Summary
Introduction:
This text is a summary of a scientific study examining the impact of nicotine and flavoring on the sensory perception of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) aerosol. The study investigates the perceptual interaction between cherry flavoring and nicotine and how it modulates the appeal of e-liquids. The study uses established psychophysical methods to measure aspects of e-cigarette aerosol perception.
Key Points:
* The study used 19 current e-cigarette users as subjects.
* Subjects vaped six commercially available e-liquids with varying nicotine and cherry flavor concentrations.
* Subjects rated the overall liking/disliking of the aerosol and perceived intensities of sweetness, bitterness, harshness, and cherry flavor using established psychophysical scales.
* The main findings were that nicotine increased perceived irritation and bitterness, and decreased perceived sweetness of the aerosol.
* Cherry flavoring added a characteristic "cherry flavor" and increased the perceived intensities of sweetness, harshness, and bitterness.
* hedonic ratings of the aerosol decreased as nicotine level increased, but were not affected by flavor level.
* The study suggests that nicotine decreases the sensory appeal of e-cigarettes and that the perception of specific sensory attributes and overall appeal are affected by e-liquid constituents.
Main Message:
The study highlights the importance of understanding the sensory perception of e-cigarette aerosol and how it is affected by e-liquid constituents. The findings suggest that nicotine decreases the sensory appeal of e-cigarettes, while sweet flavoring improves liking. These data have implications for the role that nicotine plays in the sensory perception and appeal of e-cigarettes and further how these sensory factors can be modulated by sweet flavoring. The study also emphasizes the need for further research into the impact of flavors on e-cigarette use, uptake, and continued use.
Citation
Pullicin aJ, Kim h, Brinkman MC, Buehler SS, Clark PI, Lim J. Impacts of Nicotine and Flavoring on the Sensory Perception of E-Cigarette aerosol. Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. 2020;22(5):806-813. doi:10.1093/ntr/ntz058
