A new sensory vocabulary for crisp and crunchy dry model foods

Effects of sensory combination on crispness and prediction of sensory evaluation value by Gaussian process regression

Crispness contributes to the pleasantness and enjoyment of eating foods and is popular with people of wide ages in many countries. Hence, a quantitative evaluation method for crispness is required for food companies developing new food products. In this study, the effects of different sensory combinations on crispness were investigated through sensory evaluation, and a Gaussian process regression model was used to predict the evaluation values of crispness. First, four crispness descriptors in Japanese were selected, and sensory evaluations were conducted with ten participants using commercially available snack foods under three different sensory combinations of force, vibration, and sound to confirm the effects of the three senses. An instrumental system also measured force, vibration, and sound for snack foods under the same conditions. The Gaussian process regression model determined the relationship between the sensory and measurement data and predicted the sensory evaluation values from the measurement data. Cross-validation verified that the Gaussian process regression model accurately predicted the food texture evaluation values from the measurement data even in conditions with different sensory components.

Textural Properties of Chinese Water Chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis) during Steam Heating Treatment

Chinese water chestnut (CWC) has become one of the most popular foods in China. The textural properties of food contribute considerably to consumer preferences. Fresh fruits and vegetables are normally softened after thermal treatment. However, CWC retains most of its crispness and hardness after steaming. To explore the relationship between thermal processes and sensory changes, a method for measuring the texture of CWC is warranted. This study aimed to examine the textural properties of CWC subjected to varying degrees of thermal treatments using instrumental and sensory methods. Instrumental tests included the shear force test and puncture test, while trained panelists assessed the sensory attributes. Two sensory attributes were selected for evaluation: crispness and hardness. The results indicated that with the extension of thermal treatment time, the crispness and hardness of CWC decreased slightly, while cells and starch grains were damaged. Sensory results showed a significant correlation with shear force index (slope of rising curve) (p < 0.05) and puncture index (slope of rising curve, slope of descending curve and compression work) (p < 0.05). Thereafter, the instrumental tests parameters could be used to establish regression models for predicting crispness and hardness and controlling the quality of CWC products.

Crispness, the Key for the Palatability of "Kakinotane": A Sensory Study with Onomatopoeic Words

Crispness is among the most important food textures that contribute significantly to palatability. This study investigated the association between the perceived crispness and palatability of five types of Japanese rice crackers known as “kakinotane.” Two experiments were conducted using the temporal dominance of sensations (TDS) and temporal drivers of liking (TDL) methods. As descriptors for the TDS evaluation, we used 10 Japanese onomatopoeias to indicate various attributes of crispness. We also measured the mastication sounds and electromyography (EMG) activity during mastication. Principal component analysis data revealed that principal component 1, representing moisture characteristics, contributed more than 60% in both experiments. The palatability of the stimulus, which was described as having a very soft, moist, and sticky texture, BETA-BETA, was significantly lower than the others. However, there was no significant relationship between the amplitude of mastication sound or EMG activity and palatability. We demonstrated that naïve university students can discriminate the fine nuances of the crispness of “kakinotane” using the TDS and TDL methods. Our findings also suggested that the onomatopoeias used as descriptors in the TDS method had a greater influence on describing the nuances of food texture than the physiological data.

Sum of variance for quantifying the variation of multiple sequential data for the crispness evaluation of chicken nugget

Crispness is one of the words most frequently used to describe the texture of fried or dried food in addition to being a key to the determination of freshness for many non-fried foods. In this study, a new feature value called the sum of variance was assessed for its contribution to the estimation of crispness. Dynamic time warping and its averaging algorithms were employed to determine the sum of variance from a set of sequential force data measured using an instrument. The sum of variance is a feature value that expresses the variance of multiple sequential data. In an experiment, seven chicken nugget samples were prepared, and five panels evaluated their texture according to six Japanese word descriptors. An instrument experiment determined the six feature values, including the sum of variance from the measurement data, whereas multiple linear regression was applied to determine the relationship between the sensory values and feature values. For three of the six textures, the sum of variance reduced the error between the sensory values and their estimated values by up to 50%, confirming that this feature contributes to the textural estimation of food crispness.

Critical review of sensory texture descriptors: From pureed to transitional foods for dysphagia patients

Dysphagic people need to change their diet to avoid pain or risk of choking. For example, they can eat texture modified foods (including pureed and transitional foods, that is, food that start with one texture and change into another because of moisture or heating). Simple testing methods proposed by the IDDSI initiative can be performed to characterize texture modified food but these methods are not always relevant for understanding oral texture and mouthfeel properties. Sensory characterization is essential to develop or optimize a food product and to meet consumer's expectations and needs especially for dysphagic persons. However, sensory methods and texture descriptors are complex to target and evaluate for different severity of dysphagia. Sensory texture descriptors can be determined by different methods and assessed in different ways. This review is useful for listing the sensory methods used to generate sensory descriptors to characterize the oral texture of cereal and pureed foods. We found that 55% of the reviewed publications used specific oral texture descriptors and that 17 descriptors could be identified as the most used and relevant for all the products studied (sticky), for pureed (e.g., cohesiveness, floury, and soft) and for cereal-based foods (e.g., hard, fatty, and crispy). These results should be considered to facilitate the choice of sensory texture descriptors in future studies on pureed and transitional foods such as cereal-based foods according to the IDDSI level. This review also demonstrates that it is difficult to find a consensus between studies using different evaluation methods for the same descriptor.

