Patent Application
20150351436
This Invention relates to food, and more particularly to affecting enjoyment of food by providing an increased enjoyment of food, a decreased enjoyment of food, or a virtual reality enjoyment of food.
Enhanced enjoyment of food by the addition of flavors or aroma to food or to the packaging for the food is known.
One such category is where a food is provided with a separate scent or aroma where the consumer adds the scent or aroma directly into the food itself. In this category there is a separate aroma or scent package that is opened and then a scent containing compound is added to the food prior to or during the process of ingestion. There is one scent containing compound and it is added directly into the food or beverage being consumed or it is added to the container from which the food is being ingested. This allows for the scent or aroma to be appreciated during consumption. The consumer can choose the scent they want to use.
Another category is a food where the scent or aroma is incorporated into the packaging or utensil for the food so that it provides scent when the package or utensil is near the mouth and nose.
A third category is a food which is packaged with one or more flavors that is separate from the food. The flavors are chosen by the consumer and added to the food. In this group consumers just add separate flavors directly to the food or beverage that they are consuming.
Therefore it can be seen that the prior art consists of adding a flavor or aroma directly to food by either mixing it directly into that food or incorporating it into the packaging or utensils used in consumption of the food.
An object of the present Invention is to provide a scent to a person where the scent is provided by a scent delivery device which is independent and separate from the food, the packaging for the food or a utensil for the food so as to affect enjoyment of the food. Specifically, the effect is an increased enjoyment of food, a decreased enjoyment of food, or a virtual reality enjoyment of food.
The term food also means foodstuff, and includes any substance intended to be or reasonably expected to be ingested by humans. Food includes drinks, beverages, chewing gum, candy and other edibles. It does not include animal feed, live animals, plants prior to harvest, cosmetics, tobacco products nor narcotics.
Increased enjoyment of food in accordance with the present Invention is accomplished by providing a food to the consumer and delivering a scent to the consumer with the scent delivery device. The scent enhances, emulates, modulates or alters the perceived flavor of the food. The perceived flavor can be modified by providing a flavor different than the food. For example, the consumer is provided chocolate ice cream and a peppermint scent is delivered. This simulates the eating of peppermint chocolate ice cream. The perceived flavor of the food can be emulated by providing a low quality meat food and delivering a high quality meat scent. This simulates the eating of high quality meat. The scent can be enhanced by increasing the amount of scent associated with the food to increase the desire to eat the food and thus be used to treat anorexic individuals.
Decreased enjoyment of food in accordance with the present Invention is accomplished by providing a food to the consumer and delivering a scent that has no relationship or association with the food. This diminishes the flavor of the food which, in turn, decreases the enjoyment and consumption of the food. This can be used to treat obese individuals.
Virtual reality enjoyment of food in accordance with the present Invention is accomplished by providing no foods to the user and delivering a scent associated with a food so as to provide a virtual reality experience of consuming a food.
A scent delivery device means any dedicated device intended for providing one or more scents to a person simultaneously or in sequence in a way that is controllable by the person using that device. The scent delivery device is a dedicated device in that can deliver scent without the collaboration of any other processes. More specifically, the device delivers scent without the scent being added to the food or added to the utensils used to consume the food or the packaging used to store the food.
Increased enjoyment or the virtual reality enjoyment of food can be further enhanced by providing a tastant of the food to the user. A tastant is defined in Stedman's Medical Dictionary as: “any chemical that stimulates the sensory cells in a taste bud. Taste buds contain the receptors for taste. They are located around the small structures on the upper surface of the tongue, soft palate, upper esophagus and epiglottis, which are called papillae. These structures are involved in detecting the five (known) elements of taste perception: salty, sour, bitter, sweet, and umami.” It is the gustatory (appreciated by the tongue) equivalent of a scent molecule which stimulates the olfactory bulb. Taste is the result of the combination of the effect of tastants and scent molecules.
In general all taste is the result of two components. One component stimulates the taste buds on the tongue. It turns out that there are only 5 tastes that the tongue can appreciate: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami (a taste identified by the Japanese). The rest of taste is actually mediated by the olfactory receptors. When food is chewed aliphatic and aromatic compounds are released at the posterior pharynx. These volatile compounds diffuse up the nasopharynx and stimulate receptors in the olfactory bulb.
Thus, all foods can be deconstructed into the taste bud components and the olfactory components. Additionally, the magnitude of taste bud components of sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami can be determined. Then the component in the food which rise up to stimulate the olfactory bulb can be determined.
