Projective mapping in sensory analysis of ewes milk cheeses: A study on consumers and trained panel performance

Sprouted wheat wholemeal as a techno-functional ingredient in hard pretzels

There has been a growing interest in incorporating sprouted wheat wholemeal (SWW) into whole grain baking, driven by its heightened nutritional content and improved nutrient bioavailability. This study aimed to assess how substituting soft wheat flour (SWF) with various levels of wheat wholemeal (unsprouted and sprouted) impacts the quality and sensory characteristics of hard pretzel sticks, which are globally enjoyed as popular snacks. The dough samples containing wholemeal did not demonstrate the same extensibility as the SWF dough sample. Additionally, substituting SWF with wholemeal increased the resistance to extension. Analysis of the Raman spectra of SWF and two other selected dough samples containing 75 % unsprouted wheat wholemeal (UWW) or SWW indicated α-helix as the dominant protein secondary structure. As the ratio of wholemeal to SWF increased in both unsprouted and sprouted wheat pretzel samples, protein and fiber content increased and starch content decreased, resulting in a decreased peak viscosity in an RVA (Rapid Visco Analyzer) test. The findings also showed no significant difference in hardness between the SWF pretzel sample and all other samples (p > 0.05), except when SWF was replaced with the highest level (75 %) of SWW, resulting in a significantly softer texture. Color analysis revealed that the introduction of wholemeal led to a decrease in the L* value, indicating a darker surface appearance in the samples, likely due to the presence of bran. Finally, sensory evaluation determined that replacing SWF with 25 % SWW resulted in the creation of a sample most similar to SWF in terms of sensory attributes. This research paves the way for future studies and advancements in the formulation and analysis of pretzel dough, creating opportunities to improve both the quality of the product and consumer satisfaction.

Phenotypic diversity and distinctiveness of the Belltall garlic landrace

Among the Mediterranean horticultural landraces, garlic is one of the crops most threatened by genetic erosion. Due to its sexual sterility and to the incidence of seed-borne diseases, historical varieties have been widely replaced by commercial cultivars. In Catalonia, despite the historical relevance of the crop, solely the Belltall garlic landrace is cultivated for commercial purposes. To assess the genotypic and phenotypic diversity within the Belltall garlic, we evaluated sixteen local accessions and five recognized traditional and modern varieties as controls. Genetic analysis with SSR and InDel markers showed low genetic diversity within the Belltall population, grouping modern and traditional varieties separately. Farmers and consumers were involved in the definition of the landrace ideotype and classified the materials by means of projective mapping. Scant phenotypic diversity was found within the Belltall landrace, which is characterized by its color profile and the small size of bulb and cloves. The Belltall landrace grown outside its area of origin lost the distinctive quality signals that differentiate the landrace from the commercial cultivars (clove appearance), indicating that the high quality of the landrace is under genotype-by-environment effects (i.e. local adaptation). Moreover, the size of the Belltall sowing clove had a strong effect on the harvested bulb size. Our research represents a case study for the description of the variability within garlic landraces and an approach to quantify the phenomenon of local adaptation that currently drives their conservation.

Comparison of Three Approaches to Assess the Flavour Characteristics of Scotch Whisky Spirit

This study compared the use of three sensory and analytical techniques: Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA), Napping, and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) for the assessment of flavour in nine unmatured whisky spirits produced using different yeasts. Hierarchical Multiple Factor Analysis (HMFA) showed a similar pattern of sample discrimination (RV scores: 0.895–0.927) across the techniques: spirits were mostly separated by their Alcohol by Volume (ABV). Low ABV spirits tended to have heavier flavour characteristics (feinty, cereal, sour, oily, sulphury) than high ABV spirits, which were lighter in character (fruity, sweet, floral, solventy, soapy). QDA differentiated best between low ABV spirits and GC-MS between high ABV spirits, with Napping having the lowest resolution. QDA was time-consuming but provided quantitative flavour profiles of each spirit that could be readily compared. Napping, although quicker, gave an overview of the flavour differences of the spirits, while GC-MS provided semi-quantitative ratios of 96 flavour compounds for differentiating between spirits. Ester, arenes and certain alcohols were found in higher concentrations in high ABV spirits and other alcohols and aldehydes in low ABV spirits. The most comprehensive insights on spirit flavour differences produced by different yeast strains are obtained through the application of a combination of approaches.

