). Using a forced choice protocol the subjects chose one descriptor for the mixture. The probability that a descriptor was chosen was plotted against the log of the ratio of concentrations. When the probability of choosing any descriptor was equal, that ratio was defined as the Equal Odds Ratio (EOR).  The results showed the threshold and subsequent EORs differed between odorants and between subjects. Therefore the sensory experiences vary when different people smell the same potato chip.<br/>

Potato chips: A simple model for odor image encoding

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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