Evaluation of the odour of A minoleban ® EN , taste‐masked with flavoured powders, by human and electronic noses

Objectives A minoleban® EN is a bitter total enteral nutrient product with an unpleasant odour. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the odour of A minoleban® EN , taste‐masked with various flavoured powders, by human testing and by using an electronic nose system (Alpha M . O . S .). Methods Initially, the odour of A minoleban® EN alone at various concentrations was evaluated. Secondly, the odour of A minoleban® EN with the addition of various flavoured powders was evaluated; the evaluation included data on odour intensity, preference levels and evoked taste image. Key findings With the human nose, a concentration of 0.43 g/100  ml seemed to be the taste threshold for A minoleban® EN . In the electronic nose system, principal component analysis revealed that concentrations over 0.39 g/100  ml A minoleban® EN could be distinguished from water. It was clear from both human testing and using the electronic nose system that the unpleasant odour of A minoleban® EN could be masked by pineapple‐ and plum‐flavoured powders, both of which contain not only sweet but also sour components. Conclusions The electronic nose system may be useful for detecting odours at or below the level detectable by the human olfactory system and for classifying the quality of different odours, thus reducing the amount of human testing required.