It is the olfactory component that is the focus of the scent delivery device of the present Invention.
The present Invention also allows food to be presented to the consumer in an entirely new way. That is foods can be packaged so as to provide texture and the requisite taste bud component of sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami. The rest of the food delivery can occur with a separate scent delivery device in accordance with the present Invention. The same populations of aromatic, aliphatic and other volatile components which diffuse up the posterior naxopharynx can now be delivered with an external scent delivery device. This process broadly widens the ability and flexibility to provide flavor and taste by the food producer.
Specifically, food substitutes can be employed using the present Invention wherein the aroma is provided to effect the enjoyment of the food substitute. Food substitutes are typically food that has been depleted of unwanted elements such as fat, sugar and salt. Ingesting them by using the scent delivery device of the present Invention with or without possible tastants to emulate the taste of the original food allows for an inexpensive and healthful way of ingesting food while avoiding unwanted elements such as fat, sugar, and salt, etc.
Preferably food substitutes are other foodstuffs. These food stuffs will have similar texture and mechanical properties of the food it is substituting for but have much fewer calories, fat, sugar and any other constituents which are to be avoided for health or other dietary reasons. This does not preclude the use of non food substitutes which would also have food like textures and mechanical properties such as a synthetic cellulosic noodle which would have the firmness and flexibility like pasta but would be completely indigestible. For example “Olean” a fat substitute made by Proctor and Gamble has the mouth feel of oil but it is completely nondigestble.
Four Examples of food substitutes are:
1) Seitan: Made from Wheat gluten. Recipe widely available. Used as meat substitute. Contains almost no fat and no cholesterol.
2) Soft Tofu Can be used as egg substitute, as a sauce base.
3) Very low calorie bread made with a high percentage of flax fiber which can make bread like texture but is very low in calories. An example is Earth Grains Bread, 35 Reduced Caloric.
Ingredients:
Enriched Bleached Flour [Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid], Water, Wheat Gluten, Cellulose, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Yeast.
Contains 2% Or Less of Each of The Following: Whole Wheat Flour, Salt, Wheat Bran, Yeast Nutrients (Monocalcium Phosphate, Calcium Sulfate, Ammonium Sulfate), Dough Conditioners (May Contain One Or More of The Following: Mono- and Diglycerides, Ethoxylated Mono- and Diglycerides, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Ascorbic Acid, Azodicarbonamide, Enzymes), Corn Starch, Calcium Propionate (Preservative), Distilled Vinegar, Caramel Color, Soy Lecithin, Soy Flour. Contains Wheat and Soy.
4) Shirataki, very low carbohydrate, low calorie, thin, translucent, gelatinous traditional Japanese noodles made from devil's tongue yam (elephant yam or the konjac yam). The word “shirataki” means “white waterfall”, describing the appearance of these noodles.
Largely composed of water and glucomannan, a water-soluble dietary fiber, they have little flavor of their own.
The Invention can be defined by one or more of the following items.
1. A method for affecting enjoyment of food, comprising:
providing a scent delivery device to a user; and
delivering a scent to the user to affect the enjoyment of the food.
2. The method of item 1, wherein
the effect is an increased enjoyment, a decreased enjoyment or a virtual reality enjoyment of the food.
3. The method of item 2, wherein
the effect is increased enjoyment of the food; and
the method further comprises:
providing a food to the user; and
delivering the scent to the user while the user consumes the food.
4. The method of item 3, wherein
the scent is associated with the food to cause increased consumption of the food by the user.
5. The method of item 3, wherein
the scent is different than the food thereby changing the perception of the user of the food being consumed by the user.
6. The method of item 2, wherein
the effect is decreased enjoyment of the food; and
the method further comprises:
providing a food to the user; and
delivering a scent not associated with the food to cause decreased consumption of the food by the user.
7. The method of item 1, wherein
the effect is increased enjoyment or decreased enjoyment; and the method further comprises:
providing a food to the user;
delivering a scent from the scent delivery device to the user before providing the food to the user; and
continuing to deliver scent from the scent delivery device to the user after the food is provided to the user and during the consumption of the food by the user.
8. The method of item 1, wherein
two or more scents are delivered to the user by the scent delivery device.
9. The method of item 1, wherein
the two or more scents are delivered either simultaneously or sequentially.
10. The method of item 2, wherein
the effect is a virtual reality enjoyment of the food; and
the method further comprises:
not providing a food to the user; and
delivering a scent which is associated with the food while not providing the food to the user such that the user has the virtual reality of consuming the food without actually consuming the food.
