Differences in the effect of bolus weight on flavor release into the breath between low-fat and high-fat products.

The maximum intensity of flavor release increased as the weight of food introduced into the mouth (the bolus) was increased for a range of different foods. The relationship was not directly proportional (1:1) but followeda power law function. Low-fat (≤1 g/100 g) foods showed a different relationship than high-fat (≥5 g/100 g) foods, but all low-fat and all high-fat foods were broadly similar irrespective of food type or flavor molecule chemistry. For low-fat foods the intensity of flavor release increased with increasing bolus weight to a greater extent than high-fat foods. This may be associated with the capacity of fat to selectively adhere to the surfaces of the oral cavity, thereby changing the effective surface area for the release of lipophilic flavors.