Temperature dependence of acoustic parameters in pure and blended edible oils: Implications for characterization and authentication

This research investigates the temperature-dependent variation of diverse acoustic parameters in samples of edible oils. It further supplements previous studies on the effectiveness of non-destructive ultrasonic inspection in the authentication of edible oils. The oils under examination consist of pure samples of olive, sunflower, and corn oils, as well as variable mixtures ranging from 20 % to 80 % of the more expensive one (olive oil) with the other two, simulating a hypothetical adulteration scenario. The studied acoustic parameters are related to the velocity, attenuation, and frequency components present in 2.25 MHz ultrasonic waves propagating through the oil samples within a temperature range of 24 °C to 34 °C. The results confirm the suitability of non-destructive ultrasonic inspection in evaluating and detecting the adulteration of olive oil with economically inferior oils such as sunflower and corn. Additionally, this study provides added value by laying the groundwork for a non-destructive and innovative determination of the fatty acid profile of an edible oil based on the evolution of the aforementioned ultrasonic parameters with temperature. The findings hold potential for enhancing the authenticity assessment and quality control of edible oils in the food industry.

Authentication of pure and adulterated edible oils using non-destructive ultrasound

At present, the quality of edible oil is evaluated using traditional analysis techniques that are generally destructive. Therefore, efforts are being made to find alternative methods with non-destructive techniques such as Ultrasound. This work aims to confirm the feasibility of non-destructive ultrasonic inspection to characterise and detect fraudulent practices in olive oil due to adulteration with two other edible vegetable oils (sunflower and corn). For this purpose, pulsed ultrasonic signals with a frequency of 2.25 MHz have been used. The samples of pure olive oil were adulterated with the other two in variable percentages between 20% and 80%. Moreover, the viscosity and density values were measured. Both these physicochemical and acoustic parameters were obtained at 24 °C and 30 °C and linearly correlated with each other. The results indicate the sensitivity of the method at all levels of adulteration studied. The responses obtained through the parameters related to the components of velocity, attenuation, and frequency of the ultrasonic waves are complementary to each other. This allows concluding that the classification of pure and adulterated oil samples is possible through non-destructive ultrasonic inspection.

Emotional response to healthier foods: Influence of culture and health consciousness

Sugar, salt, and fat content in processed products are important concerns for consumers. Hence, alternative "healthy" versions of conventional foods such as chocolate, potato chips, and yogurt are offered. This work aimed to define the emotional response of consumers from different cultural backgrounds (Spain vs. Brazil) evoked by healthier versions of conventional products and the relationship between hedonic responses and health consciousness. A total of 186 Brazilian and 152 Spanish consumers participated in this online cross-cultural study. Participants answered a Health Consciousness Questionnaire and an emotional check-all-that-applies questionnaire using picture stimuli of conventional chocolate, potato chips, and yogurt and their healthier versions with less sugar, salt, and fat content, respectively. The Brazilians' emotional responses were more diverse for all stimuli compared to the Spaniards'. However, participants from both cultures rated an average of "slightly agree" on the health consciousness scale; a higher level of consumption, liking, and willingness to buy; and a higher frequency of positive emotional terms for the stimuli of conventional products compared to their healthier versions. A higher frequency of evocation of "active" is strongly associated with higher levels of health consciousness. Strategic actions by the food industry and government must consider cultural, emotional, and health-conscious factors to encourage the consumption of healthier foods. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Food manufacturers can use the information obtained from this study to create healthier versions of their products that appeal to consumers' emotional responses and health consciousness levels. The findings can assist in designing strategic actions to promote healthier food consumption by emphasizing the benefits of healthier food choices and making them more appealing to consumers. The methodology employed in this study can also be applied to further studies aimed to assess emotional responses to food stimuli across different cultures.

