Influence of Juiciness on In Vivo Aroma Release and Perception of Plant-Based Meat Analogue and Beef Patties

This study investigated how juiciness of the plant-based meat analogue (PBMA) and beef patties affects in vivo aroma release and perception. Patties were prepared from PBMA and beef mince, spiked with menthone as an aroma marker, and cooked to different core temperatures. Increasing core temperature decreased the perceived juiciness of PBMA and beef patties. In vivo in-nose menthone release and peppermint aroma perception were measured simultaneously using proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry and time-intensity profiling. Although differences in perceived juiciness were observed, no significant differences in in vivo aroma release and perception were observed in PBMA and beef patties, suggesting that aroma release and perception were not influenced by juiciness. Juiciness may not affect in vivo aroma release and perception due to the limited amount of serum released from the matrix during mastication and the entrapment of fat in the bolus. The effect of juiciness on aroma release may be product-specific.