Visual and Proprioceptive Perceptions Evoke Motion-Sound Symbolism: Different Acceleration Profiles Are Associated With Different Types of Consonants

A growing body of literature has shown that one perceptual modality can be systematically associated with sensation in another. However, the cross-modal relationship between linguistic sounds and motions (i.e., motion-sound symbolism) is an extremely understudied area of research. Against this background, this paper examines the cross-modal correspondences between categories of consonants on one hand and different acceleration profiles of motion stimuli on the other. In the two experiments that we conducted, we mechanically manipulated the acceleration profiles of the stimuli while holding the trajectory paths constant, thus distinguishing the effect of acceleration profiles from that of motion path shapes. The results show that different acceleration profiles can be associated with different types of consonants; in particular, movements with acceleration and deceleration tend to be associated with a class of sounds called obstruents, whereas movements without much acceleration tend to be associated with a class of sounds called sonorants. Moreover, the current experiments show that this sort of cross-modal correspondence arises even when the stimuli are not presented visually, namely, when the participants' hands were moved passively by a manipulandum. In conclusion, the present study adds an additional piece of evidence demonstrating that bodily action-based information, i.e., proprioception as a very feasible candidate, could lead to sound symbolic patterns.

Quick assessment of the potato chip crispness using the mechanical-acoustic measurement method

Traditional assessment method for the food crispness was sensory analysis which was time consuming and needed experienced panelists. Aiming to to develop a quick evaluation of the food crispness, a mechanical-acoustic testing method was proposed where two parameters-maximum force (Fmax) and maximum acoustic energy in unit time (SEmax) were applied to assess the crispness of dried potato chips. It was found the mechanical-acoustic testing was completed in about 1.2 s and the potato chips had a statistic distributions for Fmax and SEmax. The brand A potato chips had a statistic average Fmax of 13.48 N and SEmax of 93.51 mV·ms. Three kinds of potato chips can be effectively differentiated according to the statistic average SEmax and Fmax. Sensory “crispness” had a good correlation with the statistic average SEmax. This work shows that it is feasible for a quick measurement of the food crispness using this mechanical-acoustic method.

Impact of aging on the overall liking and sensory characteristics of sourdough breads and comparison of two methods to determine their sensory shelf life

The objectives of the present work were to study the evolution of the sensory properties and overall liking of four sourdough breads over their lifespans and to determine their sensory shelf life (SSL). We also intended to identify the main sensory characteristics leading to a decrease in overall liking and the end of the consumption of the breads. Seventy-eight consumers evaluated different 1 kg sourdough breads at home. Two methods were used to describe the evolution of the sensory properties and overall liking: one based on ratings of descriptors' intensities and the other based on the magnitude of the changes observed since the previous consumption. As expected, the results showed that sensory properties and liking scores evolved over time. While the aroma and taste properties changed little, the texture deteriorated significantly. The overall liking scores decreased steadily over time, while the percentage of subjects who stopped eating bread increased. "Easiness to cut with the teeth," "easiness to chew," "crispness," and "softness" were the main characteristics positively correlated with the overall liking scores and negatively correlated with the percentage of rejection. In contrast, "dryness of the crumb" was negatively correlated with the liking scores and positively correlated with the percentage of rejection. A survival analysis determined that the SSL (50% rejection) of the breads was approximately 2.5 days. Interestingly, we highlighted that the average liking score corresponding to the SSL was just below the middle of the overall liking scale. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The results of this work could be of interest to bread-making professionals who will be able to use the main conclusions to advise their clients and possibly adapt the bread format to their sensory shelf life. This work was also an opportunity to highlight sourdough bread, which offers more flexibility than French baguette in managing the consumption of the bread purchased. The alternative approach tested to measure the evolution of sensory characteristics and overall liking could interest the professionals of sensory analysis.

Improving crunchiness and crispness of fried squid rings through innovative tempura coatings: addition of alcohol and CO2 incubation

This study aimed to determine the effect of different uncommon tempura formulations (incubated with CO₂ and with added ethanol) on physical, chemical and sensory characteristics of fried coated squids, immediately after frying and also after 48 h of refrigeration storage and subsequent oven reheating. Ethanol addition led to lower levels of moisture and higher of fat in the fried coating, regardless the use of CO₂. There were no difference in instrumental colour parameters among all four battered samples. Ethanol added tempuras showed higher crispness and lower maximum force than their water counterparts in an instrumental texture evaluation. Fried squids coated with ethanol added tempuras were rated as crispier and crunchier, even after 2 days of storage and further reheating. Overall, partial substitution of water by ethanol appears as an interesting strategy to increase crispness in tempura coated fried products, especially when the products are stored and reheated before consumption.

