Résumé
Flavour is one of the main factors affecting consumer's food preference. Our aromatic perception is greatly influenced by the release of aroma compounds during consumption itself influenced by the food matrix[1], the human oral physiology and oral processing[2]. In vivo or in vitro techniques were conducted on simple or model matrices to understand impact factors on the release of aroma compounds. However, very few studies were performed on real food matrices as fruits to understand the effect of food matrix and the oral physiology on the release of aroma compounds during oral processing. The present study investigated the impact of fruit texture and human saliva on the release of aroma compounds using in vivo and in vitro tests respectively. Mango was chosen as model fruit because of its richness in aroma compounds and its ability to process it into various products. To obtain different textures, two fresh mango products (puree, cubic pieces) and two dried mango products (powder, cubic pieces) were prepared from a homogenous fruit batch. The aroma compounds of mango samples were extracted by a convenient technique SAFE[3] (Solvent assisted flavour evaporation) and characterized by GC-MS analysis. Among volatile compounds detected, nineteen are considered as potential key flavour compounds from in mango samples. Aroma released during in vivo consumption of mango samples by trained panellists (n=8) was studied using RATD[4] technique (retronasal aroma-trapping device) mounted with Tenax. Volatile compounds trapped on Tenax were further analyzed by GC-MS. Twenty terpenes and one ester were identified in the exhaled nostril breath of panellists. They were amongst major volatile compounds of mango samples. Ten of which were reported as potential key flavour compounds in mango. The in vivo release of volatile compounds was affected by the matrix texture. The intact samples (fresh and dried cubic pieces) released more aroma compounds than disintegrated samples (fresh puree, dried powder). To understand the effect of saliva on aroma release, in vivo experiments with P&T[5] technique (purge and trap, Tenax as adsorbent) were carried out in the presence of saliva collected from the panellists and mango samples in the conditions as closely as possible to those in vivo consumption. The presence of human saliva didn't have a significant effect on the release of aroma compounds. In conclusion, the fruit texture but not saliva seemed to be the main factor in the release of volatile compounds during mango fruit consumption. (Résumé d'auteur)