The interaction perception between aroma and oral chewing during food consumption has always been a hot topic in exploring consumers' preferences and purchase desires. A chewing simulation system was set to find out the effect of key saliva components and chewing time on odorants released with grilled eel meat. Odor release did not always enhance with the degree of chewing, or the amount of saliva released. The breaking up of the tissue structure of the fish meat by the teeth encourages the release of odorants and the participation of saliva partially blocks this process. The release of pyrazine, alcohol, and acid compounds in grilled eel meat peaked within 20-60 s after chewing. Sufficient exposure of saliva to grilled eel meat will inhibit aromatic, ketone, ester, hydrocarbon, and sulfur compounds release. 3-methyl-2-butanol contributed to the subtle aroma differences that arise before and after eating grilled eel meat. Naphthalene, 2-acetylthiazole, 2-decenal, 2-undecanone, 5-ethyldihydro-2(3H)-furanone were the main odorants released in large quantities in the early stages of eating grilled eel and affected the top note. Consequently, the results provided the odorants information in aroma perception during grilled eel consumption and benefited the objective evaluation of grilled eel product optimization.
Keywords: aroma components; chewing simulation; interaction; release; saliva.