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Bitterness and astringency of flavan‐3‐ol monomers, dimers and trimers
Author(s) -
Peleg Hanna,
Gacon Karine,
Schlich Pascal,
Noble Ann C
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0010(199906)79:8<1123::aid-jsfa336>3.0.co;2-d
Subject(s) - catechin , chemistry , dimer , monomer , food science , polyphenol , flavan , taste , stereochemistry , organic chemistry , polymer , antioxidant
Intensity of astringency and bitterness of seven flavonoid compounds was evaluated by a time‐intensity (TI) procedure. Eighteen trained judges rated intensity continuously from ingestion, through expectoration at 10 s until extinction of the sensation. The seven stimuli included two flavan‐3‐ol monomers, (+)‐catechin and (−)‐epicatechin, three dimers and two trimers synthesised from catechin or epicatechin by condensation with (+)‐dihydroquercitin. As the degree of polymerisation increased, maximum bitterness intensity ( I max ) and total duration ( T tot ) decreased whereas astringency I max increased. The monomers were significantly higher in bitterness at I max than the dimers, which were significantly higher than the trimers. Astringency I max of the monomers was lower than the dimers or trimers, although no significant difference was found in T tot among the polymer classes. The bond linking the monomeric units had an influence on both sensory properties. The catechin‐catechin dimer linked by a 4→6 bond was more bitter than both catechin‐(4→8)‐catechin and catechin‐(4→8)‐epicatechin. Astringency was affected by both the specific linkage and the identity of the monomeric units with the dimer, catechin‐(4→8)‐catechin, being lower in astringency than either catechin‐(4→6)‐catechin or catechin‐(4→8)‐epicatechin. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry