A Novel Temporal Approach to Quantify the Retronasal Contribution to Sweet Taste Perception Using Nose‐Clip Conditions

ABSTRACT This study employed time‐intensity and temporal dominance of sensations analyses to quantify the contribution of the retronasal pathway to sweet perception by comparing the dynamic perception of sucrose and rebaudioside A (Reb A) under conditions with and without a nose‐clip (which physically blocks the retronasal pathway). Results showed that blocking the retronasal pathway significantly reduced both the intensity and duration of sweetness for sucrose and Reb A. Analysis using the newly developed “retro‐taste partition coefficient” revealed distinct temporal patterns of retronasal dependency: Reb A exhibited a higher retronasal contribution in the early phase of perception, whereas sucrose demonstrated a significantly stronger dependency during the later stages. Compared to sucrose, Reb A still shows perceptible gaps in sweetness quality and temporal profile. Furthermore, Reb A elicited pronounced bitterness and astringency, which became more pronounced during the later stages of perception when the retronasal pathway was blocked. This study highlights the critical role of the retronasal pathway in sweet perception and provides a temporal‐dynamic analytical framework along with quantitative tools for the sensory optimization of sweetener formulations.