Dynamic profiling of different ready-to-drink fermented dairy products: A comparative study using Temporal Check-All-That-Apply (TCATA), Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS) and Progressive Profile (PP)

INVITED REVIEW: Advances in Yogurt Development: Microbiological Safety, Quality, Functionality, Sensory Evaluation, and Consumer Perceptions across Different Dairy and Plant-based Alternative Sources

Yogurt, as a globally prevalent fermented dairy product, is renowned for its substantial nutritional value and a myriad of health benefits, particularly pertaining to the digestive system. This narrative review elucidates the latest advancements in yogurt development from 2019 to 2024, addressing aspects of microbiological safety, quality, functionality, sensory evaluation, and consumer perceptions across diverse protein sources. The intrinsic quality of yogurt is significantly influenced by its primary ingredient, milk, traditionally derived from animals such as cows, goats, and sheep. In recent years, plant-based yogurts (PBYs) have emerged as a popular alternative to traditional dairy yogurts, that are made from plant sources and offer similar textures and flavors, catering to those seeking non-dairy options. This discussion encompasses the advantages and limitations of various sources and explores methodologies to enhance yogurt quality using these diverse sources. Ensuring the microbiological safety of yogurt is thus paramount to its quality, as it involves both preventing the presence of harmful pathogens and managing spoilage to maintain freshness. This article encapsulates the potential hazards and corresponding antibacterial strategies that safeguard yogurt consumption. These strategies include the use of natural preservatives, advancements in packaging technologies, and the implementation of stringent hygiene practices throughout the production process. Morever, the quality of yogurt is not only dependent on the source but also on the fermentation process and additional ingredients used. By addressing both the prevention of pathogen contamination and the control of spoilage organisms, this article explores not only explores comprehensive approaches but also examines the use of high-quality starter cultures, the role of prebiotics in enhancing probiotic efficacy, and genetic advancements, as well as improvements in the overall nutritional profile and shelf life of yogurt. Techniques to improve texture, flavor, and nutrient content are also discussed, providing a comprehensive overview of current quality enhancement methods.This analysis delves into the intricate mechanisms underpinning probiotic development, including the roles of prebiotics, supplementary starter cultures, and genetic factors that facilitate probiotic proliferation. These benefits include improved digestive health, enhanced immune function, and potential reductions in the risk of certain chronic diseases. Beyond quality and functionality, the sensory evaluation of yogurt remains crucial for consumer acceptance. In recent years, the incorporation of diverse additional ingredients into yogurt has been observed, aimed at augmenting its sensory attributes. This examination reveals these ingredients and their respective functions, such as natural flavorings, sweeteners, and texturizing agents, with the ultimate goal of enhancing overall consumer satisfaction. Consumer preferences exert a profound influence on yogurt production, rendering the understanding of customer opinions essential for devising competitive industry strategies. This article consolidates consumer feedback and preferences, striving to elevate yogurt quality and promote dietary diversity. The analysis includes trends such as the growing demand for organic and non-dairy yogurts, the importance of sustainable practices, and the impact of marketing and packaging on consumer choices. This comprehensive overview serves as a valuable reference for the dairy industry and researchers dedicated to the advancement of yogurt development.

A review of assessment methods for measuring individual differences in oral somatosensory perception

While taste and smell perception have been thoroughly investigated, our understanding of oral somatosensory perception remains limited. Further, assessing and measuring individual differences in oral somatosensory perception pose notable challenges. This review aimed to evaluate the existing methods to assess oral somatosensory perception by examining and comparing the strengths and limitations of each method. The review highlighted the lack of standardized assessment methods and the various procedures within each method. Tactile sensitivity can be assessed using several methods, but each method measures different tactile dimensions. Further investigations are needed to confirm its correlation with texture sensitivity. In addition, measuring a single textural attribute may not provide an overall representation of texture sensitivity. Thermal sensitivity can be evaluated using thermal-change detection or temperature discrimination tests. The chemesthetic sensitivity tests involve either localized or whole-mouth stimulation tests. The choice of an appropriate method for assessing oral somatosensory sensitivity depends on several factors, including the specific research objectives and the target population. Each method has its unique intended purpose, strengths, and limitations, so no universally superior approach exists. To overcome some of the limitations associated with certain methods, the review offers alternative or complementary approaches that could be considered. Researchers can enhance the comprehensive assessment of oral somatosensory sensitivity by carefully selecting and potentially combining methods. In addition, a standardized protocol remains necessary for each method.

