Evaluation of the Palatability of Dry Syrups and the Bitterness Intensities of Dry Syrups Mixed with Various Beverages

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the palatability of dry syrups for pediatric use by human gustatory sensation testing and the artificial taste sensor. The bitterness intensities of dry syrups mixed with various beverages were also evaluated using the taste sensor. Twenty dry-syrup formulations of antibacterial and anti-allergic drugs containing bitter active ingredients, frequently used in pediatric medicine in Japan, were selected for testing. The main factors influencing palatability were determined by factor analysis of data from human gustatory sensation testing using the semantic differential method. It was shown that the bitterness intensity of dry syrups in water could be predicted by the artificial taste sensor. The influence of different beverages (orange juice, milk or cocoa) mixed with the dry syrups was evaluated using the artificial taste sensor. Taste and texture were found to be the principal factors influencing the palatability of dry syrups. While the bitterness intensities of some dry syrups were increased by mixing with orange juice, the bitterness intensities of most dry syrups were decreased by mixing with milk or cocoa. This suggests that one or more constituents of milk or cocoa may reduce the bitterness intensities of dry syrups.