Effects of NaCl and temperature on the sensory characteristics of natural flavor enhancers

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the sensory properties of various natural flavor enhancers (NFEs) and to understand the effects of NaCl and temperature on the sensory characteristics of these NFEs. Descriptive analysis was conducted to evaluate six types of NFEs: yeast extract-based NFE, three; fish sauce-based NFE, one; soy sauce-based NFE, one; and hydrolyzed peptide NFE-based, one. The effects of NaCl (no addition vs. addition) and temperature (20°C vs. 55°C) were also evaluated. The results showed that the overall flavor intensity and sensory properties of the NFEs differed greatly depending on the NFE source. Two of the yeast extract-based NFEs elicited higher umami intensity than the other NFEs. Addition of NaCl increased some of the savory-related flavors and the perceived viscosity of the sample. Aroma intensities, in general, were enhanced at the higher temperature, whereas flavor, aftertaste, and mouthfeel attributes were perceived to be stronger at the lower temperature.