Acoustic Characterization Study of Beef Loins Using Ultrasonic Transducers

The objective of this study was to non-destructively characterize samples of fresh beef loin by low-intensity ultrasound inspection at various frequencies and to correlate the acoustic parameters of these inspections with quality parameters. In this regard, ultrasonic parameters such as ultrasound pulse velocity (UPV) and variables related to attenuation and frequency components obtained from fast Fourier transform (FFT) were considered. For this, pulsed ultrasonic signal transducers with a frequency of 0.5 and 1.0 MHz were used. Acoustic parameters and those obtained through traditional instrumental analyses (physicochemical and texture) underwent a Pearson correlation analysis. The acoustic determinations revealed numerous significant correlations with the rest of the studied parameters. The results demonstrate that ultrasonic inspection has the ability to characterize samples with a non-destructive nature, and likewise, this methodology can be postulated as a promising predictive tool for determining quality parameters in beef loin samples.

Influence of fat reduction and flavor addition on the temporal sensory profile in potato chips using a multiple-intake approach

BACKGROUND

Reducing the fat content of potato chips can negatively affect the overall perception of taste and texture. However, incorporating flavor can help mitigate negative effects. To measure and understand these changes, a technique describing the consumption experience must be used. The impact of low fat content and the presence of ham flavor in the formulation of potato chips was studied in relation to the dynamics of sensations perceived during consumption and, additionally, related to the hedonic aspects of these products.

RESULTS

Three different varieties of commercially available potato chips, classical salted potato chips (PC-C), light (low fat content) potato chips (PC-L), and ham-flavored potato chips (PC-H), were analyzed by multiple-intake temporal dominance of sensations (TDS) sessions, showing the differences among PC-C, PC-L, and PC-H. Moreover, acceptability and purchase intention were also considered. The results showed that the lower fat content in the potato chips had a great impact on temporal dominance of texture attributes, whereas the presence of ham flavor in the formulation greatly modified the temporal dominance of flavor sensations during consumption with no effect on acceptability.

CONCLUSION

Multiple intake TDS is a suitable method for revealing how modifications of formulation and composition of potato chips to achieve healthier or different versions affects consumers dynamic sensory perception and how it is related to preferences. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

MRI-computer vision on fresh and frozen-thawed beef: Optimization of methodology for classification and quality prediction

This study aims to evaluate the capability of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and computer vision techniques to classify fresh (raw F) (n = 12) and frozen-thawed (FT) (n = 12) beef and predict physico-chemical, texture and sensory characteristics by optimization the methodology for image analysis (algorithm) and data analysis (regressor), testing different algorithm-regressor combinations. The accuracy of the classification and prediction results especially depend on the algorithm. Different optimum combinations were found for classification (Fractal with CForest, RF or SVM) and prediction of quality parameters of raw FT (Fractal-CForest or Fractal-RF) and cooked FT samples (Classic-RF). Thus, the computational analysis of MRI, especially the algorithm to analyze the image, may be set as a function of the aim (classification or prediction) and of the type of sample (raw or cooked), while the analysed characteristic is not relevant. This study firstly showed the capability of MRI to classify beef (raw F vs. raw FT) and to determine quality characteristics in a non-destructive way.

Potential of Near Infrared Spectroscopy as a Rapid Method to Discriminate OTA and Non-OTA-Producing Mould Species in a Dry-Cured Ham Model System

The ripening process of dry-cured meat products is characterised by the development of fungi on the product's surface. This population plays a beneficial role, but, uncontrolled moulds represent a health risk, since some of them may produce mycotoxins, such as ochratoxin A (OTA). The aim of the present work is to assess the potential of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for the detection of OTA-producing mould species on dry-cured ham-based agar. The collected spectra were used to develop Support Vector Machines-Discriminant Analysis (SVM-DA) models by a hierarchical approach. Firstly, an SVM-DA model was tested to discriminate OTA and non-OTA producers; then, two models were tested to discriminate species among the OTA producers and the non-OTA producers. OTA and non-OTA-producing moulds were discriminated with 85% sensitivity and 86% specificity in the prediction. Furthermore, the SVM-DA model could differentiate non-OTA-producing species with a 95% sensitivity and specificity. Promising results were obtained for the prediction of the four OTA-producing species tested, with a 69% and 90% sensitivity and specificity, respectively. The preliminary approach demonstrated the high potential of NIR spectroscopy, coupled with Chemometrics, to be used as a real-time automated routine monitorization of dry-cured ham surfaces.

