LC Taste^® as a tool for the identification of taste modulating compounds from traditional African teas

Taste modulating compounds are an important topic for the food industry. However, the identification of such compounds is difficult, time-consuming and laborious. To accelerate this process, a novel method was developed combining the separation of complex matrices by High Temperature Liquid Chromatography with sensory analysis. Based on this so-called LC Taste^® approach, protocols for taste dilution analysis (TDA) and for the identification of taste modulating compounds were developed. Both methods were applied to extracts from Yerba Santa (Eriodicyton angustifolium) and two traditional African teas, honeybush tea (Cyclopia intermedia) and rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis), to evaluate their taste modulating potential. Homoeriodictyol (1) and hesperetin (3) were identified as main taste modulating principles in Yerba Santa and honeybush, whereas no activity was detected for the supposed sweet compound, aspalathin (7) in rooibos tea.