Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Quality and intensity of binary odor mixtures.

D G Laing, H Panhuber, M E Willcox

    Physiology & Behavior
    |August 1, 1984
    PubMed
    Summary

    Odor intensity, not quality, dictates how individual scents contribute to a mixture. Both components are perceived only when their intensities are similar, influencing overall mixture perception.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    Taste and smell function in pediatric blood and marrow transplant patients.

    Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer·2012
    Same author

    Taste disorders in Australian Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children.

    Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)·2011
    Same author

    Intranasal trigeminal function in children.

    Developmental medicine and child neurology·2007
    Same author

    Relationship between molecular structure, concentration and odor qualities of oxygenated aliphatic molecules.

    Chemical senses·2002
    Same author

    A psychophysical study of the relationship between temporal processing in odor mixtures and transduction pathways.

    Brain research. Cognitive brain research·2001
    Same author

    Identification of the components of taste mixtures by adults and children.

    Developmental psychobiology·2001

    Area of Science:

    • Olfactory science
    • Sensory perception
    • Chemical senses

    Background:

    • Understanding how humans perceive complex odors is crucial for various fields, including food science, perfumery, and environmental monitoring.
    • Binary odor mixtures, composed of distinct odorants, present a complex sensory challenge, with their perceived characteristics depending on the interplay of individual components.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the perceived intensity and quality of binary odor mixtures using common odorants at environmentally relevant concentrations.
    • To determine whether odorant intensity or quality primarily influences the perception of a mixture.
    • To characterize the perception of binary odor mixtures and identify key factors governing their overall sensory profile.

    Main Methods:

    • Utilized four common and dissimilar odorants: benzaldehyde (almond), eugenol (cloves), propionic acid (vinegar), and (-)-carvone (spearmint).
    • Determined perceived intensity and quality of binary mixtures across a wide range of environmentally relevant concentrations.
    • Analyzed the contribution of each odorant to the mixture's overall quality and intensity.

    Main Results:

    • Odorant intensity, rather than quality, was found to be the primary determinant of each component's contribution to the mixture's perceived quality.
    • With the exception of the carvone-propionic acid pair, both odorants were perceived only when the intensity difference between them was small.
    • Confirmed that the total intensity of a binary odor mixture is less than the sum of its components' intensities, but never less than the intensity of the weaker component.

    Conclusions:

    • The intensity of individual odorants significantly impacts their contribution to the perceived quality of binary mixtures.
    • Perception of both components in a binary mixture is dependent on the similarity of their intensities.
    • Seven major characteristics defining binary odor mixtures were established, providing a framework for understanding complex olfactory perception.

    Related Experiment Videos