Dynamic Zanthoxylum pungency characteristics and their correlation with sanshool composition and chemical structure

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Sensory Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Huajiao (Zanthoxylum) pungency varies significantly across different geographical origins.
• Understanding the chemical basis of these sensory differences is crucial for quality control and product development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the underlying reasons for the varying pungency features of huajiao from different regions.
• To correlate the chemical composition of sanshools with perceived pungency characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Temporal check-all-that-apply (TCATA) and time-intensity (TI) methods were employed to assess time-related pungency attributes.
• High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was utilized to quantify the sanshool composition in huajiao samples.

Main Results:

• Hydroxy-γ-sanshool demonstrated significantly longer durations of tingling and numbing (approx. 1332s and 1020s) compared to hydroxy-α-sanshool (approx. 720s and 584s).
• Hydroxy-β-sanshool and hydroxy-γ-isosanshool did not elicit tingling or numbing sensations.
• Hydroxy-α-sanshool (HαSS) was identified as the predominant sanshool component, ranging from 71.06% to 92.90%.
• TCATA revealed a distinct sequence of pungency perception: tingling, salivating, cooling, and burning appeared first, followed by vibrating, with numbing perceived last.

Conclusions:

• The study establishes a direct relationship between the specific sanshool composition of huajiao and its perceived pungency features.
• Variations in hydroxy-γ-sanshool and hydroxy-α-sanshool content are key drivers of the differing sensory profiles observed in huajiao from various regions.