Sensory attributes of e-cigarette flavours and nicotine as mediators of interproduct differences in appeal among young adults.

Introduction:
This text provides an analysis of the sensory attributes of e-cigarette flavors and nicotine as mediators of interproduct differences in appeal among young adults. The study aims to estimate the extent to which specific sensory attributes mediate differences in electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) appeal between products in non-tobacco versus tobacco flavors and varying nicotine content in young adults.

Key Points:

* The study used a within-subject design and standardized two-puff e-cigarette doses of different products varying in flavor (fruit, menthol, tobacco) × nicotine (nicotine-containing (6 mg/mL freebase), nicotine-free).
* Participants rated sensory attributes (sweetness, bitterness, smoothness, and harshness) and appeal on 100-unit visual analogue scales after administering each product.
* Sensory ratings were tested as simultaneous mediators of flavour, nicotine, and flavour × nicotine effects on appeal.
* The results showed that sweetness, bitterness, and smoothness mediated interproduct variation in e-cigarette appeal due to various dimensions of product diversity.
* The study also found that bitterness and smoothness may be cross-cutting mediators of interproduct variation in the effects of multiple types of non-tobacco flavors and nicotine on e-cigarette product appeal in young adults.
* The findings suggest that sensory attributes could be common mediators of interproduct differences in e-cigarette appeal due to various dimensions of product diversity.
* The study highlights the importance of sensory perceptions as proxy indicators of the presence of various types of constituents that enhance a product’s appeal.

Main Message:
The study highlights the significance of sensory attributes in mediating interproduct differences in e-cigarette appeal. The findings suggest that sensory perceptions could be useful indicators in premarket regulatory review of new e-cigarette products, including those with novel constituents. The study emphasizes the need for further research to link bitterness, smoothness, and other specific sensory attributes to particular e-cigarette product constituents and elucidate how constituents interact with nicotine and each other to influence sensory perception. The e-cigarette product landscape is continuously evolving, and sensory attributes should continue to be stable foci for tobacco regulatory science and policy.

Leventhal a, Cho J, Barrington-Trimis J, Pang R, Schiff S, Kirkpatrick M. Sensory attributes of e-cigarette flavours and nicotine as mediators of interproduct differences in appeal among young adults. Tobacco control. 2020;29(6):679-686. doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2019-055172