Effect of Piperine on Saltiness Perception

Exploring the oral processing mechanisms for saltiness enhancement with NaCl nanocrystals in oleogel systems based on black pepper oleoresin and sunflower seed oil

Reducing salt content in processed foods while maintaining flavor is crucial for human health. This study investigates the sensory interaction between the pungency of black pepper oleoresin and saltiness within an oleogel matrix by incorporating NaCl nanocrystals into a black pepper oleoresin formulated with glyceryl monostearate and soy lecithin (G-L-P). Psychophysical results revealed that the salt content in the G-L-P and G-L systems (G-L-P without black pepper oleoresin) was reduced by up to 66.77 % and 37.08 % compared to the G system (G-L without soy lecithin), respectively. During oral processing, the G-L and G-L-P systems formed oil-in-water emulsions with smaller and more numerous oil droplets. Within 5 s, the Na+ concentration was lowest in the G system (2.2 g/L), while the G-L and G-L-P systems showed higher concentrations (3.1 g/L and 3.0 g/L, respectively). This research provides a theoretical basis for the food industry to develop low-salt products without compromising flavor.

Novel Perspectives for Sensory Analysis Applied to Piperaceae and Aromatic Herbs: A Pilot Study

Spices and aromatic herbs are important components of everyday nutrition in several countries and cultures, thanks to their capability to enhance the flavor of many dishes and convey significant emotional contributions by themselves. Indeed, spices as well as aromatic herbs are to be considered not only for their important values of antimicrobial agents or flavor enhancers everybody knows, but also, thanks to their olfactory and gustatory spectrum, as drivers to stimulate the consumers' memories and, in a stronger way, emotions. Considering these unique characteristics, spices and aromatic herbs have caught the attention of consumer scientists and experts in sensory analysis for their evaluation using semi-quantitative approaches, with interesting evidence. In this pilot study as a first step, each studied botanical, belonging to Piperaceae or aromatic herbs, has been subjected to headspace solid phase micro-extraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas-chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis to assess their spontaneous volatile emission, representing the complex chemical pattern, which encounters the consumers' olfactory perception. Furthermore, the present investigation, performed on 12 individuals, outlines the administration of a pilot study, merging the typical sensory analysis with emotional data collection and the innovative contribution related to the study around the Autonomic and Central Nervous System activation in consumers, performed using wearable technologies and related signal processing. The results obtained by our study, beyond demonstrating the feasibility of the approach, confirmed, both in terms of emotional responses and biomedical signals, the significant emotional potential of spices and aromatic herbs, most of which featuring an overall positive valence, yet with inter-subjects' variations. Future investigations should aim to increase the number of volunteers evaluated with such an approach to draw more stable conclusions and attempting a customization of product preferences based on both implicit and explicit sensory responses.

Influence of Capsicum chinense concentration and salt varieties on the quality attributes of Kilishi, a sundried beef jerky

The impact of Capsicum chinense concentration and salt varieties on cholesterol oxides, physicochemical properties, microbial profiles and organoleptic attributes of Kilishi, a sundried beef jerky, was assessed. Kilishi (KL) was prepared from sundried strips of Biceps femoris and marinated with either 2 % Sodium chloride (NaCl) + 7 % fresh Capsicum chinense (CC) (KL-1), 1 % NaCl + 1 % Potassium chloride (KCl) + 7 % CC (KL-2), 1 % NaCl + 1 % Potassium citrate (C6H5K3O7) + 7 % CC (KL-3), 1 % NaCl + 14 % CC (KL-4), 1 % KCl + 14 % CC (KL-5) or 1 % C6H5K3O7 + 14 % CC (KL-6), and stored at 29 ± 1 °C for 90 d. The partial or total replacement of NaCl lowered (P < 0.05) the Na content in KL. The KL samples treated with 14 % CC had lower (P < 0.05) 25-hydroxy cholesterol, cholesta-3,5-dien-7-one, carbonyl, pH, malondialdehyde, and lightness and greater (P < 0.05) redness and Lactobacillus counts than those treated with 7 % CC. The chemical composition, sensory scores and water activity were unaffected by the additives. The taste, flavor, and overall acceptance scores of KL decreased (P < 0.05) after 30 days of storage. The substitution of KCl and C6H5K3O7 for NaCl and the increase in CC concentration from 7 to 14 % lowered the Na content and selected cholesterol oxides, respectively, without impairing the organoleptic traits of Kilishi.