The effect of a crunchy pseudo-chewing sound on perceived texture of softened foods

Elderly individuals whose ability to chew and swallow has declined are often restricted to unpleasant diets of very soft food, leading to a poor appetite. To address this problem, we aimed to investigate the influence of altered auditory input of chewing sounds on the perception of food texture. The modified chewing sound was reported to influence the perception of food texture in normal foods. We investigated whether the perceived sensations of nursing care foods could be altered by providing altered auditory feedback of chewing sounds, even if the actual food texture is dull. Chewing sounds were generated using electromyogram (EMG) of the masseter. When the frequency properties of the EMG signal are modified and it is heard as a sound, it resembles a "crunchy" sound, much like that emitted by chewing, for example, root vegetables (EMG chewing sound). Thirty healthy adults took part in the experiment. In two conditions (with/without the EMG chewing sound), participants rated the taste, texture and evoked feelings of five kinds of nursing care foods using two questionnaires. When the "crunchy" EMG chewing sound was present, participants were more likely to evaluate food as having the property of stiffness. Moreover, foods were perceived as rougher and to have a greater number of ingredients in the condition with the EMG chewing sound, and satisfaction and pleasantness were also greater. In conclusion, the "crunchy" pseudo-chewing sound could influence the perception of food texture, even if the actual "crunchy" oral sensation is lacking. Considering the effect of altered auditory feedback while chewing, we can suppose that such a tool would be a useful technique to help people on texture-modified diets to enjoy their food.

Cross-Modal Associations between Sounds and Drink Tastes/Textures: A Study with Spontaneous Production of Sound-Symbolic Words

Many languages have a word class whose speech sounds are linked to sensory experiences. Several recent studies have demonstrated cross-modal associations (or correspondences) between sounds and gustatory sensations by asking participants to match predefined sound-symbolic words (e.g., "maluma/takete") with the taste/texture of foods. Here, we further explore cross-modal associations using the spontaneous production of words and semantic ratings of sensations. In the experiment, after drinking liquids, participants were asked to express their taste/texture using Japanese sound-symbolic words, and at the same time, to evaluate it in terms of criteria expressed by adjectives. Because the Japanese language has a large vocabulary of sound-symbolic words, and Japanese people frequently use them to describe taste/texture, analyzing a variety of Japanese sound-symbolic words spontaneously produced to express taste/textures might enable us to explore the mechanism of taste/texture categorization. A hierarchical cluster analysis based on the relationship between linguistic sounds and taste/texture evaluations revealed the structure of sensation categories. The results indicate that an emotional evaluation like pleasant/unpleasant is the primary cluster in gustation.

Chips in black boxes? Convenience life span, parafood, brandwidth, families, and co-creation

Any consumer who opens a bag of potato or corn chips (or crisps in the UK) knows there is no time to waste to enjoy or share them. The convenience life span of chips is limited: it is the shelf or storage life and a very limited time once outside the bag. Many technologies converge to generate the desired effect as a black box, not only of the packaging but also of the chips themselves. The concept of paratext can be applied to printed messages on the package, including the brand name and other texts like advertising (epitexts), which can be expanded into the concept of parafood. These concepts help to discuss technological developments and interpret why this has recently become a negotiation zone for co-creation (see the Do us a flavor campaigns). They are symptoms of changing relations between production, research and development, marketing, and consumption. This paper pays special attention to back stories, underdog brand biographies and narratives about origin. The concept of brandwidth is introduced to sensitize about the limits of combining different stories about chips. A recent brand biography, a family history and a cookery book are used to discuss the phenomenon of cooking with Fritos. Together with the concepts of parafood, brandwidth and black boxes, more reflection and dialogue about the role of history and heritage in marketing put new challenging perspectives on the agenda.

Antioxidant potential and quality characteristics of vegetable-enriched corn-based extruded snacks

Phenolic content, antioxidant activity and sensory characteristics of vegetable-enriched extrudates were investigated as a result of extrusion conditions, including extrusion temperature (140-180 °C), screw rotation speed (150-250 rpm) and feed moisture content (14-19 % w.b.). Broccoli flour and olive paste was used in mixtures with corn flour at a ratio of 4 to 10 % (broccoli/corn) and 4 to 8 % (olive paste/corn). A simple power model was developed for the prediction of phenolic content and antioxidant activity of extrudates by extrusion conditions and feed composition. Phenolic content and antioxidant activity of broccoli enriched extrudates increased with extrusion temperature and broccoli addition and decreased with feed moisture content. The antioxidant activity of olive paste extrudates increased with material ratio and decreased with feed moisture content and screw rotation. Sensory porosity, homogenous structure, crispness, cohesiveness and melting decreased with feed moisture content, while the latter increased the mealy flavor and hardness of extrudates. Acceptable snacks containing broccoli flour or olive paste can be produced by selecting the appropriate process conditions.