Effect of Product Involvement on Panels' Vocabulary Generation, Attribute Identification, and Sample Configurations in Beer

The aim of this study was to compare the performance of two semi-trained panels with different degrees of self-reported beer involvement in terms of beer consumption pattern. The two panels were beer non-drinkers (indicating willingness to taste beer) and craft-style beer drinkers. Eleven modified beer samples were evaluated during three separate tasks by both panels. The tasks were (1) a vocabulary generation on a sample level, (2) an attribute identification task with a list of attributes to choose from, and (3) a descriptive analysis. The performance of the two panels was evaluated and compared using three parameters, as follows: Descriptive similarity, attribute knowledge similarity, and perceptual similarity. The results showed that the craft-style beer drinkers generated the most precise vocabulary and correctly identified more attributes, compared to the beer non-drinkers. Furthermore, the sample sensory spaces generated by the two panels were different before the training period, but were perceptually similar post training. To conclude, the beer consumption pattern influenced all aspects of panel performance before training, with the craft-style panel performing better than the non-drinkers panel. However, the panels' performance became more similar after a short period of training sessions.

Descriptive Analysis and Consumer Acceptability of Locally and Commercially Grown Spinach

The consumer demand for locally grown fresh produce is continuously increasing in the United States. The high tunnel systems have been successfully utilized by small acreage growers for local production. Consumers are typically assessing appearance, freshness, flavor and aroma when purchasing produce. A common perception is that locally grown produce tastes better than nonlocal. However, there is not much evidence for supporting this claim. The objective of this study was to identify consumer acceptability and the sensory characteristics/differences of locally grown spinach in open field or in high tunnel and nonlocal commercially grown spinach. Spinach, Spinacia oleracea cv. "Corvair" was grown in open field and in high tunnel at Kansas State Univ. Olathe Horticulture Research and Extension Center (OHREC) in spring 2017 and the commercially grown spinach was purchased at a local retail store. A consumer study (n = 205) was conducted at Kansas State Univ., Olathe campus, and a descriptive sensory analysis was conducted by a highly trained descriptive analysis panel in the Center for Sensory Analysis and Consumer Behavior at Kansas State Univ., Manhattan campus, in spring 2017. The consumer test showed that high tunnel spinach scored significantly higher in overall liking (P < 0.0001), flavor liking (P < 0.0001), and texture liking (P < 0.05) when compared to open field and store purchased spinach. Descriptive analysis showed that locally grown spinach had higher intensity of attributes that indicate premium quality, such as green color and green/spinach flavors. Our results indicate that locally grown spinach was preferred from the consumers for its high organoleptic quality. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Locally grown spinach demonstrated high intensity in a set of sensory attributes that suggest a product with premium organoleptic quality. Correspondingly to these results, consumers liked spinach produced locally in high tunnels the most. The results of this study can be used for developing marketing strategies that are aiming specifically to the consumer niche that is seeking fresh produce of high organoleptic quality.

Metodologias sensoriais descritivas mais rápidas e versáteis – uma atualidade na ciência sensorial

Resumo Os métodos sensoriais descritivos permitem a detecção, a descrição e a quantificação dos atributos sensoriais presentes em um alimento. Estes métodos são utilizados pela indústria de alimentos no desenvolvimento de novos produtos, no controle de qualidade, nas alterações de ingredientes e/ou formulações e na avaliação de produtos durante a estocagem. Porém, a maioria das técnicas descritivas existentes necessita da utilização de avaliadores treinados e emprega uma escala não estruturada para avaliar os produtos. Isto torna as análises demoradas e com custo elevado, devido às exaustivas sessões de treinamento para que os problemas com o uso das escalas sejam minimizados. Com o intuito de reduzir o tempo de análise e os custos inerentes aos testes descritivos, pesquisas recentes têm buscado desenvolver metodologias que permitam a descrição rápida dos alimentos e que possam também ser aplicadas com consumidores. Este trabalho teve como objetivo abordar os progressos da ciência sensorial quanto ao desenvolvimento de novas metodologias descritivas mais rápidas e versáteis.

