Method for assessing aroma component and method for preparing flavor composition

A method for evaluating the influence of aroma components contained in a food or beverage product, which are exhaled from the nose via the posterior nasal cavity when the food or beverage product is consumed, on the aromatic impression, the method comprising the steps of:

• 1) regarding two or more aroma components contained in the food or beverage product, which are exhaled from the nose via the posterior nasal cavity when the food or beverage product is consumed, measuring change in concentration of each aroma component with respect to the number of breaths (t) during a breath cycle and approximating the area under the curve (C) for each number of breaths by a power function represented by the following equation:
• C=a*t−b to calculate the area under the curve per unit amount for the first breath (value a) and the coefficient representing the degree of decay of the area under the curve (value b);
• 2) obtaining the relative magnitude relationship of each of values a and values b of the two or more aroma components obtained in Step 1);
• and
• 3) evaluating the influence of the aroma components contained in the food or beverage product on the aromatic impression, using the magnitude relationship of each of values a and values b of the two or more aroma components obtained in Step 2) as an index that correlates with the magnitude relationship of the extent of the influence on the aromatic impression of the food or beverage product.