11. The method of item 3, further comprising:
providing a tastant of the food to the user for adding to the food during consumption of the food by the user.
12. The method of item 10, further comprising:
delivering a tastant of the food to the user simultaneously with delivering a scent from the delivery device to the user.
13. The method of item 12, wherein
the tastant is delivered to the mouth of the user by a taste strip or microcapsule.
14. A method for providing a food substitute comprising:
providing a food substitute to a user;
consuming the food substitute by the user; and
delivering a scent to the user to increase enjoyment of the food substitute by the user.
15. The method of item 1, wherein
the food is candy.
16. The method of item 1, wherein
the food is a beverage.
17. The method of item 15, wherein
the candy is chocolate.
Any scent delivery device can be used in the present invention. Such a device provides scent to the user so as to carry out the present invention. For example, air freshening devices are sold commercially which provide scented air. These devices often have heaters and fans to help deliver the scent. Examples of such scent delivery devices are sold under the Trademarks GLADE by S. W. Johnson Company; FEBREEZE Set and Refresh by The Proctor and Gamble Company; and AIR WICK by Reckitt and Colman. Such devices set in close proximity to the user can be employed to carry out the present invention.
Suitable scent delivery devices for use in the present Invention are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,803,987; 7,203,417; 7,036,502; and 7,376,344. These devices provide scent to a person and have the ability to provide multiple scents both simultaneously and sequentially. The contents of these U.S. patents are incorporated herein by reference.
It is important to tightly close flap 12 in order to facilitate the tight closing, a spring and/or piston can be employed. If flap 12 is not tightly closed, scent can escape.
It will be appreciated that dial 8 can be replaced with an electrical motor, associated sensors and a microcontroller to facilitate movement of the belt. Push button 10 and its associated mechanism can likewise be driven by an electrical motor, microcontroller and sensors.
As shown in
In the embodiment that employ a moving belt or moving disc to open and close the scent containers, sensors are employed to provide feedback as to the location of the scent containers to allow the processor to control the placement and to know the location of the scent container.
As shown in
The head set can include a tastant supplier to supply a tastant separately from the scent. For example, the tastant supplier includes a tastant container and a nozzle for delivering a solution of the tastant. The solution of the tastant can be sprayed from the nozzle to a consumer's mouth or directly supplied to a consumer's mouth. The nozzle for tastant is separate from the nozzle for scent.
A fan and/or heater can be used in association with the scent delivery device to create a current of air directed towards the nose or face of the user and thereby assist in the diffusion of an aroma component to the nose. Suitable fans include blowers, centrifugal or axle fans. Such fans are conventional fans which are small in size. One such fan measures 1½ inches×1½ inches by 1 inch (4×4×2.5 cm) and moves 7 cubic feet of air per minute. Heater can be selected from conventional heaters which are small in size. Heater can heat the air flow from the fan and/or a container of an aroma component to deliver the scent.
In another embodiment, the scent delivery device can include a spray or an atomizer as the scent supplier to deliver an aroma component. For example, an aroma component which is susceptible to heat can be delivered with the spray without heating.
The time period of air flow from the scent delivery device can be controlled. In one embodiment, a consumer can turn on a blower to deliver the scent at the beginning of meal and turn off the blower at the end of meal. In another embodiment, the device can include a motion sensor which can detect a consumer's movement of chewing or drinking, and control the air flow so as to deliver the scent only when a food or beverage is in the consumer's mouth.
The air flow rate can be controlled. In one embodiment, a consumer can adjust the air flow with a potentiometer of the scent delivery device. In another embodiment, the device can include a motion sensor which can detect at least two types of consumer's movements, one of which increases the flow rate and another of which decreases. For example, when using the scent delivery device which is a head set, a motion sensor can detect a nod to increase the flow rate, and inclining the consumer's head decreases the flow rate.
The present Invention can work well when the scent delivery device is at a distance of less than or equal to about 30 inches (75 cm) from the user.
The processor and the battery for the device of the present Invention can be made internal or external to the device. For example, they are housed and connected by conventional wires to the device.
In one embodiment, scents that are suitable depend on the food and the desired effect. For example, a flavorist or flavor chemist can prepare or choose a scent component which is suitable to each food. The flavorist is a person skilled in the field of scent for foods. In another embodiment, a consumer can choose his or her favorite or desirable scent when consuming a food.
The scent employed to increase enjoyment is a scent that reinforces the flavor of the food. For example, when consuming vanilla ice cream, the delivered scent can be vanilla. The consumer can enjoy the ice cream more with the reinforced flavor of vanilla.
