Introduction

3-Mercapto-2-methylpentan-1-ol (3 M) is a key onion flavor (aroma), but past sensory work has focused primarily on ortho-nasal presentation. A series of experiments was conducted to characterize human sensitivity to oral 3 M solutions, then determine how 3 M impacts perception of basic tastes.

Methods

Detection thresholds were measured for a food grade, racemic mixture using a forced-choice staircase procedure (n = 19). Recognition was measured by presenting a single stimulus per trial (3 M, vanillin, or water), with “onion,” “vanilla,” or “water” as responses (n = 18). Supra-threshold intensity (n = 20) was measured for various concentrations using the general labeled magnitude scale (gLMS). Odor-taste interactions were studied using mixtures of 3 M and exemplars of basic tastes. Participants rated the intensity of basic tastes, or both taste and aroma, using the gLMS (n ranged from 10 to 15). All stimuli were in aqueous solution.

Results

Participants detected oral 3 M at about 0.90 ppb and recognized 3 M as “onion” at about 5 ppb. Supra-threshold intensity increased roughly as a cumulative logistic function of concentration. 3 M enhanced the rated savory intensity of monosodium glutamate, but did not enhance the dominant qualities of exemplars of the other four basic tastes. Under a response-context more favorable to an analytic approach, savory enhancement was reduced but not eliminated. Savory enhancement was eliminated with nose-clips.

Conclusions

Oral sensitivity was lower than previous retronasal studies would suggest, but roughly consistent with concentrations in cooked allium varieties. Oral 3 M selectively enhanced savory intensity, an effect likely due to retronasal aroma rather than taste or mouthfeel.

Implication

3 M is a promising candidate aroma to enhance or impart a savory flavor.

中文翻译：

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人类口腔对 3-Mercapto-2-Methylpentan-1-ol 的敏感性和味觉调节

介绍

3-Mercapto-2-methylpentan-1-ol (3 M) 是一种关键的洋葱味（香气），但过去的感官工作主要集中在鼻腔呈现上。进行了一系列实验来表征人类对口服 3 M 溶液的敏感性，然后确定 3 M 如何影响基本口味的感知。

方法

使用强制选择阶梯程序 ( n  = 19) 测量食品级外消旋混合物的检测阈值。通过每次试验提供单一刺激（3 M、香草醛或水）来测量识别，并以“洋葱”、“香草”或“水”作为响应（n  = 18）。使用通用标记震级标度 (gLMS) 测量各种浓度的超阈值强度 ( n  = 20)。使用 3 M 和基本味道样本的混合物研究了气味-味道相互作用。参与者使用 gLMS（n范围从 10 到 15）评估基本味道的强度，或味道和香气。所有刺激物都在水溶液中。

结果

参与者检测到约 0.90 ppb 的口服 3 M，并将约 5 ppb 的 3 M 识别为“洋葱”。超阈值强度大致随着浓度的累积逻辑函数而增加。3 M 提高了味精的额定咸味强度，但没有提高其他四种基本口味样本的优势品质。在更有利于分析方法的反应背景下，咸味增强减少但没有消除。鼻夹消除了咸味增强。

结论

口服敏感性低于以前的鼻后研究表明的，但与煮熟的葱属品种中的浓度大致一致。口服 3 M 选择性地增强咸味强度，这种效果可能是由于鼻后香气而不是味道或口感。

含义

3 M 是一种很有前途的候选香气，可以增强或赋予咸味。