Effect of fat content on flavor delivery during consumption: an in vivo model

Data from studies of the effect of fat on in vivo flavor release were modeled to generate a predictive model (R(2) = 0.71). The data included a range of values from the literature and 200 new data points giving a total data set of 345 values; of these, 310 values were used as a data set for model development, and the remaining 35 values were used as a test set for model validation. The model could be used to estimate the differences in flavor delivery for samples with two different fat contents. The hydrophobicity of the flavor compounds was represented in the model by including log P. The model may provide a tool to aid in flavor reformulation between samples with different fat contents. Sensory analysis showed that an orange flavor present in a high-fat food could be reformulated for a low-fat food, giving a more similar flavor experience than in the absence of any formulation changes.