A comprehensive review of plant-derived salt substitutes: Classification, mechanism, and application

The diseases caused by excessive sodium intake derived from NaCl consumption have attracted widespread attention worldwide, and many researchers are committed to finding suitable ways to reduce sodium intake during the dietary process. Salt substitute is considered an effective way to reduce sodium intake by replacing all/part of NaCl in food without reducing the saltiness while minimizing the impact on the taste and acceptability of the food. Plant-derived natural ingredients are generally considered safe and reliable, and extensive research has shown that certain plant extracts or specific components are effective salt substitutes, which can also give food additional health benefits. However, these plant-derived salt substitutes (PSS) have not been systematically recognized by the public and have not been well adopted in the food industry. Therefore, a comprehensive review of PSS, including its material basis, flavor characteristics, and taste mechanism is helpful for a deeper understanding of PSS, accelerating its research and development, and promoting its application.

Investigation of the multiple taste enhancement properties of N-succinyl-amino acids and their relationship to chemical structure using dynamic sensory techniques

The present study aimed to explore the similarity and difference in taste enhancement properties of N-succinyl-L-phenylalanine (N-Suc-Phe), N-succinyl-L-tryptophan (N-Suc-Trp), and N-succinyl-L-tyrosine (N-Suc-Tyr) using temporal dominance of sensations (TDS), temporal check-all-that-apply (TCATA), and time-intensity (TI) techniques. Meanwhile, leading taste enhancers in the market, such as N'-[(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)methyl]-N-(2-pyridin-2-ylethyl) oxamide (DE) was chosen to conduct a comparative analysis with the aforementioned three compounds. Findings from TDS and TCATA revealed that all compounds under investigation notably enhanced umami and saltiness while reducing bitterness in a concentration-dependent fashion (0.25-1 mg/L). Additionally, the TI results indicated that the duration of umami was extended by 50-75%, and the duration of bitterness was decreased by 20-40% upon addition of DE, N-Suc-Phe, N-Suc-Trp, and N-Suc-Tyr (1 mg/L). Among these, N-Suc-Trp was identified as the most effective in augmenting umami and mitigating bitterness, whereas N-Suc-Tyr excelled in enhancing saltiness intensity. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) pinpointed the carbon‑carbon double bond as the important structure influencing the enhancement of umami and reduction of bitterness, whereas the phenolic hydroxyl group was identified as critical for enhancing saltiness. This investigation provided insights into the different characteristics of taste enhancement of N-Suc-AAs and the impact of chemical structure on such specificity.

Enhancing saltiness perception in bone broth: the additive effect of oil and optimization of sodium-reduction formula for consumer acceptability

BACKGROUND

Excessive NaCl intake in liquid and semi-solid food (e.g. soup, hot pot base, sauce) poses a high risk to human health, and reducing NaCl intake is a major concern for global health.

RESULTS

Using the generalized Labeled Magnitude Scale (gLMS) method, the study verified the possibility of sodium reduction through oil addition. The compromised acceptance threshold (CAT) and hedonic rejection threshold (HRT) were determined. The gLMS results showed that the saltiness intensity of samples containing 0.36% NaCl and 2.29% sunflower seed oil was significantly higher than that of samples containing only 0.36% NaCl (P < 0.05). CAT and HRT results indicated that by adding 3.59% sunflower oil, the NaCl content could be reduced to a minimum of 0.14% without causing sensory rejection in bone broth samples. The quantitative descriptive analysis method was used to determine the effects of NaCl and oil concentrations on the sensory attributes of bone broth samples. Furthermore, it was used to analyze the consumer acceptability drivers in combination with the hedonic scale to optimize the formulation of reduced-salt bone broth products. Notably, sample E (0.36% NaCl, 2.29% fat) not only had a significant salt reduction effect with a 20% decrease in NaCl, but also had improved overall acceptability.

