Neohesperidin dihydrochalcone is not a taste enhancer in aqueous sucrase solutions

Neohesperidin dihydrochalcone (NHDC) is an intensive sweetener, obtained by alkaline hydrogenation of neohesperidin. In this investigation a supposed taste enhancing effect of this substance was tested. A three-step procedure was used. In the first experiment, using a pool of 31 subjects, NHDC and s ucrose detection thresholds were measured. In the second experiment, psycho physical functions for both tastants were determined. Then, 15 participants closest to the group threshold who, in addition, had produced monotonic ps ychophysical taste functions were selected to participate in the next two e xperiments. In the third experiment, taste enhancement was tested. Three ps ychophysical sucrose functions were constructed, one with a near-threshold amount of NHDC added to each of seven sucrose concentrations, one with a ne ar-threshold amount of sucrose added (control 1) and one without any additi on (control 2). No difference was found between the NHDC-enriched sucrose f unction and the sucrose-enriched sucrose function. Finally, in experiment 4 , differential threshold functions were constructed with either NHDC or suc rose added. Neither the overall shape of the functions nor a comparison of the points of subjective equality showed enhancement. It was concluded that weak NHDC does not enhance the taste of aqueous sucrose solutions.