Application of multiple-intake temporal check all that apply: a case study of strawberry yoghurt formulated with alternative sweeteners

BACKGROUND

It is crucial to reduce the high sugar content of fruit yoghurts in response to the excessive weight gain epidemic. The use of alternative sweeteners in yoghurts is often associated with the negative sensory attributes that can have an impact on yoghurt liking. The main objective of this research was to investigate the effect of alternative sweeteners and strawberry puree addition on the temporal sensory profile of yoghurt using multiple-intake temporal check all that apply (TCATA). A novel approach to the statical analysis of the temporal sensory data was employed by using aligned rank transformation-analysis of variance to investigate the differences between sensory attributes within different products and within different intakes.

RESULTS

Results showed that the attributes sweet and fruity decreased when the concentration of fruit puree was increased at low concentration of sucrose. Interestingly, when the concentration of fruit puree was increased, fruitiness increased and mouthcoating decreased at low concentration of stevia. With successive intakes, the attributes sweet, sour, creamy and fruity significantly decreased in yoghurts sweetened with sucrose, xylitol and stevia. Yoghurts containing low concentrations of sucrose or xylitol and fruit puree were liked the most. However, stevia-sweetened yoghurts varying in sweetener and puree concentration were not significantly different in liking. In order to investigate the consumer acceptance of yoghurts, a novel approach was used - that is, utilizing TCATA temporal data to investigate temporal drivers of liking for each yoghurt type.

CONCLUSION

The use of multiple statistical analysis to analyse temporal data suggested that both sweetener and puree concentration need to be considered when developing products using alternative sweeteners. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Multi-attribute temporal descriptive methods in sensory analysis applied in food science: A systematic scoping review

Among descriptive sensory evaluation methods, temporal methods have a wide audience in food science because they make it possible to follow perception as close as possible to the moment when sensations are perceived. The aim of this work was to describe 30 years of research involving temporal methods by mapping the scientific literature using a systematic scoping review. Thus, 363 research articles found from a search in Scopus and Web of Science from 1991 to 2022 were included. The extracted data included information on the implementation of studies referring to the use of temporal methods (details related to subjects, products, descriptors, research design, data analysis, etc.), reasons why they were used and the conclusions they allowed to be drawn. Metadata analysis and critical appraisal were also carried out. A quantitative and qualitative synthesis of the results allowed the identification of trends in the way in which the methods were developed, refined, and disseminated. Overall, a large heterogeneity was noted in the way in which the temporal measurements were carried out and the results presented. Some critical research gaps in establishing the validity and reliability of temporal methods have also been identified. They were mostly related to the details of implementation of the methods (e.g., almost no justification for the number of consumers included in the studies, absence of report on panel repeatability) and data analysis (e.g., prevalence of use of exploratory data analysis, only 20% of studies using confirmatory analyses considering the dynamic nature of the data). These results suggest the need for general guidelines on how to implement the method, analyze and interpret data, and report the results. Thus, a template and checklist for reporting data and results were proposed to help increase the quality of future research.

Effect of Transglutaminase Treatment on the Structure and Sensory Properties of Rice- or Soy-Based Hybrid Sausages

Partial substitution of meat with non-protein sources in hybrid meat products generally leads to a decrease in texture attributes and, consequently, in sensory acceptance. In this study, we investigated the effects of transglutaminase (TG) at two concentrations (0.25% and 0.5%) on the physicochemical, textural, and sensory properties of hybrid sausages formulated with concentrated soy or rice proteins. TG caused a reduction in the heat treatment yield of hybrid sausages, particularly those made with rice protein. pH and color parameters were marginally affected by TG addition. Texture parameters increased substantially with TG, although escalating the TG level from 0.25% to 0.5% did not result in a proportional improvement in texture parameters; in fact, for rice-based hybrid sausages, no difference was achieved for all attributes, while only cohesiveness and chewiness were improved for soy-based ones. TG enhanced the sensory attributes of soy-based hybrid sausages to a level comparable to control meat emulsion, as evidenced by ordinate preference score and projective mapping. Our findings suggest that TG is a viable strategy for enhancing texture and sensory parameters in hybrid sausages, particularly for plant proteins that exhibit greater compatibility with the meat matrix.

