Formation Dynamics of Oral Oil Coatings and Their Effect on Subsequent Sweetness Perception of Liquid Stimuli

Knowledge of the formation of oral coatings and their influence on subsequent taste perception is necessary to understand possible taste-masking effects by oil coatings. This study investigated (a) the dynamics of the formation of oral oil coatings formed by o/w emulsions and (b) the effect of oral oil coatings on subsequent sweetness perception of sucrose solutions. In vivo fluorescence was used to quantitate the oil fraction deposited on the tongue after oral processing of oil-in-water emulsions for different times. A trained panel evaluated sweetness perception of sucrose solutions after orally processing the emulsions. The oil fraction reached its maximum value within the first 3 s of oral processing. The oil fraction did not significantly affect subsequent sweetness perception of sucrose solutions. It is suggested that the oil droplets deposited on the tongue did not form a hydrophobic barrier that is sufficient to reduce the accessibility of sucrose to taste buds.