Sensory Interactions in Mixtures

Psychological studies have assessed the intensity of simple sensory mixtures, both in taste and olfaction. In taste mixtures, suppression or partial masking among the components is often observed. An analogous result is often found in odor mixtures, counteraction of one component in the presence of a second odor. These effects, particularly taste suppression, are also observed in food systems. Interactions between sensory modalities are far more complex, ranging from inhibition of taste and odor sensations by trigeminal irritation, to relative independence of tastes from odor stimulation and independence of odors from tastes.