Effects of flavour amplification of Quorn® and yoghurt on food preference and consumption in relation to age, BMI and odour perception

Abstract

Since the food habits of many elderly people are inadequate, the first experiment of the present study tested whether flavour amplification induces changes in preferences for and consumption of food and thus might result in a nutritional benefit. Two panels, one of 260 and one of 120 subjects, aged 19–98 years, took part in the study in which preferences for flavour-amplified yoghurt and Quorn® were measured. For both products, only a few of the young subjects (20 %) preferred the high flavour level; the percentage of subjects preferring the high flavour levels increased with age. These changes were highly significant. In a second experiment, participants received, under ad libitum conditions over 2 d in random order, a dish of yoghurt with either a high or a low flavour level. When adjusted for total consumption quantity, consumption of the highly flavoured yoghurt was not significantly correlated with age (r -0·03, P = 0·35). In a third experiment, odour perception was measured by determining the detection threshold for isoamylacetate. BMI values were obtained and the relationships between BMI and odour perception, age, preference and consumption were assessed in the age group 40–65 years. A significant correlation was observed between age and BMI (r 0·51, P < 0·0005). No significant correlation was observed between BMI and relative consumption of highly flavoured yoghurt (r -0·14, P = 0·14). A significant correlation was observed between BMI and preference for flavour-amplified yoghurt (r 0·35, P < 0·001). However, no significant correlation was observed between BMI and odour perception (r 0·07, P = 0·32). With increasing age, a combined influence of age, sex, BMI and odour perception on food preference is to be expected. According to our multiple regression analysis, BMI showed a significant partial regression coefficient (standardized β 0·36, P = 0·03). In conclusion, flavour amplification of food for older adults deserves attention, but specific approaches, which are tailored to the candidate food systems and older adult target groups, are needed.

Differences in perception of sweet and savoury waffles between elderly and young subjects

“…In previous studies, the enhancement of flavour has been reported to be a successful strategy to increase product liking in the elderly (Griep, Mets, & Massart, 1997;Griep, Mets, & Massart, 2000;Mathey, Siebelink, De Graaf, & Van Staveren, 2001;Schiffman & Warwick, 1993). In the present study, the elderlyÕs appreciation was increased by the enhancement of cheese flavour only in the savoury waffles and not for vanilla in the sweet Good ETOC performance Poor ETOC performance Fig.…”

No effect on intake and liking of soup enhanced with mono-sodium glutamate and celery powder among elderly people with olfactory and/or gustatory loss

“…Previous research has suggested that older adults may have a higher preferred optimal concentration level for certain flavors or a taste compared with young people (Murphy and Withee 1987;de Graaf et al 1994de Jong et al 1996;Griep et al 2000;Kozlowska et al 2003). We therefore expected that the elderly people with a diminished taste and smell performance would show an increased liking and/or intake of tomato soup enhanced with MSG and celery powder compared with non-enhanced soup.…”

“…Generally older adults prefer higher optimal flavor concentrations (by boosting a taste or certain aromas) in a certain number of foods than young people (Murphy and Withee 1987;de Graaf et al 1994de Jong et al 1996;Griep et al 2000;Kozlowska et al 2003). This finding is possibly related to the results found in other studies that enhancing food with flavors and or mono-sodium glutamate (MSG) can increase palatability Warwick 1988, 1993;Schiffman 1998) and intake in the elderly (Mathey et al 2001) and in older adults suffering from malnutrition (Schiffman 1998).…”

Performance on an odor detection and identification test as a predictor of ortho- and retronasal odor intensity ratings in the young and elderly

“…Duffy et al (1999) found that despite normal ability to smell, elderly subjects may have a lower ability to perceive food flavor retronasally. Griep, Mets, and Massart (2000) found that the elderly showing poor performance in odor detection threshold (isoamylacetate) task had no preference for either low or high flavor intensity of food, suggesting that the preference was not associated with olfactory performance. Moreover, Koskinen, Kälviäi-nen, and Tuorila (2003b) found that poor performance in odor detection and identification did not lead to preference for more intense flavor of food.…”