Relationship between mustard pungency and allyl‐isothiocyanate content: A comparison of sensory and chemical evaluations

The correlation of sensory and chemically evaluated pungency of mustard products was investigated via a time-intensity (TI) study and quantification of allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) contents using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Sweet, medium hot, hot, and extra hot commercial mustard products from different brands were examined. Notably, we found significant differences (p < 0.05) between the maximum perceived pungency intensity of various mustard products. The maximum perceived intensity (I_max ), the duration of the decreasing phase (DUR_Dec ), and the area under the curve (AUC) values increased proportionally to the increase in the sample AITC content and were also higher in products classified as hot than in sweet mustards. The AITC concentration varied greatly between products from different brands and also between different sensory evaluated pungency levels. Furthermore, sensory evaluations and analytical results were correlated using regression analysis. The best correlation (correlation coefficient 0.891) was observed between the AITC concentration and AUC, when compared to that between the AITC concentration and DUR_Dec (correlation coefficient 0.856) or the I_max value (correlation coefficient 0.803). The calculated regression model indicates that a higher AITC content induces an intensified trigeminal pungency sensation and that the sensory and chemical evaluations of mustard products were positively correlated. Therefore, by using this regression model, the sensory rating of mustard products may be predicted by chemical analysis of the AITC contents. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This research paper provides a method to quantify the pungency inducing irritant allyl isothiocyanate in commercial mustard products and demonstrates a correlation between sensory and chemical data. Therefore, the amounts of sensory tests in product quality assurance can be reduced and replaced or at least supported by chemical quantification of pungent substances (especially AITC) in mustard products.