This study investigates for the first time the role of fructans with prebiotic effects (oligofructose and inulin) on retronasal aroma among elderly individuals. The impact of oligofructose (20% w/w) on retronasal aroma release was investigated using proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) after 73 elderly individuals consumed aqueous solutions aromatized with five aroma compounds (pentan-2-one, nonan-2-one, hexan-2,3-dione, octanal and linalool). The influence of oligofructose and inulin (10% w/w) on the perceived intensity (n = 26) of two aroma descriptors (butter and floral) was also studied together with the possibility of a dumping effect on aroma evaluation due to the sweetness provided by the fructans. The results showed that the presence of oligofructose produced a significant reduction in retronasal aroma release, which could be generally explained by the physicochemical properties of aroma compounds. The presence of prebiotic fructans did not significantly affect the perceived intensity of butter and floral notes, although a dumping effect for the butter descriptor in the presence of oligofructose was observed. To conclude, these findings suggest that although fructans can exert an impact on retronasal aroma, they can be used at precise concentrations to increase the prebiotic fibre content of food products without affecting the aroma profile of foods.
Keywords: PTR-MS; aroma perception; dumping effect; in vivo aroma release; personalized diets; prebiotic fibres; sweetness perception.