Evaluation of the sensory properties of thickened and protein-enhanced ice cream using check-all-that-apply and temporal check-all-that-apply

Ice cream formulations with varying amounts of added whey protein were created for those living with dysphagia in long-term care facilities (LTCs) to improve protein and fluid intake. The samples of thickened ice cream included a control (0% whey protein [WP]) and formulations with 6% (6WP), 8% (8WP), 10% (10WP), 12% (12WP) and 14% (14WP) added whey protein by volume. The consistency of the samples was assessed using the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) Spoon Tilt Test, a sensory trial (n = 102) using hedonic scales and check-all-that-apply (CATA) and another sensory trial (n = 96) using temporal check-all-that-apply (TCATA). The whey protein increased the acceptability of the thickened ice cream except for the 12WP and 14WP formulations. The formulations with higher amounts of whey protein were associated with bitterness, custard/eggy flavor, and mouthcoating. The TCATA identified that the addition of whey protein led to slippery, gritty, and grainy attributes being perceived in the thickened ice cream. The study identified that 10% whey protein by volume can be added to thickened ice cream without impacting its' acceptability and the 6WP, 8WP, and 10WP formulations were liked significantly more than the control (without whey protein).

A Timely Application-Temporal methods, past, present, and future

Eating is a dynamic experience, and temporal sensory methods have been proposed to document how products change over the course of consumption or use (nonfood). A search of online databases yielded approximately 170 sources related to temporal evaluation of food products that were compiled and reviewed. This review summarizes the evolution of temporal methodologies (past), offers guidance in selecting appropriate methods (present), and provides insights into the future of temporal methodologies in the sensory space. Temporal methods have evolved to document a variety of characteristics in food products including how the intensity of a specific attribute changes over time (Time-Intensity), which specific attribute is dominant at each time during evaluation (Temporal Dominance of Sensations), which attributes are present at each time point during evaluation (Temporal Check-All-That-Apply), and many others (Temporal Order of Sensations, Attack-Evolution-Finish, and Temporal Ranking). In addition to documenting the evolution of temporal methods, this review considers the selection of an appropriate temporal method based on the objective and scope of research. When choosing a temporal method, researchers should also consider the selection of panelists to perform the temporal evaluation. Future temporal research should focus on validation of new temporal methods and explore how methods can be implemented and improved to add to the usefulness of temporal techniques for researchers.

Temporal Sensory Profiles of Regular and Sodium-Reduced Foods Elicited by Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS) and Temporal Check-All-That-Apply (TCATA)

Temporal sensory methods can be used to highlight the impact of sodium reduction on the dynamic sensory profile of foods targeted for sodium reduction. Study aims were to compare the temporal sensory attribute profiles of regular and sodium-reduced food products elicited by TDS and TCATA, over single and multiple oral intakes. A total of 20 semi-trained participants evaluated commercially available regular and sodium-reduced canned corn, cooked ham (single intakes), potato chips and cream of mushroom soup (5 intakes) using both TDS and TCATA. Regular and sodium-reduced products differed in not only salty but also other sensory attributes, noticeably dry for chips, sweet for corn, bitter and metallic for ham, thick, creamy, sweet, and starchy for soup. TDS and TCATA provided comparable information for the key sensory attributes characterizing and differentiating the regular and sodium-reduced products. TDS profiled significant differences between samples for a larger number of attributes than TCATA, while TCATA profiles were more consistent across intakes. Multiple intakes changed the duration of attribute dominance but not the number of significantly dominant attributes in TDS profiles. The current findings provide insight for applications of temporal profiling to other food products and development of sodium-reduced foods with attribute profiles acceptable to consumers.

