Studies on the Interaction of Flavor Compounds With Non-Volatile

During the previous year of this proposal we focused on developing sensitive gas chromatographic headspace procedures for quantifying odorant/polyphenol interactions in model solutions. We are currently using these procedures to evaluate the effects of polyphenol structure on the strength of odorant interactions. The main focus this year has been on developing and evaluating sensory procedures for measuring these interactions. Although previous studies of flavor interactions in other foods and beverages have largely focused on measuring aroma (nasal) intensity only, we wanted to also be able to quantify oral (retronasal) aroma stimulation, similar to that experienced when wine is consumed. We have used a time-intensity procedure and model solutions to show that retronasal aroma perception is significantly affected by the chemical/physical nature of the aroma compound, by the nature of the matrix, and by individual judge factors such as salivary flow rate. We feel that this procedure now provides us with a promising tool for the sensory evaluation of matrix effects. This, in combination with the analytical headspace procedures, will provide extensive information about the importance of odorant/polyphenol interactions in wine.