Perception of chemesthetic stimuli in groups who differ by food involvement and culinary experience

In the English language, there is generally a limited lexicon when referring to the sensations elicited by chemesthetic stimuli like capsaicin, allyl isothiocyanate, and eugenol, the orally irritating compounds found in chiles, wasabi, and cloves, respectively. Elsewhere, experts and novices have been shown to use language differently, with experts using more precise language. Here, we compare perceptual maps and word usage across three cohorts: experts with formal culinary education, naïve individuals with high Food Involvement Scale (FIS) scores, and naïve individuals with low FIS scores. We hypothesized that increased experience with foods, whether through informal experiential learning or formal culinary education, would have a significant influence on the perceptual maps generated from a sorting task conducted with chemesthetic stimuli, as well as on language use in a descriptive follow-up task to this sorting task. The low- and highFIS non-expert cohorts generated significantly similar maps, though in other respects the highFIS cohort was an intermediate between the lowFIS and expert cohorts. The highFIS and expert cohorts generated more attributes but used language more idiosyncratically than the lowFIS group. Overall, the results from the expert group with formal culinary education differed from the two naïve cohorts both in the perceptual map generated using MDS as well as the mean number of attributes generated. Present data suggest that both formal education and informal experiential learning result in lexical development, but the level and type of learning can have a significant influence on language use and the approach to a sorting task.

Evaluation of the sensory characteristics of strawberry cultivars throughout the harvest season using projective mapping

BACKGROUND

Strawberry breeding programs should be able to rely on valid and simple methodologies for evaluating sensory quality of new cultivars. In this context, the aim of the present work was to evaluate the applicability of a simple sensory methodology, named projective mapping, to evaluate the sensory characteristics of strawberry cultivars and advanced selections throughout the harvest season. Three strawberry cultivars and two advanced selections were evaluated by an untrained assessor panel using projective mapping in three different moments of the harvest season: June (early season), August (mid-season) and September (peak harvest). Instrumental measurements were also performed.

RESULTS

Projective mapping enabled the identification of the main sensory characteristics of the strawberry cultivars and advanced selections, as well as the similarities and differences among them. Sensory characteristics of the five evaluated strawberry cultivars and advanced selections largely varied throughout the harvest season. Simple instrumental measurements were not able to predict the sensory characteristics of the strawberry cultivars, suggesting the importance of sensory methodologies for the evaluation of new cultivars in breeding programs.

CONCLUSIONS

Projective mapping consisted of a quick alternative for the evaluation of new cultivars relative to standard commercial cultivars. Its main advantage is that a large number of cultivars can be screened with minimal investment of time and resources.

Recovery of subsampled dimensions and configurations derived from napping data by MFA and MDS

Napping is a multivariate sensory method in which participants physically place stimuli on a large sheet of paper and orient them so that the distance between pairs represents a measure of dissimilarity. The two-dimensional nature of the task may be a limitation to the ability of this and similar methodologies to recover information about complex stimuli. In the first investigation, eight simulated three-dimensional stimuli were created with two different levels for each attribute. Simulated napping experiments had groups of participants attend to two of the dimensions with different probabilities. Multiple factor analysis (an analytical multivariate statistical procedure that can be thought of as a principle components analysis on the individuals) and MDS-INDSCAL (a variation on multidimensional scaling that finds a common configuration through reducing a stress measure associated with lack of fit) recovered full dimensionality from these data, although MFA had trouble when attention was the most unbalanced. In the second experiment, a human napping experiment was designed using custom three-dimensional stimuli: shapes with two levels each of size, color, and shape attributes. This experiment confirmed the results of Experiment 1, as both MDS-INDSCAL and MFA analyses again recovered the full dimensionality of the stimuli.

Comparison of two methods to explore consumer preferences for cottage cheese

In the past 2 decades, total sales of cottage cheese have declined 17% despite increases in sales for low-fat cottage cheese. There are no recent published studies investigating consumer preferences for cottage cheese. This study was conducted to identify and define sensory characteristics of commercial cottage cheese and to compare 2 approaches for characterizing consumer preferences: traditional preference mapping and a new composite qualitative approach, qualitative multivariate analysis (QMA). A sensory language was identified to document the sensory properties (visual, flavor, and texture) of cottage cheeses. Twenty-six commercial cottage cheeses with variable fat contents (4, 2, 1, and 0% fat) were evaluated by trained panelists using the sensory language. Eight representative cottage cheeses were selected for consumer acceptance testing (n = 110) and QMA with consumer home usage testing (n = 12), followed by internal and external preference mapping to identify key drivers. Principal component analysis of descriptive data indicated that cottage cheeses were primarily differentiated by cooked, milkfat, diacetyl, and acetaldehyde flavors and salty taste, and by firmness, smoothness, tackiness, curd size, and adhesiveness texture attributes. Similar drivers of liking (diacetyl and milkfat flavors, smooth texture, and mouthcoating) were identified by both consumer research techniques. However, the QMA technique identified controversial distinctions among the cottage cheeses and the influence of brand and pricing. These results can be used by processors to promote cottage cheese sales.