Impact of capsaicin on aroma release and perception from flavoured solutions

Abstract

Capsaicin is the main component in chilli pepper, which contributes to the spiciness of the food. However, the role of capsaicin on aroma perception has been controversial in the literature. This is the first study exploring the impact of capsaicin on aroma release and perception simultaneously. Flavoured solutions with 3-methylbutanal (nutty note) were made with or without 5 mg/L capsaicin. Real-time APCI-MS analysis was applied to investigate in-nose aroma release during and after consumption of the solutions, and sensory tests were simultaneously conducted to reveal any temporal perception changes over 60 s. The results from 15 participants with triplicates indicated that capsaicin had no significant impact on aroma concentration from aqueous solutions, but the aroma perception rating was significantly higher (p < 0.0001), increasing by 45%. Capsaicin also enhanced average saliva flow by 92% (p < 0.0001), and lower saliva flow participants were found to have lower spiciness and aroma ratings.

Analysis of Pungency Sensation Effects from an Oral Processing, Sensorial and Emotions Detection Perspective—Case Study with Grilled Pork Meat

“…These results clearly depict three phases in the mastication of pungent samples: the first phase when the sample is introduced in the oral cavity with limited saliva; the second phase when, due to the dilution with saliva, the sensations in the oral cavity increase, and the third phase ending with swallowing as explained in works of Eib, Schneider, Hensel, and Seuß-Baum [17] and Buettner et al [45]. Additionally, these findings confirm the assumptions of Yang, Yang, Chen, and Fisk [20] that for a longer oral processing time, saliva will play an important role in hydrating and releasing pungency flavor compounds from food matrices with capsaicin. The inter-variability in salivary composition and saliva flow is mainly associated with flavor perception [46].…”

“…The time-intensity (TI) approach of the oral burn sensation has been analyzed with chili-spiced pork patties [5,16], trigeminal pungency perception [17] or pungency perception of capsaicin in different food matrices [18]. When it comes to food oral processing, studies mainly analyzed the influence of pungency on aroma release and saliva flow as in the studies of Nasrawi and Pangborn [19] or one of the latest performed by Yang et al [20].…”

Getting hot: Effect of chili pepper addition on sensory perception of liquid and solid foods

“…Frasnelli et al (2009) examined the effect of oral capsaicin on smell perception and demonstrated that oral capsaicin failed to alter aroma thresholds and perception of suprathreshold odors. Conversely, Yang et al (2021) demonstrated that capsaicin increased aroma perception without affecting in vivo aroma release. Concerning texture perception, Lv et al (2020) observed a small decrease in thickness discrimination thresholds of maltodextrin solutions after stimulation with capsaicin.…”

“…Conversely, Yang et al. (2021) demonstrated that capsaicin increased aroma perception without affecting in vivo aroma release. Concerning texture perception, Lv et al.…”

Flavour them up! Exploring the challenges of flavoured plant‐based foods

“…Static analytical methods have been largely employed to assess protein–flavour interactions. Over the last years, dynamic high‐throughput tools have been developed to capture volatile compounds using real‐time mass spectrometry such as atmospheric pressure chemical ionization‐mass spectrometry (APCI‐MS) 9,10 and proton transfer reaction‐time of flight‐mass spectrometer (PTR‐ToF‐MS). Progressively, nose space in vivo analytical analysis has become more frequently employed to study aroma release from food systems in real time 11 …”