TASTE INTENSITY AS A FUNCTION OF STIMULUS CONCENTRATION AND SOLVENT VISCOSITY

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Sensory Science
• Rheology

Background:

• Viscosity, a measure of fluid resistance, can influence sensory perception.
• Sodium carboxymethylcellulose is a common food additive used to modify texture and viscosity.
• Understanding how viscosity affects taste perception is crucial for food product development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the effect of viscosity, modified by sodium carboxymethylcellulose, on taste intensities.
• To investigate the relationship between apparent viscosity and taste intensity for key taste compounds.
• To determine the mathematical model describing the impact of viscosity on taste perception.

Main Methods:

• Employed the method of magnitude estimation to assess taste intensities.
• Tested various concentrations of glucose, citric acid, sodium chloride, and quinine sulfate.
• Varied the viscosity of the aqueous solvent using sodium carboxymethylcellulose.

Main Results:

• An increase in solvent viscosity led to a decrease in taste intensity for most concentrations.
• A power function (T=kV^-n) accurately described the inverse relationship between viscosity (V) and taste intensity (T).
• The exponent 'n' in the power function ranged from 0.05 to 0.20, indicating varying degrees of viscosity impact.

Conclusions:

• Sodium carboxymethylcellulose-induced viscosity significantly modulates taste perception.
• The observed power function relationship highlights a quantifiable link between rheological properties and flavor intensity.
• Taste intensity generally follows a power function of concentration, with some deviations at low stimulus levels.