Yummy? Thank the bacteria
in your mouth
Washington,
Nov 11 (IANS) Find the taste really yummy? Thank the bacteria
in your mouth that imparts those delicious and distinctive
flavours.
Christian
Starkenmann and colleagues who conducted research into taste
pointed out that some fruits and vegetables release characteristic
odours only after being swallowed.
Scientists
performed sensory tests on 30 trained panelists to evaluate
the odour intensity of volatile compounds - known as thiols
- that are released from odourless sulphur compounds found
naturally in grapes, onions, and bell peppers.
It
took participants 20 to 30 seconds to perceive the aroma of
the thiols - and this perception persisted for three minutes,
according to a release of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
The
researchers also determined that the odourless compounds are
transformed into the thiols by anaerobic bacteria residing
in the mouth - causing the characteristic 'retroaromatic'
effect.
"The
mouth acts as a reactor, adding another dimension to odour
perceptions," they explained. However, the authors conclude,
it is saliva's ability to trap these free thiols that helps
modulate the long-lasting flavours.
The
study will appear in Wednesday's edition of the ACS bi-weekly
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Indo-Asian
News Service
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