Characterizing the Relative Sweetness and Aroma of Honey

Presenter(s)

Anna Wagner

Abstract or Description

Honey is a natural sweetener composed of water, sugars, organic acids, and aroma compounds; the precise composition varies by floral source. The intensity of honey's sweetness relative to sugar and the impact of honey aroma on its sweetness has not been quantified. This project had two aims: to quantify the relative sweetness of honey and to quantify the impact of total aroma on honey sweetness. The end goal of both aims was to create dose-response curves for sugar and honey, that showcase their relative sweetness as a function of sweetener concentration. Five different sweeteners were tested, sucrose and four varieties of honey: Wildflower, Orange Blossom, Clover, and Alfalfa. There were six concentrations of each sweetener diluted in water ranging from 12.5 - 125 g/L. Qualified subjects were presented with each set of diluted sweeteners in a randomized order and asked to rate the sweetness intensity on a Global Sensory Intensity Scale; each set was presented in replicate. The methods for aim 2 were the same as above, except the subjects wore a nose clip while tasting the samples to prevent any of the aromas from impacting the subjects' ratings. The goal was to measure how much of the sweetness came from taste and how much was from the aroma compounds present. There were 7 sessions: 1 for training, 3 for unpinched-nose ratings, and 3 for pinched-nose ratings. Data was analyzed using ANOVA and a post-hoc means separation test dictating if honey was significantly sweeter than sugar and at which concentrations.

Mentor

Hannah Mulheron, Dr. Emily Mayhew