The Sensory Difference Threshold of Menthol Odor in Flavored Tobacco Determined by Combining Sensory and Chemical Analysis

Cigarettes are an often-used consumer product, and flavor is an important determinant of their product appeal. Cigarettes with strong nontobacco flavors are popular among young people, and may facilitate smoking initiation. Discriminating flavors in tobacco is important for regulation purposes, for instance to set upper limits to the levels of important flavor additives. We provide a simple and fast method to determine the human odor difference threshold for flavor additives in a tobacco matrix, using a combination of chemical and sensory analysis. For an example, the human difference threshold for menthol odor, one of the most frequently used tobacco flavors, was determined. A consumer panel consisting of 20 women compared different concentrations of menthol-flavored tobacco to unflavored cigarette tobacco using the 2-alternative forced choice method. Components contributing to menthol odor were quantified using headspace GC-MS. The sensory difference threshold of menthol odor corresponded to a mixture of 43 (37–50)% menthol-flavored tobacco, containing 1.8 (1.6–2.1) mg menthol, 2.7 (2.3–3.1) µg menthone, and 1.0 (0.9–1.2) µg neomenthyl acetate per gram of tobacco. Such a method is important in the context of the European Tobacco Product Directive, and the US Food and Drug Administration Tobacco Control Act, that both prohibit cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco with a characterizing flavor other than tobacco. Our method can also be adapted for matrices other than tobacco, such as food.