CONCLUSION

This study provides theoretical guidance for designing salt-reduction cuisine within the catering and food industries, including bone broth and hot pot bases. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Multiple effects of spicy flavors on neurological diseases through the intervention of TRPV1: a critical review

The spicy properties of foods are contributed by various spicy flavor substances (SFs) such as capsaicin, piperine, and allicin. Beyond their distinctive sensory characteristics, SFs also influence health conditions and numerous studies have associated spicy flavors with disease treatment. In this review, we enumerate different types of SFs and describe their role in food processing, with a specific emphasis on critically examining their influence on human wellness. Particularly, detailed insights into the mechanisms through which SFs enhance physiological balance and alleviate neurological diseases are provided, and a systematic analysis of the significance of transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1 (TRPV1) in regulating metabolism and nervous system homeostasis is presented. Moreover, enhancing the accessibility and utilization of SFs can potentially amplify the physiological effects. This review aims to provide compelling evidence for the integration of food flavor and human health.

Progress in Multisensory Synergistic Salt Reduction

Excessive salt intake, primarily from sodium chloride prevalent in modern food processing, poses a significant public health risk associated with hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Researchers worldwide are exploring approaches to reduce salt consumption without compromising food flavor. One promising method is to enhance salty taste perception using multisensory synergies, leveraging gustatory, olfactory, auditory, visual, tactile and trigeminal senses to decrease salt intake while preserving food taste. This review provides a comprehensive overview of salt usage in foods, mechanisms of salty taste perception and evaluation methods for saltiness. Various strategies for reducing salt consumption while maintaining food flavor are examined, with existing salt reduction methods' advantages and limitations being critically analyzed. A particular emphasis is placed on exploring the mechanisms and potential of multisensory synergy in salt reduction. Taste interactions, olfactory cues, auditory stimulation, visual appearance and tactile sensations in enhancing saltiness perception are discussed, offering insights into developing nutritious, appealing low-sodium foods. Furthermore, challenges in current research are highlighted, and future directions for effective salt reduction strategies to promote public health are proposed. This review aims to establish a scientific foundation for creating healthier, flavorful low-sodium food options that meet consumer preferences and wellness needs.

The detection and modulation of piperine in the human oral cavity

Piperine is an alkaloid that is responsible for the pungency of black pepper and long pepper. This hydrophobic compound causes a spicy sensation when it comes in contact with trigeminal neurons of the oral cavity. Piperine has low solubility in water, which presents difficulties in examining the psychophysical properties of this stimulus by standard aqueous chemosensory tests. This report describes approaches that utilize novel edible film formulations for delivering precise amounts of piperine to the human oral cavity. These films were then used to identify detection thresholds for piperine, and to identify the chemosensory properties of this compound at suprathreshold amounts. When incorporated into edible films, mean detection thresholds for piperine were approximately 35 nanomoles. For suprathreshold studies, edible films that contained 4000 nanomole amounts of piperine yielded variable intensity responses in subjects, with mean intensities in the moderate range. This amount of piperine caused significant self-desensitization, which was partially reversed after 60-90 min. In contrast, edible films that contained lower amounts of piperine yielded mean intensity ratings in the weak range and showed essentially no self-desensitization. The application of piperine to the circumvallate region of the tongue caused moderate intensity responses that were identified as primarily spicy, and rarely bitter. In addition, oral rinses with aqueous sucrose solutions decreased mean intensities for piperine by approximately twenty-five percent over sixty seconds. Blockage of nasal airflow significantly decreased piperine intensities in the oral cavity. These two findings indicate that oral sucrose or blockage of nasal airflow can modulate piperine perception in the human oral cavity. Finally, these results indicate that a variety of excipients can be included in edible film formulations for presenting piperine to the oral cavity at stimulus amounts that cause quantifiable chemosensory responses.