UC San Diego

Taste-taste and flavor-taste interactions (suppression) in caffeine-sucrose and coffee-sucrose mixtures were determined. Similar interactions for both types of mixtures showed an extended hypoadditivity effect for overall taste or flavor intensity (percentage of suppression about 30-40%). Furthermore, mutual suppression among the components has been determined. Firstly, the physical intensity of the suppressive component controls the amount of suppression of the other component. Thus, the suppression of bitterness and coffee flavor qualities increase when sucrose levels increase, and similarly, the suppression of sweetness increases when caffeine or coffee levels rise. Secondly, the magnitude of suppression depends upon the quality of the suppressive component. Comparisons of the reciprocal actions were made at similar subjective intensities of the mixture's constituents in isolation. The results showed that, at similar perceived intensities, caffeine bitterness or coffee flavor were suppressed by sucrose but sweetness was not affected by caffeine or coffee.