The integration of olfactory, taste and trigeminal perceptions must be taken into account to better under- stand the perception of beverages. To do this, seven beverages were formulated to investigate the role of ingredients on trigeminal perception. All mutual interactions between olfactory, gustatory and trigeminal perceptions were studied. Instrumental measurements and sensory evaluation were used to elucidate both physicochemical and sensory interactions. Sensory profiling was conducted according to monadic product presentation, and in vivo aroma release was assessed in the nasal cavities of subjects during bev- erage consumption.
This study further revealed the influence of trigeminal perception on taste and aroma in complex bev- erages. The addition of CO2 in beverages induced a decrease in sweetness perception, an increase in sour- ness perception and an enhancement of aroma perception. Physicochemical and/or physical mechanisms (pH, aroma stripping effect) were assumed to be at the origin of these gustatory and olfactory interac- tions. Furthermore, the addition of mint flavoring enhanced tingling and freshness perceptions, highlight- ing perceptual interactions. The presence of sugar was shown to decrease the freshness perception but not the tingling perception.