Influence of oat gum, guar gum and carboxymethyl cellulose on the perception of sweetness and flavour

The influence of three pseudoplastic hydrocolloids, oat gum, guar gum and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) on sensory perception of sweetness and flavour was studied in model systems at two viscosity levels. The sweeteners studied were sucrose, fructose and aspartame, the flavour substances ethyl caproate, a-pinene and cinnamic acid. Sweetness was best perceived from oat gum solutions and most weakly from guar gum solutions. The effect of the composition of the thickener on the perception of sweetness was greater than that of viscosity. Reduction of sweetness by hydrocolloids was weaker for aspartame than for fructose or sucrose. In the perception of flavours, both the total length of perception and the time-intensity pattern were more dependent on the model aroma substance than on the thickener. Possible explanations for the differences are discussed.