Acute effects of complexity in aroma composition on satiation and food intake

The acute effect of complexity in aroma composition on perceived satiation and food intake was investigated in 41 young, healthy, and normal weight subjects. Subjects consumed 2 different strawberry-aromatized sweetened yogurt products (i.e., test and placebo product) in either an olfactometer-aided or an ad libitum eating experimental design. The test product was aromatized with a multicomponent strawberry aroma, whereas the placebo product was aromatized with a single-component strawberry aroma. Compared to placebo, subjects felt significantly more satiated during aroma stimulation with the multicomponent strawberry aroma in the olfactometer-aided setting. Additionally, perceived satiation was significantly increased 10-15 min after consumption of the multicomponent strawberry-aromatized sweetened yogurt product in the ad libitum eating setting. There was no effect on the amount of strawberry-aromatized sweetened yogurt product consumed ad libitum. Apart from the differences in timing of the appetite-regulating effects, both experimental settings demonstrated that the multicomponent strawberry aroma, which was perceived as being more complex, yet of similar aroma quality, intensity, and pleasantness compared with the single-component strawberry aroma, was able to enhance perceived satiation. The methodology of the olfactometer-aided aroma stimulation proved to be representative of a real-life setting with regard to aroma exposure and satiation. Food products, which are perceived as being more complex, have been suggested to delay the development of sensory satiation as a result of implicitly cueing for variation. The present results may be explained by increased sensory stimulation, due to concurrent exposure to multiple aroma components cueing for sensorily similar strawberry perception.