Temporal profile of low calorie lactose-free ice cream chocolate flavor: temporal dominance sensation and multiple time-intensity analysis

The food industry has a consumer market with growing interest in modified products, so this study aimed to evaluate consumer acceptance and characterize the temporal profile of traditional and lactose-free "low calorie chocolate ice creams". Six different samples were produced: three formulated with traditional whole milk sweetened with sucrose, sucralose and stevia and three formulated with lactose-free whole milk, also sweetened with the same sweeteners. Time-intensity analysis, temporal dominance of sensation and acceptance analysis were performed. The ice cream with lactose-free milk sweetened with stevia had a lower acceptance. The samples sweetened with sucrose were characterized by intensity, duration and dominance of the "sweet" and "chocolate flavor", while the samples sweetened with sucralose were characterized by intensity and duration of the "sweet" stimulus and also by the dominance of the "milk flavor" stimulus. The samples sweetened with stevia were characterized by greater intensity and duration of bitter stimulus, being also characterized by intensity of sweet taste and chocolate flavor. It can be verified that the use of stevia promotes relevant difference in lactose-free ice cream when compared to traditional ice cream, increasing the duration and dominance of bitter taste, as well impacting and decreasing the consumer acceptance. However, the addition of sucralose did not promote significant changes in the profile of both formulations.

Impact of 'free-from' and 'healthy choice' labeled versions of chocolate and coffee on temporal profile (multiple-intake TDS) and liking

Product reformulation for obtaining "free-from" or "healthy choice" versions may confer significant changes in sensory characteristics which could not meet consumer expectations in terms of sensory perception. Therefore, this paper aims to evaluate the influence of formulations of different product categories on their dynamic sensory profile and consumer acceptability. A sensory panel of 23 semi-trained assessors evaluated two product categories, chocolate and milk coffee, using Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS) over three consecutive intakes/sips (multiple-intake TDS) on two replications. TDS allowed us to describe the dynamic profile of classic products over the three intakes and to identify differences in the sensory temporal profile compared to their 'healthier choice' reformulated versions. For the chocolate category, increasing the cocoa and the reduction of lactose content mainly influenced the dominance of sweetness, dairy, cocoa, crunchy and bitterness attributes. No sugar addition and absence of caffeine (decaffeinated version) in ready to drink milk coffee beverage modified temporal perception of sweetness, bitterness, coffee flavor and smoothness texture. Higher overall liking averages were associated with the dominant attributes of chocolate with a higher level of cacao and milk coffee decaffeinated. The obtained results of the present work suggest that the multiple-intake TDS technique can be applied for the evaluation of different food categories, helping to develop healthier products and predicting the liking.

Characterizing the Dynamic Taste and Retro-Nasal Aroma Properties of Oral Nutritional Supplements Using Temporal Dominance of Sensation and Temporal Check-All-That-Apply Methods

Orally Disintegrating Tablets (ODTs) are used to restore the nutritional status of people suffering from swallowing pathologies such as dysphagia. ODTs are consumed without water intake and are easily swallowed. The main active compounds of ODTs are vitamins and minerals. These nutrients can have a bad taste or aftertaste, which can be masked by sweetening or flavoring. To ensure the effectiveness of masking strategies and to prescribe a product to patients with acceptable sensory qualities, it is essential to perform a precise and complete sensory characterization of these ODTs. Temporal dominance of sensations (TDS) and temporal check-all-that-apply (TCATA) methods were chosen to characterize the temporal sensory perceptions during the consumption of four ODTs varying in galenic forms and flavoring because of their particularly acute temporality in flavor perception. The ODTs presented common and individual sensory properties, mainly related to their galenic form and to the nature of the active ingredients. The use of a nose-clip to stop retro-nasal airflow showed that flavoring had a minimal impact on the sensory taste qualities of the ODTs. A comparison between the TDS and TCATA results indicates that these tests are capable of providing complementary information on the dynamic sensory qualities of the products studied. Although results were generally similar for both methods, TDS showed a greater number of differences in sensory taste attribute, whereas TCATA was more discriminating. These methods allowed for a better understanding of the evolution of sensory perceptions of these ODTs during their consumption, which could help to optimize masking strategies and develop new products with acceptable sensory properties.