To increase enjoyment of foods, the scent can also change the flavor of food. For example, peppermint scent is provided to the consumer during the consumption of chocolate ice cream to provide the consumer with the sensation/perception of eating mint chocolate ice cream. The consumer can firstly enjoy the chocolate ice cream without the peppermint scent and then use the peppermint scent to change the flavor of the chocolate ice cream. By doing so, the consumer can enjoy two types of flavors by just adding the peppermint scent.
The effect can be an increased enjoyment of food where the scent provides flavor to the food. For example, a peppermint scent is provided when eating an ice cream with no flavor.
In all cases of increased enjoyment, the scent delivered is a scent which is associated with or conventionally used for or with food. Thus, the scent is one normally associated with food. For example, the scent of leather, although appealing, is not a scent which is delivered in accordance with the present Invention for increased enjoyment of food.
However, a new flavor that was not found in a preexisting food or beverage can be used. Here, the scent molecules delivered during consumption of the food have never been associated with that food before. This therefore provides for the creation of new flavors that are novel and not known to those experienced in the culinary arts or flavor production. For example, the smell of red pepper can be provided with plain ice cream to provide a new ice cream flavor.
Any conventional scent or aroma component can be used and such are conventionally available. Natural aroma component, artificial aroma component, or their combination can be used.
The natural aroma component can be isolated or extracted from natural source such as animals and plants including fruits, vegetables, oil, flowers, beans, herbs, spices, dairies, and microorganism. The isolation and extraction of the natural aroma component can be performed by any conventional method such as distillation, liquid extraction, and gas extraction.
The artificial aroma component can be a synthetic compound which is chemically identical to one found in nature or a compound which is not found in nature. The artificial aroma component can be prepared by any conventional synthetic or enzymatic reaction. Examples of the aroma compounds include, but not limited to, carbonyl compounds, pyranones, furanones, thiols, thioethers, disulfides, trisulfides, pyrroles, pyridines, pyrazines, amines, phenols, alcohols, hydrocarbons, esters, lactones, and terpenes.
The aroma compounds described in H.-D. Belitz, et al, Food Chemistry, Springer 2009 and W. Grosch, Chem. Sences 26; 533-545, 2001 can be used in this Invention. Also, the method of preparing aroma compounds in these articles can be used. The contents of these articles are incorporated herein by reference.
For the effect of virtual reality enjoyment of food, the same scents as used for increased enjoyment of food are used. Thus, scents conventionally associated with food are used for virtual reality enjoyment of food.
For decreased enjoyment of food, a scent is employed which is not normally associated with food. The scent need not be offensive to the user for decreased enjoyment of the food. For example, the smell of leather can be used. Although the smell of leather is not offensive, it decreases enjoyment of food. This decreased enjoyment can result in a decreased consumption and thus be used to treat obesity.
The aroma compounds can be used in this Invention as a solution of, for example, water, alcohol, oil, or other acceptable organic solvents. The solution can be an essential oil or absolute oil. Also, for example, ethanol, triethyl citrate, dipropylene glycol, and benzyl benzoate can be used as a solvent.
The solution of the aroma compounds can be used at any suitable concentration. However, the concentration is at least odor threshold which is the lowest concentration of an aroma compound that is just enough for the recognition of the scent of the compound. The threshold concentration depends on each compound's volatility, which is effected by both temperature and medium. Also, each consumer's sensitivity can affect the threshold concentration.
The aroma component is provided independent of the comestible. Suitably, in a separate package from the comestible or sold totally independent of the comestible.
The amount of scent delivered depends on the volume of space that needs to be filled in order for a consumer to perceive the scent. If the scent is delivered through a nasal tube, a low volume of scent is needed because the scent is delivered directly to the nose. If the scent is delivered by a device with scent outlet spaced two feet from the consumer, then a larger volume of scent is needed for the consumer to perceive the scent.
The amount of scent is also dependent upon the consumer. Different people have different sensitivities to scent. Thus, the amount of peppermint scent delivered to one person to perceive mint chocolate ice cream when eating chocolate ice cream can be different than another person's need for the amount of peppermint scent to obtain the same perception.
Thus, the device for delivering the scent is adjustable or controllable for the amount of scent to be delivered. Since the scent is delivered through a flow of air, the volume of scented air outputted by the device is controlled to control the amount of scented air delivered to the consumer. Also, the intensity of scent may be inversely related to the air flow rate. The flow rate can be adjusted by a consumer for the desired effect.
