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E. T. Contis et al.

(Editors)
Food Flavors: Formation, Analysis and Packaging Influences
© 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved 111

A simulated mouth to study flavor release from alcoholic


beverages
S. J. Withers, J. M. Conner, J. R. Piggott and A. Paterson
University of Strathclyde, Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, 204
George Street, Glasgow G l IXW, United Kingdom

Abstract
Static headspace techniques have contributed much to our understanding of
the interactions of Scotch malt whisky solutions. Such methods, however, do not
account for the numerous and changing conditions of the mouth. The Buccal
Headspace Technique addresses such effects by sampling air directly from the
mouth as the whisky is warmed and mixed with saliva. The complexities of
Scotch malt whisky can be more fully imderstood by creating simple model sys-
tems in the form of whisky analogues. These analogues, which may not be suita-
ble for human consumption, are analysed using a Simulated Mouth, the
conditions of which were set using data from the Buccal Headspace technique.
The Simulated Mouth may provide a useful tool in the understanding of Scotch
malt whisky flavor.

1. INTRODUCTION

Sensory and chemical techniques have made important contributions to flavor


research. For the past twenty years such methods have been used by this labo-
ratory to study the flavor characteristics of Scotch whisky (1). Aided by statisti-
cal techniques such as Partial Least Squares Regression analysis (2) an overall
impression of the characteristics of Scotch whisky has been established. Howev-
er, flavor perception is a dynamic system which assesses aroma and taste simul-
taneously through a complex series of reactions. When food or drink are
introduced to the buccal cavity the non-volatiles are detected by the receptors for
the four basic taste qualities; these are located throughout the surface of the
tongue. As the food is warmed in the mouth and mixed with saliva, the volatiles
from the material are released and passed through the retronasal passage where
they are detected. Therefore, to obtain an accurate assessment of flavor we need
to take account of a number of factors such as the mouth warming of the food to-
wards the physiological temperature of 37°C; the saliva interactions with the
food throughout the period of consumption and frictional forces contributed by
the tongue and the teeth.
A method which accounts for all of these factors is Buccal Headspace Analysis
112

(3). This technique involves the measurement of volatiles in the headspace di-
rectly above a food or drink in the buccal cavity.
Scotch whisky is chemically a very complex system with many different reac-
tions. It is often simpler to break down the reactions into smaller component
parts by creating model systems. However, panellists are unwilling to sample
solutions of alcohols and pure chemicals. Therefore we found that it was necces-
sary to develop a simulated mouth system. Simulated mouths have been con-
structed by other investigators (4,5and 6) but these systems were more
concerned with mastication. We wanted to create a simple system capable of
sampling both real and model systems, with the following attributes: an artifi-
cial saliva, constant temperature (37°C), agitation and frictional forces working
within the artificial buccal cavity.

2. METHOD
A series of experiments were conducted to measure the effect of mouth warm-
ing on the volatiles of model whisky systems. The model solution consisted of
ethyl decanoate dissolved in 23% v/v alcohol. The headspace volatiles of the
model solution were compared at 25°C and 37°C. The same comparison was
made with the addition of wood extract.
To study the effect of temperature increase in a real system we decided to use
Buccal Headspace Analysis (3) The apparatus for this technique, which is illus-
trated in Figure 1, consisted of teflon nosepieces which were inserted into the
nostrils of the panellist. The nosepieces were attached via PTFE tubing to a
Tenax trap. The air from the buccal cavity was drawn through this apparatus
using a pump. The Tenax trap was thermally desorbed using a Purge and Trap
Injector Control unit. The desorbed volatiles were analysed by gas chromatogra-
phy mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with a Finnegan -MAT ITS-40.
The apparatus for the Simulated Mouth apparatus is illustrated in Figure 2.
It consisted of a glass flask containing 8.4mL of whisky(23% v/v), 3.3mL of artifi-
cial saliva and thirty-two glass beads, to contribute a frictional force to the sys-
tem. The flask was contained in a shaking water bath heated to 37°C. Hydrated
air was passed over the headspace of the flask. The headspace of the whisky and
saliva mixture was sampled using a Tenax trap and sampled by the GC-MS as
in the previous experiment.