Dulce de leche submitted to ohmic heating treatment: Consumer sensory profile using preferred attribute elicitation (PAE) and temporal check-all-that-apply (TCATA)

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the application of ohmic heating (OH) to milk (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 V cm^-1, 72-75 °C/15 s) on the sensory profiling of dulce de leche (DL) evaluated using preferred attribute elicitation (PAE) and temporal Check-all-that-apply (TCATA) methodologies. In addition a consumer test was also performed. OH-DL samples presented increased scores for all the sensory attributes evaluated. Low or intermediate strength electric fields contributed to increase bitter taste and decrease DL aroma and sweet taste of the products, without impact on the overall liking. When high strength electric fields were applied, higher brightness, fluidity and DL flavor scores were observed, as well as, lower intensities in consistency and sandiness scores, resulting in increased acceptance by consumers. From TCATA data, it could be observed that the perception of all sensory attributes increased as well as increased the strength of the electric fields. Overall, the adoption of electric fields with higher strength in ohmic heating during DL processing is advised, since they improved the intensity and perception of desirable intrinsic DL sensory attributes as well as improved DL overall liking.

Dynamic aspects of salt reduction in tomato sauce by use of flavor enhancers and a bitter blocker

Several government agencies have established guidelines for the food industry to reduce sugar, fat, and salt in processed foods. The objective of this study was to determine the dynamic sensory profile of tomato sauce formulated with flavor enhancers, a bitter blocker and 50% sodium content reduction. The perception of consumers and a trained panel was explored. Consumers performed temporal dominance of sensations (TDS) and temporal acceptance (TA) while the trained panel performed time-intensity analysis (TI). TA indicated that flavor enhancers improve initial acceptance of a sample but that its masking effect weakens 30 s after ingestion. TI showed that despite promoting salty equivalence, substitute salts were not able to completely suppress the bitter taste characteristic of potassium chloride and the addition of lysine as a bitter blocker was the least effective strategy. In TDS the bitter taste was not dominant in any of the samples. However, the presence of unusual flavors/tastes to the consumers like metallic and umami seems to have interfered negatively in the evaluation of the flavors. Flavor enhancers have been widely used to reformulate processed foods in order to reduce sodium content, preserving sensory acceptance. This study provides information on the dynamic behavior of different salt substitutes.

Assessment of the dynamics of sensory perception of Wagyu beef strip loin prepared with different cooking methods and fattening periods using the temporal dominance of sensations

In this study, we assessed the relative sensory perception of Wagyu beef using temporal dominance of sensations (TDS), which is a dynamic sensory method that captures the "dominance of sensation" throughout food consumption. In addition, we checked the integrity of the TDS by comparing the TDS results with a physicochemical analysis. Strip loins were obtained from 24- and 28-month-old Japanese Black cattle ("Wagyu") and were cooked by grilling (yakiniku) or boiling (shabu-shabu). Temporal dominance of sensations was then used to evaluate the four types of samples. "Tender and/or soft," "juicy," "dry," "fat melting," "fat taste," "umami," "sweet taste," and "butter odor" were dominant in at least one of the sample types, with the yakiniku cooking method highlighting texture- and fat-related sensory characteristics, and the shabu-shabu cooking method highlighting flavor-related sensory characteristics. In addition, beef obtained from the 24-month-old Wagyu was significantly more "dry" than that of the 28-month-old cattle, reflecting their different cooking loss. Temporal dominance of sensations successfully demonstrated the dominant sensory perceptions of Wagyu beef prepared with different cooking methods and fattening periods.

