Understanding flavour release and sensory perception of composite foods by combining dynamic sensory methods with in vivo nose space analysis

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of food structure and composition on aroma release and sensory perception of composite foods. Dynamic sensory perception was assessed with Temporal-Check-All-That-Apply (TCATA) (n=72) while quantification of aroma release was done with in vivo nose space analysis using a commercial PTR-ToF-MS (Proton Transfer Reaction Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer, Ionicon Analytik, Innsbruck, Austria) (n=8, in triplicate). Six composite foods were prepared by combining two carriers (bread and wafer) with three formulations of chocolate-hazelnut spreads varying in fat and sugar content (high fat/high sugar; high fat/low sugar; low fat/high sugar). The spreads were spiked with a known quantity of 5 aroma compounds. Evaluations of the hazelnut spreads without carriers and for the carrier-spread combinations were performed. In general, fat and sugar content had little effect on flavour release and sensory perception of chocolate hazelnut spread. Addition of carriers increased aroma release and decreased flavour perception. We conclude that in vivo nose space analysis by direct injection mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) and dynamic sensory method (TCATA) allowed to investigate aroma release and perception of real food matrices (spreads and composite foods). Flavour release and sensory perception of hazelnut chocolate spreads is strongly affected by addition of carriers. However, it seems that sensory perception of composite foods is modulated by cognitive mechanisms.