Homovanillinic acid ester, in particular for creating a warm and/or pungent sensation

A method for imparting a warm and/or pungent taste sensation, the method comprising:

• adding 5 to 1,000 mg/kg of one or more compounds of formula (I), or physiologically acceptable salt thereof, to a preparation that comes into contact with an oral cavity, wherein the compounds of formula (I) are represented by the following structure:
• wherein
• (i) R1 and R2 represent, independently of each other, a hydrogen atom or an alkyl residue with 1-2 carbon atoms, and
• R3 and R4 represent, independently of each other, a hydrogen atom or a linear or branched alkyl residue with 1 to 5 carbon atoms, a phenyl residue, an alkylphenyl residue or a phenylalkyl residue or a linear or branched alkenyl residue with 2 to 4 carbon atoms or an alkenylphenyl residue or a phenylalkenyl residue;
• or
• (ii) R1 and R3 along with the carbon atoms linking them form a cyclohexyl ring,
• R2 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl residue with 1-2 carbon atoms,
• R4 represents a hydrogen atom or a linear or branched alkyl residue with 1 to 5 carbon atoms, a phenyl residue, an alkylphenyl residue or a phenylalkyl residue or a linear or branched alkenyl residue with 2 to 4 carbon atoms or an alkenylphenyl residue or a phenylalkenyl residue,
• wherein the one or more compounds in accordance with formula I being one or several different compounds of formula (I), and/or physiologically acceptable salts thereof, where the phenolic hydroxy group in formula (I) is deprotonated, respectively.