The use of of inulin, maltitol and lecithin as fat replacers and plasticizers in a model reduced-fat mozzarella cheese-like product

BACKGROUND

Mono-, di- and oligosaccharides, polyhydric alcohols and lipids are three main types of plasticizers used to process food materials. In the present study, inulin, maltitol and lecithin were selected as representative oligosaccharide, polyhydric alcohol and lipid fat replacers, respectively. Their effects on the physicochemical properties of reduced-fat mozzarella cheese were evaluated.

RESULTS

Lecithin reduced the hardness and increased the degree of free oil released. Inulin and lecithin decreased the hydrophobic interaction of reduced-fat cheese. Maltitol improved the elasticity of the reduced-fat cheese and increased the hydrophobic interaction within the casein matrix. Maltitol-added cheese had a lower glass transition temperature (T_g ) than the other cheeses. Maltitol significantly improved the stretchability of the reduced-fat cheese.

CONCLUSION

The results obtained in the present study suggest that maltitol is an effective fat replacer in reduced-fat mozzarella cheese and might enhance the cheese's functional properties. The T_g of cheese was related to the water and fat content, fat replacer addition and cross-linking degree of casein. The relationship between T_g and the physicochemical properties of cheese will be studied in further research. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Improvement of the Sensory Characteristics of Goat Milk Yogurt

The sensory characteristics of goat yogurt could be greatly improved by integrating to a culture typical of yogurt starters, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii spp. bulgaricus, with cultures of Leuconostoc lactis. The addition of L. lactis requires the use of the definition of  "fermented milk" to the product, although it is prepared according to the same technology. The experimental plan has designed the use of inoculation with a bacterial concentration of at least 109 , for each microbial species considered, with the aim of increasing the probiotic effect of yogurt and fermented milk. Descriptive analysis of the samples was conducted using the profile sheet obtained applying the consensus profiling method (UNI EN ISO 13299:2010) by a trained panel. The acceptability of our products was evaluated by 62 consumers through 7-points hedonic scale. The results of this study indicated that the addition of L. lactis to the traditional yogurt starter produced a noticeable improvement to the sensory characteristics of fermented goat milk. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: To improve the sensory characteristics of goat's yogurt to make it more acceptable to the consumer and increase market demand we tested the integration of Leuconostoc lactis to typical starter cultures. The experimentation carried out tested different combinations of fermenting microorganisms with the aim of developing a better flavor as compared to that of traditional yogurt, which is often unpleasant to consumers. The addition of L. lactis to the starter culture of the goat's milk results in less aggressive aromatic notes and greater appreciation as confirmed by consumers who tested the product.

Dynamic Oral Texture Properties of Selected Indigenous Complementary Porridges Used in African Communities

Child malnutrition remains a major public health problem in low-income African communities, caused by factors including the low nutritional value of indigenous/local complementary porridges (CP) fed to infants and young children. Most African children subsist on locally available starchy foods, whose oral texture is not well-characterized in relation to their sensorimotor readiness. The sensory quality of CP affects oral processing (OP) abilities in infants and young children. Unsuitable oral texture limits nutrient intake, leading to protein-energy malnutrition. The perception of the oral texture of selected African CPs (n = 13, Maize, Sorghum, Cassava, Orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP), Cowpea, and Bambara) was investigated by a trained temporal-check-all-that-apply (TCATA) panel (n = 10), alongside selected commercial porridges (n = 19). A simulated OP method (Up-Down mouth movements- munching) and a control method (lateral mouth movements- normal adult-like chewing) were used. TCATA results showed that Maize, Cassava, and Sorghum porridges were initially too thick, sticky, slimy, and pasty, and also at the end not easy to swallow even at low solids content—especially by the Up-Down method. These attributes make CPs difficult to ingest for infants given their limited OP abilities, thus, leading to limited nutrient intake, and this can contribute to malnutrition. Methods to improve the texture properties of indigenous CPs are needed to optimize infant nutrient intake.

