Summary
Introduction:
This summary will provide an overview of a research article examining the sensory appeal of various e-cigarette flavors to different user groups. The study aims to determine which flavors are attractive to specific user groups by investigating the hedonic assessment of e-liquids with various tobacco and nontobacco flavors, among adolescent nonsmokers, young adult nonsmokers, and adult smokers by smelling. Familiarity, and perceived sweetness, perceived bitterness, overall intensity, and irritation of the e-liquid odors will also be investigated.
Key points:
* The study included 41 adolescent nonsmokers, 42 young adult nonsmokers, and 56 adult smokers.
* Participants smelled and rated 30 e-liquids with various flavors, including tobacco, menthol/mint, nuts, spices, coffee/tea, alcohol, other beverages, fruit (berries), fruit (citrus), fruit (tropical), fruit (other), dessert, candy, candy, other sweets, other flavors, and unflavored.
* The researchers found that sweet and minty flavors were generally liked more than tobacco flavors by all groups.
* The group of tobacco-flavored e-liquids was significantly less disliked by adult smokers compared with adolescent nonsmokers and young adult nonsmokers.
* Liking of e-liquids significantly positively correlated with perceived sweetness and familiarity, and negatively with perceived bitterness, overall intensity, and irritation.
* Sensory ratings of e-liquid flavors did not correlate significantly with participants’ self-reported frequency of eating, drinking, or using a product with the same flavor for any of the attributes.
* Participants were generally unfamiliar with most e-liquid flavors, with the exception of minty flavors, which were rated as significantly more familiar than all other flavors.
Main message:
The study found that sweet and minty e-cigarette flavors were generally liked more than tobacco flavors by adolescent nonsmokers, young adult nonsmokers, and adult smokers. These findings suggest that if regulators decide to ban all e-liquid flavors except tobacco, this will likely reduce e-cigarette appeal for all user groups; potentially more for young nonsmokers than adult smokers. additionally, the study highlights the importance of considering the role of sweetness, familiarity, bitterness, overall intensity, and irritation in the sensory appeal of e-cigarette flavors.
Citation
Krüsemann EJZ, van Tiel L, Pennings JLa, et al. Both Nonsmoking Youth and Smoking adults Like Sweet and Minty E-liquid Flavors More Than Tobacco Flavor. Chemical senses. 2021;46. doi:10.1093/chemse/bjab009
