title: Oil-in-Water Emulsion Exhibits Bitterness-Suppressing Effects in a Sensory Threshold Study.
abstract: Little is known about how emulsion characteristics affect saltiness/bitterness perception. Sensory detection and recognition thresholds of NaCl, caffeine, and KCl in aqueous solution compared with oil-in-water emulsion systems were evaluated. For emulsions, NaCl, KCl, or caffeine were dissolved in water + emulsifier and mixed with canola oil (20% by weight). Two emulsions were prepared: emulsion 1 (viscosity = 257 cP) and emulsion 2 (viscosity = 59 cP). The forced-choice ascending concentration series method of limits (ASTM E-679-04) was used to determine detection and/or recognition thresholds at 25 °C. Group best estimate threshold (GBET) geometric means were expressed as g/100 mL. Comparing NaCl with KCl, there were no significant differences in detection GBET values for all systems (0.0197 - 0.0354). For saltiness recognition thresholds, KCl GBET values were higher compared with NaCl GBET (0.0822 - 0.1070 compared with 0.0471 - 0.0501). For NaCl and KCl, emulsion 1 and/or emulsion 2 did not significantly affect the saltiness recognition threshold compared with that of the aqueous solution. However, the bitterness recognition thresholds of caffeine and KCl in solution were significantly lower than in the emulsions (0.0242 - 0.0586 compared with 0.0754 - 0.1025). Gender generally had a marginal effect on threshold values. This study showed that, compared with the aqueous solutions, emulsions did not significantly affect the saltiness recognition threshold of NaCl and KCl, but exhibited bitterness-suppressing effects on KCl and/or caffeine.
authors.affiliation: School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Louisiana State Univ, Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70803-4200, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Damir Dennis
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Torrico
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Food Technology, Faculty of Technology, Khon Kaen Univ, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand.
authors.forename: Amporn
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sae-Eaw
authors.affiliation: Sensory Evaluation and Consumer Testing Unit, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Chiang Mai Univ, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand.
authors.forename: Sujinda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sriwattana
authors.affiliation: School of Animal Science, Louisiana State Univ, Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70803-4200, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boeneke
authors.affiliation: School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Louisiana State Univ, Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70803-4200, U.S.A.
authors.forename: Witoon
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Prinyawiwatkul
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002110:Caffeine / Q000737:chemistry; D045703:Emulsifying Agents; D004655:Emulsions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009821:Oils / Q000737:chemistry*; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000737:chemistry; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D013649:Taste / Q000502:physiology*; D013652:Taste Threshold; D013696:Temperature; D014783:Viscosity; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D045703:Emulsifying Agents; D004655:Emulsions; D009821:Oils; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D014867:Water; D002110:Caffeine; D012965:Sodium Chloride
keywords: KCl; NaCl; bitterness threshold; caffeine; emulsions; saltiness threshold