Characterizing the Dynamic Textural Properties of Hydrocolloids in Pureed Foods-A Comparison Between TDS and TCATA

Pureed foods, a compensatory diet for dysphagia, require the incorporation of hydrocolloids in order to be swallowed safely. The effect of hydrocolloid addition on textural dynamics of pureed foods has not yet been investigated. Starch and xanthan were added to levels that allowed products to meet the criteria of the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative. Nine pureed carrot matrices made with two concentrations of starch, xanthan, and their blends were characterized for textural evolution using two dynamic sensory techniques: Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS) and Temporal Check-All-That-Apply (TCATA). Each test, with four replications, was conducted with 16 panelists. Results indicate that purees were divided into two groups based on sensory responses--grainy and smooth were the primary differentiating attributes for these two groups. Grainy was associated with starch-added samples, while samples with xanthan (alone and in blends) were smooth and slippery. For both groups, thickness was perceived during the first half of processing, adhesiveness in the second half of oral processing, and mouthcoating was perceived toward the end of processing. A comparison of results from these tests showed that both TDS and TCATA gave similar information about texture dynamics and product differentiation of pureed foods.

Ethnicity, gender and physiological parameters: Their effect on in vivo flavour release and perception during chewing gum consumption

In this study, the impact of physiological parameters, ethnicity and gender on flavour perception and flavour release of chewing gum was investigated. Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometry in-nose monitoring of volatile organic compounds was coupled to discontinuous time intensity sensory evaluation for mint flavour and sweetness perception. Each of the 29 subjects, 14 European and 15 Chinese panelists (13 male and 16 females, age 24 ± 1.4 years old) consumed the samples in triplicates. Physiological parameters (oral cavity volume, salivary flow, acetone and isoprene concentration and fungiform papillae density) were measured. Significant differences for in vivo flavour release between Chinese and European panelists after 90 s of consumption and after the gum was removed from the mouth were found. Significant differences were observed also in flavour and sweetness perception while no gender effect was detected. In this work, for the first time an effect of ethnicity on in-nose flavour release monitored through PTR-MS was noticed during chewing gum consumption, in agreement with the findings from sensory evaluation. Single physiological parameters do not explain the relation between flavour in nose release and perception during consumption.

Consumer Acceptance, Emotional Response, and Purchase Intent of Rib-Eye Steaks from Grass-Fed Steers, and Effects of Health Benefit Information on Consumer Perception

Sensory acceptability, purchase intent (PI), consumer emotional profile, and fatty acid profile of rib-eye steaks from four different biological types of grass-fed cattle (Angus, Brangus, Pineywoods, and Holstein) were evaluated. The effects of health benefit information (HBI) pertaining to grass-fed beef on the overall liking (OL), emotional profile, and PI were also studied. Consumers rated steaks from the two nontraditional beef biological types (Pineywoods and Holstein) equally or higher than conventional biological types (Angus and Brangus) in several hedonic (9-point scale) categories. Mean OL scores were 6.1 for Pineywoods and 6.3 for Holstein steaks, versus 5.5 for Angus and 6.0 for Brangus. Hedonic attributes, especially OL and liking of beef flavor, accounted for most of the differences between treatments based on Wilks' Lambda Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and descriptive discriminant analysis. After knowledge of HBI, OL of all treatments increased, particularly Angus with OL mean score significantly increasing from 5.5 to 6.2. Positive PI increased significantly for Angus (from 48% to 65.33%), Brangus (from 50.67% to 66.67%), and Holstein (from 61.33% to 76%) steaks. Angus steaks, which initially received the lowest beef flavor liking (5.1) showed the most improvement for OL after HBI. Likewise, emotional profiles were improved after HBI, particularly the "Interested" emotion with a 0.5 unit increased.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Providing consumers with health benefit information (HBI) can enhance acceptability of grass-fed beef. Fatty acid analyses of steaks from four biological types of steers showed favorable n-6/n-3 ratios. Although some sensory attributes of cooked rib-eye steaks were scored differently among biological types, knowledge of grass-feeding and healthier fatty acids increased overall liking and purchase intent (PI) across products. Emotional profiles improved after HBI was given to consumers, with some emotions being significantly related to PI odds ratios. This research demonstrated the usefulness of HBI in improving hedonic perceptions of grass-fed steaks and the importance of consumer emotions in predicting PI.