The effect of sugars and pectin on flavour release from a soft drink-related model system

Three types of sugar and high-methoxyl pectin at different concentrations were added to a soft drink-related model system consisting of water and six flavour compounds. The addition of these ingredients contributes to changes in viscosity and water activity, which in turn affects the release of the flavour compounds to the gas phase above the soft drink. In the study, a higher concentration of sucrose and invert sugar increased the release of five flavour compounds, probably owing to a so-called “salting-out” effect. Starch syrup at a concentration of 60% increased the amount of three of the flavour compounds released and would probably increase the release of more compounds at a higher concentration. When pectin was added to the system, it was seen that viscosity does not influence release of the flavour molecules, but that the kind of stabiliser used is more important.