Vanilla flavor evaluation by sensory and electronic nose techniques

Aroma analyses using electronic nose (E-nose) and sensory techniques with a trained panel were conducted for vanilla extracts from four samples of vanilla pods, namely, T1 (Bourbon method), T2 (Improved T1), M1 (Mexican method) and M2 (Improved M1). The E-nose pattern matching complemented sensory threshold results, odor profiling and flavor profile results. T2 and M2 differed from the rest of the samples by showing discrimination in flavor quality between four extracts and a blank (BL). Threshold values of the extracts were in the range of 3.7 to 4.1 and 3.6 to 4.0 mg/L when prepared in water and milk mediums, respectively. The descriptive sensory profiling of the flavor of vanilla extract in different media using quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) has indicated that milk was an optimum carrier or medium for the clear perception of characteristic vanilla attributes. T2 and M2 extracts had higher intensities of impact-making attributes, namely, vanilla, floral and sweet notes. The intensity ratings were 8.0, 8.8 and 12.1, 11.0 for the vanilla and sweet notes of M2 and T2 extracts, respectively, when flavor profiling of vanilla extracts were prepared in milk as the medium. The odor profiling of vanilla extracts also showed similar results.