de Graaf C, Polet P, van Staveren W A
Department of Human Nutrition, Agricultural University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
J Gerontol. 1994 May;49(3):P93-9. doi: 10.1093/geronj/49.3.p93.
This study was designed to determine the perceived intensity and pleasantness of different food flavors. A group of 32 young subjects (mean age: 22, range 20-25) and 23 elderly subjects (mean age: 76, range 72-82) judged the intensity and the pleasantness of five series of food flavors, each with five geometrically spaced concentration levels: (a) bouillon flavor in water, (b) tomato juice flavor in water, (c) orange juice flavor in water, (d) strawberry flavor in yogurt, and (e) sugar in unsweetened yogurt. On average, the elderly subjects had lower perceived intensities for the highest concentrations of the series of bouillon, tomato juice, strawberry flavor in yogurt, and sugar in yogurt, whereas the average responses to the lowest concentrations were almost equal. The slope of the psychophysical function for the orange juice flavor was equal for the group of young and elderly subjects. Optimal preferred concentrations were higher for the elderly than for the young subjects in the cases of bouillon, tomato juice and orange flavor. Optimal concentrations for strawberry flavor and sugar in yogurt were about equal. It was found that there are considerable differences between young and elderly subjects in the sensory perception and pleasantness of food flavors. Changes with age in functions relating (a) concentration with perceived intensity (psychophysical), (b) concentration with pleasantness, and (c) perceived intensity with pleasantness were specific for the different flavor qualities.
本研究旨在确定不同食物风味的感知强度和愉悦度。一组32名年轻受试者（平均年龄：22岁，范围20 - 25岁）和23名老年受试者（平均年龄：76岁，范围72 - 82岁）对五组食物风味的强度和愉悦度进行了评判，每组风味有五个几何级数间隔的浓度水平：（a）水中的肉汤风味，（b）水中的番茄汁风味，（c）水中的橙汁风味，（d）酸奶中的草莓风味，以及（e）无糖酸奶中的糖。平均而言，老年受试者对肉汤、番茄汁、酸奶中草莓风味和酸奶中糖的最高浓度的感知强度较低，而对最低浓度的平均反应几乎相等。年轻和老年受试者组对橙汁风味的心理物理函数斜率相等。在肉汤、番茄汁和橙汁风味的情况下，老年受试者的最佳偏好浓度高于年轻受试者。酸奶中草莓风味和糖的最佳浓度大致相等。研究发现，年轻和老年受试者在食物风味的感官感知和愉悦度方面存在相当大的差异。与年龄相关的（a）浓度与感知强度（心理物理）、（b）浓度与愉悦度以及（c）感知强度与愉悦度之间的函数变化因不同的风味品质而异。
