Role of tailored sourdough fermentation in the flavor of wholegrain-oat bread

Sourdough technology has been known for its role in the improvement of texture, flavor, and quality of mainly wheat and rye-based breads for decades. However, little is reported about its use in the improvement of whole-grain oat bread, especially concerning flavor formation, which is one major consumer drivers. This study investigated the effects of sourdough obtained by different lactic acid bacteria and yeast starters consortia on the texture and flavor of 100% oat bread. Four different consortia were selected to obtain four oat sourdoughs, which were analyzed to assess the main features due to the different starter fermentation metabolism. Sourdoughs were added to breads as 30% dough weight. Bread quality was technologically monitored via hardness and volume measurements. Sourdough breads were softer and had higher specific volume. The sensory profile of sourdoughs and breads was assessed by a trained panel in sensory laboratory conditions, and the volatile profile was analyzed by HS-SPME-GC-MS. Sourdoughs were rated with higher intensities than untreated control for most of attributes, especially concerning sour aroma and flavor attributes. Sourdough breads were rated with higher intensities than control bread for sour vinegar flavor and total odor intensity, in addition they had richer volatile profile. Our results confirmed that sourdough addition can lead to an enhanced flavor, moreover, it demonstrated that the use of different consortia of lactic acid bacteria and yeast strains leads to the improvement of texture and altered sensory profile of whole-oat bread.

Sensory and Consumer Research Has a Role in Supporting Sustainability of the Food System

How can sensory and consumer research contribute to the sustainability of a food system [...]

Hedonic perception of odors in children aged 5-8 years is similar across 18 countries: Preliminary data

OBJECTIVE

Olfactory preference emerges very early in life, and the sense of smell in children rapidly develops until the second decade of life. It is still unclear whether hedonic perception of odors is shared in children inhabiting different regions of the globe.

METHODS

Five-hundred ten healthy children (N = 510; n_girls = 256; n_boys = 254) aged from 5 to 8 years from 18 countries rated the pleasantness of 17 odors.

RESULTS

The hedonic perception of odors in children aged between 5 and 8 years was rather consistent across 18 countries and mainly driven by the qualities of an odor and the overall ability of children to label odorants.

CONCLUSION

Conclusions from this study, being a secondary analysis, are limited to the presented set of odors that were initially selected for the development of U-Sniff test and present null findings for the cross-cultural variability in hedonic perception of odors across 18 countries. These two major issues should be addressed in the future to either contradict or replicate the results presented herewith. This research lays fundament for posing further research questions about the developmental aspects of hedonic perception of odors and opens a new door for investigating cross-cultural differences in chemosensory perception of children.

Flavor challenges in extruded plant-based meat alternatives: A review

Demand for plant-based meat alternatives has increased in recent years due to concerns about health, ethics, the environment, and animal welfare. Nevertheless, the market share of plant-based meat alternatives must increase significantly if they are to support sustainable food production and consumption. Flavor is an important limiting factor of the acceptability and marketability of plant-based meat alternatives. Undesirable chemosensory perceptions, such as a beany flavor, bitter taste, and astringency, are often associated with plant proteins and products that use them. This study reviewed 276 articles to answer the following five research questions: (1) What are the volatile and nonvolatile compounds responsible for off-flavors? (2) What are the mechanisms by which these flavor compounds are generated? (3) What is the influence of thermal extrusion cooking (the primary structuring technique to transform plant proteins into fibrous products that resemble meat in texture) on the flavor characteristics of plant proteins? (4) What techniques are used in measuring the flavor properties of plant-based proteins and products? (5) What strategies can be used to reduce off-flavors and improve the sensory appeal of plant-based meat alternatives? This article comprehensively discusses, for the first time, the flavor issues of plant-based meat alternatives and the technologies available to improve flavor and, ultimately, acceptability.

Sensory professionals' perspective on the possibilities of using facial expression analysis in sensory and consumer research

The increase in digitalization, software applications, and computing power has widened the variety of tools with which to collect and analyze sensory data. As these changes continue to take place, examining new skills required among sensory professionals is needed. The aim with this study was to answer the following questions: (a) How did sensory professionals perceive the opportunities to utilize facial expression analysis in sensory evaluation work? (b) What skills did the sensory professionals describe they needed when utilizing facial expression analysis? Twenty-two sensory professionals from various food companies and universities were interviewed by using semistructural thematic interviews to map development intentions from facial expression recognition data as well as to describe the established skills that were needed. Participants' facial expressions were first elicited by an odor sample during a sensory evaluation task. The evaluation was video recorded to characterize a facial expression software response (FaceReader™). The participants were interviewed regarding their opinions of the data analysis the software produced. The study findings demonstrate how using facial expression analysis contains personal and field-specific perspectives. Recognizability, associativity, reflectivity, reliability, and suitability were perceived as a personal perspective. From the field-specific perspective, professionals considered the received data valuable only if they had skills to interpret and utilize it. There is a need for an increase in training not only in IT, mathematics, statistics, and problem-solving, but also in skills related to self-management and ethical responsibility.

