Fruitology® - Aromatic notes
Aromatic descriptors enable tasters to differentiate and objectively identify the taste characteristics of a product which, in this instance, is a fruit purée.
The perception of an aroma, a basic taste or an odor is subjective and therefore varies as a function of the sensitivity of each person and their experience. Thus, defining these sensations can reduce the differences in interpretation.
Building on the work of a panel of sensory experts, aromatic notes that are specific to the world of fruit
purées were determined and grouped together in families, on aroma wheels.
THE FUNNEL (OR FAMILY) METHOD
When a product is tasted, certain aromatic notes are immediately recognized. It is thus possible to identify these and to name them unambiguously.
When the identification is more confusing, the taster must first recognize to which family the perceived note belongs, such as for example, a floral note.
Having reduced the possible field, the taster will try and determine, among the conceivable options, the note that corresponds most closely to the perception: in the previous example, it might be possible to specify a “rose” note.
The wheel of aromas brings together all of the identifiable descriptors in the world of fruit purées and the family of aromas to which they belong. This wheel is a fundamental tool for the taster.
The recognition of certain notes, such as the example given of the rose, or lemon, are obvious in that these aromas are culturally standardized and frequently encountered.
Other notes are more difficult to identify because the descriptor may be subject to a difference in interpretation depending on the taster. Conceptual nuances are wider. For example, what is meant exactly when we say “milky” or “vegetal”?
The glossary of definitions or aromatic notes is therefore a second indispensable tool for the taster of a fruit purée, who can refer to the list and link it clearly to the concept attributed to each aromatic note.
The wheel of aromas by family of fruits is a third tool, with which the taster can find identifiable aromatic notes in each fruit family: apricot purée belongs to the family of Orchard Fruits, the coconut purée to the Exotic Fruits family.
This tool also enables the taster to concentrate on a narrower aromatic spectrum and to focus more specifically on aromatic notes that are potentially present in the purée being studied.
