The influence of olfactory concept on the probability of detecting sub- and peri-threshold components in a mixture of odorants.
The headspace of apple juice was analysed to obtain an ecologically relevant stimulus model mixture of apple volatiles. Two sets of volatiles were made up: a set of eight supra-threshold volatiles (MIX) and a set of three sub-threshold volatiles. These sets were used to test the hypothesis that sub-threshold components can change the quality of a familiar smelling mixture of odorants when added to this mixture. In order to test this hypothesis, three successive dilutions of the sub-threshold volatiles were prepared in such a way that the strongest was at the threshold concentration and the two lower concentrations were below the threshold. The detection probabilities of the sub-threshold components in a blank stimulus were compared with the detectabilities in MIX. The sub- and peri-threshold volatiles were detected no better in MIX than in a blank. On the contrary, sub- and peri-threshold volatiles were better detected alone than when added to MIX. However, when the group of subjects was split into two sub-groups, employing either a rough or a detailed concept definition of the target stimulus, respectively, the subjects with highly refined concepts were better able to detect the presence of sub-threshold volatiles in MIX than those with poorly refined stimulus concepts. The effect of stimulus concept definition occurred independently of the proportions of correct detections of sub-threshold volatiles in a blank.
Bult
J H
JH
Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Laboratory of Food Chemistry, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Schifferstein
H N
HN
Roozen
J P
JP
Voragen
A G
AG
Kroeze
J H
JH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005410:Flame Ionization / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants / Q000032:analysis*; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D019685:Rosales / Q000737:chemistry*; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*
D009930:Organic Chemicals