Comprehensive Data Scientific Procedure for Enhanced Analysis and Interpretation of Real-Time Breath Measurements in In Vivo Aroma-Release Studies.

Real-time measurements of many low-abundance volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in breath and air samples are already feasible due to progress in analytical technologies, such as proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS). Nevertheless, the information content of real-time measurements is not fully exploited, due to the lack of suitable data handling methods. This study develops a data scientific procedure to enhance data analysis and interpretation of longitudinal, multivariate data sets from real-time, in vivo, aroma-release studies. The developed procedure includes an automated data preprocessing and a multivariate assessment of the test panel performance. A large multifactorial PTR-MS data set is investigated that includes four experimental protocols, two tested food products, four aroma compounds, and eight panelists. Real-time measurements are converted into standardized breath profiles by preprocessing, and 10 kinetic parameters are derived. Next to this, panel performance is evaluated per experimental protocol and food product. Comprehensive information about panel performance, individual panelists, studied products, aroma compounds, and kinetic parameters is extracted, demonstrating the great value of the developed approach.

Strategies to reduce sodium consumption: a food industry perspective.

The global high prevalence of hypertension and cardiovascular disease has raised concerns regarding the sodium content of the foods which we consume. Over 75% of sodium intake in industrialized diets is likely to come from processed and restaurant foods. Therefore international authorities, such as the World Health Organisation, are encouraging the food industry to reduce sodium levels in their products. Significant sodium reduction is not without complications as salt plays an important role in taste, and in some products is needed also for preservation and processing. The most promising sodium reduction strategy is to adapt the preference of consumers for saltiness by reducing sodium in products in small steps. However, this is a time-consuming approach that needs to be applied industry-wide in order to be effective. Therefore the food industry is also investigating solutions that will maintain the same perceived salt intensity at lower sodium levels. Each of these has specific advantages, disadvantages, and time lines for implementation. Currently applied approaches are resulting in sodium reduction between 20-30%. Further reduction will require new technologies. Research into the physiology of taste perception and salt receptors is an emerging area of science that is needed in order to achieve larger sodium reductions.

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometric detection for the trace analysis of flavour compounds in food.

The practicability and potential of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC x GC-TOF-MS) for the analysis of complex flavour mixtures in food were studied. With the determination of key flavour targets in dairy samples as an example, it was demonstrated that GC x GC dramatically improves the separation. As a consequence, identification and, more importantly, quantification down to the ng/g level can be performed more reliably: background interferences largely disappear. Next to the peak table generated from the GC-TOF-MS software after data processing, the additional use of well-ordered patterns in the 2D-plane and information from second-dimension retention times can substantially help the identification of unknowns. The technique was successfully used for an evaluation of extraction techniques and the characterisation of different types of samples.

Saltiness enhancement by savory aroma compounds.

UNLABELLED: The impact of elevated levels of complex savory flavorings and single aroma compounds on perceived saltiness was investigated. This study demonstrates that multisensory interaction between aroma and taste can be employed to compensate for the lower salt levels of healthier food products without disturbing the overall flavor pattern. The demonstrated saltiness enhancement by the savory flavorings was unraveled by experiments with "salt-congruent" single aroma compounds, using trained and naïve panels. Several savory compounds, of different chemical classes and different sensory impact, could be identified as key salt-enhancing compounds, providing a significant increase of perceived saltiness. As expected, an untrained, naïve panel appeared more suitable to demonstrate multisensory saltiness enhancement due to its synthetic attention than a trained descriptive panel. The salt enhancement results were confirmed by consumer tests. The extra aroma was also found to ameliorate the off-flavor of potassium-based salt replacers, and combinations of extra aroma and salt replacers could replace significant amounts of sodium chloride while keeping the original flavor profile intact. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The food industry is under high pressure to significantly reduce the salt levels in their products. This study shows that it is possible to compensate salt reduction in instant bouillons by higher levels of savory aroma. A combination of potassium chloride based salt replacer and extra aroma was found to compensate approximately 30% sodium reduction without significant change of the flavor profile.