Characterization of the key taste compounds during bread oral processing by instrumental analysis and dynamic sensory evaluation

The process of taste release and perception during chewing bread was investigated using high-performance liquid chromatography and sodium ion-selective electrode analysis combined with dynamic sensory evaluation. The result of the dynamic quantitative descriptive analysis and temporal dominance of sensation elucidated that sour, salty, and sweet tastes were significantly (P < 0.05) changed during oral processing. The salty taste was the dominant taste at the initial stage of chewing, whereas the sweet taste took the dominant place after 7 s. Seventeen taste-active compounds with the taste activity value more than 1 were identified. According to partial least squares regression analysis, 9 taste compounds were detected as the potent taste compounds contributing to changes in the taste perception during bread oral processing. Malic acid, succinic acid, sodium chloride, valine, and sucrose were confirmed as the key taste compounds contributing to bread oral processing through addition experiments. Malic acid had a stronger enhancing ability of sour and salty perception than succinic acid but weaker inhibition ability to decrease sweet perception than succinic acid.