Effect of adding byproducts of chicken slaughter on the quality of sausage over storage

The use of byproducts generated by the food industry is a strategy that can have advantages in economic, technological, nutritional, and environmental terms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the addition of byproducts of chicken slaughter (skin and abdominal fat) on the quality of fresh sausage stored under freezing. Partial chemical characterization of the byproducts was performed. Three batches of chicken sausage were prepared with skin, abdominal fat, and with skin and abdominal fat added; thereafter were stored for 135 d in freezer. Partial chemical composition, physical characteristics, microbiological quality, and product acceptance were determined. Skin and abdominal fat are rich sources of fat. However, the addition of skin provided to sausage higher protein content, hardness, water retention capacity, and less cooking loss compared to added abdominal fat treatments. In contrast, the addition of abdominal fat provided higher lipid content to the sausages and displaying higher acceptability. The addition of byproducts in fresh sausage manufacture would be a great strategy to increase the chicken sausage value, with physicochemical quality improvement, and without sensory acceptability issues.

Cross-cultural emotional response to food stimuli: Influence of consumption context

Emotional responses elicited by certain types of food can be influenced by past experiences, frequency of consumption, culture, and other personal preferences. The present research aimed i) to investigate the impact of culture (Brazilian and Spaniard) on consumers' emotional responses and acceptability of different food stimuli, and ii) to explore the influence of evoked contexts. Brazilian (n = 437) and Spanish (n = 397) participants were exposed to three visual food stimuli (image of chocolate, potato chips, and yogurt) in an online survey and reported their emotional responses. Sociodemographic data, liking, and frequency of consumption were also collected. The evoked context in our study were designed and proposed, for each product and culture, based on four dimensions (consumption time, location, social setting, and hungry state). The evoked emotional lexicon was different for each food stimulus and was clearly influenced by the cultural factor. However, there are more similarities between cultures when evaluating the same product category. The evoked contexts were appropriated and influenced the citing frequency of some emotion terms, including positive ones. The most cited emotion terms tended to positively impact product liking ratings, acting as drivers of liking. Consumption level was positively related to liking regardless of cultural interactions for both chocolate and potato chips stimuli. In conclusion, the cultural background demonstrated to be an important impact factor to be considered for understanding the effects of product, consumption occasions, and degree of liking, on emotional responses to foods. These findings offer new possibilities to be explored in marketing messages for interventions or stimuli that guide food choices.

Changes of Ultrasonic Parameters as a Tool to Determine the Influence of Cooking in Pork Loin Samples

This paper describes a non-invasive ultrasound method to analyze and develop the usefulness of ultrasound testing of both raw and cooked samples of pork loins (with different cooking conditions), and in different measurement conditions (frozen and thawed). Besides studying ultrasound pulse velocity (UPV), other ultrasound parameters were included such as FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) and attenuation, neither of which being commonly studied in this kind of work. The experimental study was carried out on pork loin pieces with 3 cm thickness, using a pair of transducers in through-transmission mode (frequency range up to 100 kHz), and another one in pulseecho mode (frequency range up to 1000 kHz). The ultrasound parameters studied showed good discrimination between samples in the different conditions of measurement and cooking. These results consolidate ultrasound testing as a non-destructive method well suited to this kind of meat product, both raw and cooked.

Near-infrared spectroscopy-based analysis to study sensory parameters on pork loins as affected by cooking methods and conditions

BACKGROUND

The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the use of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to classify pork loins under different methods and cooking conditions, and to predict sensory attributes of this product.

RESULTS

Samples were oven cooked at two temperatures (150 and 180 °C) for different times (45, 60 and 75 min) and confit cooked for different times (120, 180 and 240 min). All cooked loin samples were subjected to a Quantitative Descriptive Analysis by a trained panel. For classification, principal component analysis was performed based on the NIRS database, showing a good discrimination between loins samples subjected to different cooking conditions. Regarding prediction, a data mining technique (multiple linear regression) was applied on a database constructed with data from NIRS and sensory analysis.

CONCLUSION

The correlation coefficient and the mean absolute error obtained suggest that the calculated prediction equations of this study are valid to predict the changes in the sensory attributes depending on the cooking method and conditions used for pork loins. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.