Also, the amount of scent from the aroma component can be adjusted by controlling the temperature of the aroma component. The higher the temperature is, the more aroma component volatilizes. In order to control the temperature of the aroma component, the scent delivery device can include a heater for the aroma component.
Most aroma components have a maximum amount that can be suspended in air and this saturation point is dependent upon the moisture content and temperatures of the air. Generally, moist, hot air (75% humidity, 75° F.) holds more scent than dry, cold air (10% humidity, 32° F.). The device can add both heat and moisture to the air to increase the concentration of scent in the air flow. Thus, the device can be adjustable not only for the volume of air outputted, but also for the temperature and humidity of the air.
The humidity and temperature of the air outputted by the device is accomplished in a conventional manner, such as adding a heater to the device and a source of water, similar to a humidifier.
The tastant is a component for a consumer to perceive sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami, or a combination of two or more of these tastes. The tastant for sweet can be any conventional sweetener such as sugar, sugar alcohol, stevia, and artificial sweetener including aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, and saccharin. The tastant for sour can be any conventional edible acid such as acetic acid, citric acid, succinic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, gluconic acid, and phosphoric acid. The tastant for salty can be sodium chloride. The tastant for bitter can be selected from conventional food additives for bitter such as caffeine, spice, and naringin. The tastant for umami can be any conventional food additive for umami such as glutamate, and guanylate, inosinate.
The amount and type of tastant will depend on the level of taste and the volume of the food being consumed. The amount and type of tastant can be determined by each consumer.
Alternatively, for example, an electronic tongue can be used as described in Latha et al., J. Adv. Pharm. Technol. Res. 2012 January-March; 3(1):3-8, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. The addition is preferably controlled by the user by providing a separate package of the tastant with the food.
The deconstruction of a food into a taste bud component and an olfactory component is done in a conventional manner using conventional equipment. This separated olfactory component can be used as the scent to increase enjoyment of food or provide virtual reality enjoyment of food.
Below are some suggested scents and foods which can be used together to either increase enjoyment or decrease enjoyment of food. This list is not exhaustive but is exemplary.
These and other aspects of the present Invention may be more fully understood by reference to one or more of the following examples.
This is an example of increased enjoyment of food in accordance with the present Invention.
Consumers were given plain chocolate to taste. They then were given the chocolate to consume again but this time the scent of peppermint was delivered to their noses while they ate the chocolate. They experienced this process as if they were consuming mint chocolate.
This is another example of increased enjoyment of food in accordance with the present Invention.
Consumers were given plain salted popcorn to consume. It had a light spray of a neutral oil (e.g. canola) to approximate the “feel” of butter in their mouth, but there was no butter taste. They then consumed the same popcorn a second time, however, the second time the scent of butter was delivered to their nose while they were eating the popcorn. They experienced this process as if they were actually eating buttered popcorn.
In this example, the tastant added will also enhance the enjoyment of the popcorn. The tastant can be the sweet, or sour, or salty component of the butter or a combination of two or more of these tastants.
This is yet another example of increased enjoyment of food in accordance with the present Invention.
Salad is served with a “generic dressing”. The generic dressing had a little bit of oil, some salt and a little vinegar.
The scent of garlic is delivered while salad and generic dressing is being eaten. The dressing tasted like Caesar dressing.
Next day the consumer used the same salad and generic dressing and with a different scent, ranch. The consumer perceives they are eating salad with ranch dressing.
This same procedure can be followed such that each day the generic dressing is used but a different scent is employed to make the consumer perceive they are eating a different salad dressing. For example, the scents can be honey mustard one day and raspberry another day.
This is still a further example of the increased enjoyment of food in accordance with the present Invention.
A food's flavor can be easily altered by changing its smell while keeping its taste similar. This is exemplified in artificially flavored jellies, soft drinks and candies, which, while made of bases with a similar taste, have dramatically different flavors due to the use of different scents or fragrances. Dazzling results can be achieved by providing a consumer with a candies which all have the same base (taste components). When the candy is placed in the mouth a whole variety of different flavors is achieved by delivering different scent mixtures which correspond to the aromatic compounds in those different flavors. In other words one can quickly change from grape to cherry to banana by just using a scent delivery device to deliver different combinations of scents.
It will be understood that the claims are intended to cover all changes and modifications of the preferred embodiments of the Invention herein chosen for the purpose of illustration which do not constitute a departure from the spirit and scope of the Invention.
