Sensory and instrumental dynamic methods to investigate perceived quality of Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oils

Sensory perception during food eating is a dynamic process, involving both chemical-physical and cognitive factors. For this reason, dynamic measuring methods appears to be more adequate to measure, monitor and understand such processes and how they interact. Furthermore, the differences in sensory responses arise from the individual interaction between the product and the consumer, thus it is necessary to take into account inter-individual variability as well. The present contribution describes the analytical approach we adopted in the frame of Violin project for the characterization and the valorization of the Italian extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) and part of our recent results. We studied the variability of the products and food carriers and their interactions using time resolved sensory and analytical techniques. Simultaneous sensory profiling by Temporal Check-all-that-apply (TCATA) [1] method and nose-space volatile compound analysis by PTR-ToF-MS [2] allows the investigation of how the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may play a role in flavour perception during the tasting of EVOOs, consumed alone or in combination with other food carriers (bread or chickpeas). Products and carriers affected the release of EVOOs’ VOCs in the oral cavity during tasting and specific VOCs resulted related with the perception of defined flavour attributes. Nose-space analysis differentiated the samples mainly on the base of EVOO typology, while TCATA analysis highlighted differences mainly on the base on food carriers. The multisensory integration that underlies flavor perception can be considered accountable for the presented discrepancy. Differences in panel’s sensibility for the oral sensations such as bitterness, pungency and astringency, known to be of primary importance for the acceptability of EVOOs [3], may explain observed differences in the interactions among monitored flavours. Combination of time resolved sensory and instrumental measurements provides a new and powerful tool to shed light on the complex interactions occurring between physico-chemical food properties and sensory perceptions during eating.