How trigeminal, taste and aroma perceptions are affected in mint-flavored carbonated beverages

The integration of olfactory, taste and trigeminal perceptions must be taken into account to better understand the perception of beverages. To do this, seven beverages were formulated to investigate the role of ingredients on trigeminal perception. All mutual interactions between olfactory, gustatory and trigeminal perceptions were studied. Instrumental measurements and sensory evaluation were used to elucidate both physicochemical and sensory interactions. Sensory profiling was conducted according to monadic product presentation, and in vivo aroma release was assessed in the nasal cavities of subjects during beverage consumption.This study further revealed the influence of trigeminal perception on taste and aroma in complex beverages. The addition of CO2 in beverages induced a decrease in sweetness perception, an increase in sourness perception and an enhancement of aroma perception. Physicochemical and/or physical mechanisms (pH, aroma stripping effect) were assumed to be at the origin of these gustatory and olfactory interactions. Furthermore, the addition of mint flavoring enhanced tingling and freshness perceptions, highlighting perceptual interactions. The presence of sugar was shown to decrease the freshness perception but not the tingling perception.