Aroma release and delivery following the consumption of beverages

Processes controlling aroma release and delivery during and after the consumption of a beverage were studied using real-time physiological and aroma release measurements. The key processes were as follows. During swallowing, a portion of the buccal gas phase was transferred first to the throat and then to the nasal passages via the tidal breath flow. This mechanism accounted for the sharp pulse of aroma seen at the beginning of the swallow breath and on subsequent swallows. The persistence effect was due to liquid-air partition from beverage coated on the throat and was dependent on the concentration of volatile compounds in the beverage. Lipid in the beverage caused a decrease in the intensity of volatile compounds on the breath, but the presence of a thickening agent had no effect on persistence.