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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Can the odours modulate salivation? Impact of the nature of the odorant

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Introduction :Saliva plays numerous roles in the oral cavity, especially in digestion and taste perception. It is well admitted that tastants are effective stimuli of salivation and that the salivary response (flow and composition) depends on the nature of the tastant. However, the impact of odours on salivation is poorly known and not consensual. Odours are the first chemical signal informing about food palatability before ingestion. In this context, it is necessary to understand if the salivary secretions are modulated in function of this sensory signal. The aim of this study is to compare the salivary flow response after stimulation by different odours having different hedonic values.Materials and Methods :Thirty men subjects participated to 3 sessions of total saliva sampling after olfactory stimulation. Four odours were used: strawberry, lemon, bacon, thyme and a control (no odour). Then, five subjects for whom an increase of salivary flow was observed, participated to 3 similar sessions during which parotid salivary flow was measured using a Lashley cup coupled to a flow meter.Results :Results show a significant effect of the odours on the total and parotid salivary flow, the most effective stimuli being lemon and bacon. Correlation between total and parotid saliva flow were observed with an important variability between subjects.Discussion/Conclusion :These results open interesting perspectives about the role of salivary response on food intake anticipation in relation with sensory properties.