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION


Our initial experiment indicated that the activity coefficient of ethyl de-
canoate decreased in the model solution at 37°C (Figure 1 ) . So in effect the fla-
vor release of ethyl decanoate from the model solution was reduced upon heating
. The effect of wood extract addition to the solution is illustrated in Figure 2.
113

Teflon nose pieces

Figure 1. Apparatus for Buccal Headspace Analysis

Tenax Trap Hydrated Air


/

Shaker Water Bath


r a t 37°C

Whisky(23%v/v)+Artificial
Saliva+ 32 Glass Beads

Figure 2. Strathclyde's simulated mouth.


114

Again the activity coefficient of the ethyl decanoate in the headspace was re-
duced, but to an even greater extent. The release of volatile compounds from al-
coholic beverages in the mouth appears to be limited by the formation of ethanol
agglomerates. The presence of ethanol agglomerates was suggested from reduc-
tions in the activity coefficient of hydrophobic ethyl decanoate. In wood matura-
tions, increasing concentrations of short and medium chain organic acids
decreased the critical aggregation concentration of ethanol resulting in de-
creased activity coefficients from 5 to 40% (v/v) ethanol.
On the basis of these results the Buccal Headspace Analysis was carried out.
Unfortunately a number of problems were encountered with this methodology:
reproducibility, as everyone has a unique breathing and eating pattern. Over a
long period of time this technique can be uncomfortable and for reasons of safe-
ty, panellists are unable to participate in more than two whisky sessions per
day. It was thought that our Simulated Mouth would solve the panel effect we
found with Buccal Headspace Analysis. However, reproducibility was again a
problem and measurements of air flow and pressure proved unreliable.

6 -r

10 15 20 25

Ethanol concentration (% v/v)

Figure 3. The effect of temperature on the activity coefficient of ethyl decanoate


at different ethanol concentrations.
115

6 -r

5.5 +

5 +

-4—25 -C
-•— + wood ext 25 'C
4.5 +
Hi— + wood ext 37 °C

10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Ethanol concentration (% v/v)

Figure 4. The effect of changing ethanol concentration on the activity coefficient


of ethyl decanoate in different model systems.

4. CONCLUSION

Our initial experiments showed a decrease in the flavor release of ethyl de-
canoate in an alcohol and water solution at 37°C, and a further decrease with the
addition of wood extract. By using Buccal Headspace Analysis and our Simulat-
ed Mouth system we hoped to examine these effects in greater detail. However,
our trapping and sampling method proved to be unreliable and for the moment
our findings remain inconclusive.
116

Acknowledgements:

The UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and


The Chivas and Glenlivet Group provided financial support and technical assist-
ance for this work.

References:

1 S.J. Withers, J.R. Piggott, J.M. Conner and A. Paterson, Journal of the Insti-
tute of Brewing, 1995, Vol 101, pp359-364.

2 M. Martens and H. Martens. In: Statistical Procedures in Food Research (J. R. Piggott,
ed.), Elsevier Applied Science, London, 1989, p293.

3 C. M. Delahunty, J. R. Piggott, J. M. Conner and A. Paterson, Journal of the Science of


Food and Agriculture, 1996, Vol 71, No 3 pp273-281.

4 W.E. Lee, Journal of Food Science, 1986, Vol 51, No 1 pp249-250.

5 S.M. Van Ruth, J.P. Roozen and J.L. Cozijnsen, Chemical Senses, 1995, Vol 20 Nol
ppl46-149.

6 D.D. Roberts and T.E. Acree, Chemical Senses, 1995, Vol. 20, No.6, pp246-249

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