## 1 Introduction  
The relationship between sensory attributes and consumer acceptance has received great attention [1; 2; 3]. The major sensory properties of a food product (appearance, aroma, texture, taste, and irritation) are perceived by the basic human senses [4; 5; 3]. The sensory experience of eating greatly influences food intake control [1; 2; 3; 4]. Sour, salty, sweet, and bitter are usually considered the basic taste modalities [2; 4]. Food flavor is perceived through a combination of gustatory, olfactory, and trigeminal stimuli and the nose provides 80-90% of the food taste quality [2; 4]. In addition to the sensory characteristics of the product, consumers' responses to food are also related to other factors such as experience, attitudes and beliefs, and physiological status [3]. One of the physiological factors that affect eating behavior is the decline in olfactory and gustatory function [6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11]. Hyposmia is considered a quantitative olfactory deficit indicating a reduced sense of smell [12]. The olfactory function has a crucial role in human life for avoiding potentially dangerous compounds and for the food taste quality detection and evaluation [13]. A deficit in olfactory function greatly affects food perception and subjects with hyposmia showed a decreased flavor perceptive capacity and food enjoyment, and increased difficulties in detecting spoiled and rotting foods [6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 13; 14]. Moreover, changes in dietary behavior (weight gain or loss), problems in personal hygiene, low quality of life, and an increased risk of depression and anxiety have been reported in subjects with olfactory impairment [6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 13; 14]. Hypogeusia is a quantitative gustatory deficit which may induce sufficient discomfort and possible effects on health [15]. Patients with gustatory deficits may exhibit changes in eating habits with appetite loss and malnutrition [9; 15]. Decreased gustatory function has been associated with an enhancement in fat intake, body weight, blood pressure, total cholesterol, and an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases [9]. Smell and taste dysfunctions limit an individual's liking for food and beverages, therefore augmented use of salt, sweeteners, fats, and spices is common in consumers with olfactory or gustatory impairments to compensate for their dysfunctions through activation of the gustatory and trigeminal pathways and induction of a hedonic gratification [6; 10; 13; 16; 17]. Intensification of flavor with flavor enhancers and herbs/spices has been indicated as a strategy to ameliorate the perception of aroma/taste and acceptance of food/beverage in consumers with sensory-compromised situations [16]. Aromatic herbs and spices represent an important dietary source of chemical compounds (proteins, fibers, vitamins, minerals, phenolic compounds, essential oils) characterized by nutritional and/or nutraceutical properties, with beneficial effects in the prevention of several pathological conditions (inflammation, oxidative stress conditions, cancer, and cardiovascular/neurodegenerative diseases) [17; 18; 19]. The use of fresh herbs and spices plays an important role in modern food preparation, due to their ability to impart unique flavorings, contribute color, and positively affect human health [18; 19; 20; 21]. The use of certain spices and herbs, alone or in blends, can reduce or replace sugar in foods [22]. The addition of herbs and spices, instead of or in combination with added salt, has been proposed as a strategy for reducing the diet salt amount [20; 21; 23; 24]. Their addition in low-salt foods increases food palatability and consumer satisfaction, compensating for salt, fat, and energy reduction [20; 23; 24]. Moreover, volatile compounds from aromatic plants/herbs have been demonstrated to positively influence the perception and acceptance of bitter taste [25; 26]. A recent study showed that the use of various spices and herbs improves COVID-19-induced anosmia and ageusia [17].