Bioprocessed Brewers' Spent Grain Improves Nutritional and Antioxidant Properties of Pasta

Brewers' spent grain (BSG), the by-product of brewing, was subjected to a xylanase treatment followed by fermentation with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum PU1. Bioprocessed BSG has been used as ingredient to obtain a fortified semolina pasta which can be labeled as "high fiber" and "source of protein" according to the European Community Regulation No. 1924/2006. Compared to native BSG, the use of bioprocessed BSG led to higher protein digestibility and quality indices (essential amino acid index, biological value, protein efficiency ratio, nutritional index), as well as lower predicted glycemic index. Bioprocessing also improved the technological properties of fortified pasta. Indeed, brightfield and confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed the formation of a more homogeneous protein network, resulting from the degradation of the arabinoxylan structure of BSG, and the release of the components entrapped into the cellular compartments. The extensive cell wall disruption contributed to the release of phenols, and conferred enhanced antioxidant activity to the fortified pasta. The persistence of the activity was demonstrated after in vitro-mimicked digestion, evaluating the protective effects of the digested pasta towards induced oxidative stress in Caco-2 cells cultures. The fortified pasta showed a peculiar sensory profile, markedly improved by the pre-treatment, thus confirming the great potential of bioprocessed BSG as health-promoting food ingredient.

Detection thresholds for quinine, PTC, and PROP measured using taste strips

PURPOSE

In clinical practice, when ability to perceive bitter taste is studied, quinine is preferred to phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) and 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) as taste stimulus, because many subjects are genetically non-tasters for PTC/PROP. However, it is poorly known how sensitive anterior (front) and posterior (back) parts of the tongue are to different bitter tastants that are detected by different bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs). In the present study, we aimed to characterize sensitivity to bitter taste at front and back parts of tongue.

METHODS

We measured thresholds for quinine, PTC, and PROP using the "taste strips", employing seven concentrations of each stimulus both at front and back parts of tongue in 203 healthy participants (56% females, mean age 28 years).

RESULTS

Our data confirmed the hypothesis that the inability to perceive quinine was less frequent than the inability to perceive PTC and PROP: People can still perceive the bitter taste of quinine even if they are "non-tasters" for PROP/PTC. As expected, strong correlations between PTC and PROP thresholds were observed. Interestingly, correlations between thresholds for quinine and PTC/PROP also emerged. Overall, the detection thresholds were lower when measured at front part of the tongue.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that determining taster status for quinine using paper "taste strips", applied to front part of the tongue, represents a suitable method for the screening for ageusia for bitter taste.

Development of an International Odor Identification Test for Children: The Universal Sniff Test

OBJECTIVE

To assess olfactory function in children and to create and validate an odor identification test to diagnose olfactory dysfunction in children, which we called the Universal Sniff (U-Sniff) test.

STUDY DESIGN

This is a multicenter study involving 19 countries. The U-Sniff test was developed in 3 phases including 1760 children age 5-7 years. Phase 1: identification of potentially recognizable odors; phase 2: selection of odorants for the odor identification test; and phase 3: evaluation of the test and acquisition of normative data. Test-retest reliability was evaluated in a subgroup of children (n = 27), and the test was validated using children with congenital anosmia (n = 14).

RESULTS

Twelve odors were familiar to children and, therefore, included in the U-Sniff test. Children scored a mean ± SD of 9.88 ± 1.80 points out of 12. Normative data was obtained and reported for each country. The U-Sniff test demonstrated a high test-retest reliability (r₂₇ = 0.83, P < .001) and enabled discrimination between normosmia and children with congenital anosmia with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 86%.

CONCLUSIONS

The U-Sniff is a valid and reliable method of testing olfaction in children and can be used internationally.

Self-Ratings of Olfactory Performance and Odor Annoyance Are Associated With the Affective Impact of Odor, but Not With Smell Test Results

Our aim was to explore factors potentially associated with subjective (self-rated) and objective (measured using the Sniffin' Sticks Extended test) olfactory performance in the general population without olfactory disorders. We studied associations between olfactory performance and how important odors were in determining liking for new places, things, and people (measured using the Affective Impact of Odor scale) and the average annoyance caused by odors in 117 adults (83 women, 34 men; age 18-69 years, mean age 32 years). In a subset of 44 participants, we also studied associations between olfactory performance and spice odor identification task scores (14 odors) and the number of herbs and spices consumed. Self-rated olfactory acuity and odor-related annoyance were associated with the Affective Impact of Odor scores, but neither correlated with the smell test results. Instead, the number of spices consumed correlated with spice odor identification score ( r = .50) and the identification (but not threshold nor discrimination) subscore of the Sniffin' Sticks test ( r = .49). Our results suggest that a tendency to perceive odors in affective terms may be associated with overestimation of olfactory abilities and that recurrent exposure to a large variety of spice odors may improve performance on odor identification.

Experiences of environmental odors among self-reported hyperosmics: a pilot study

We investigated everyday odor experiences in 55 people (14-75 years old) who rated their sense of smell as far better than average. Compared to 55 gender- and age-matched controls, the self-reported hyperosmics scored higher on the Affective Impact of Odor Scale, rated negative consequences and unpleasant memories due to odors as more likely, rated environmental odors as more annoying, reported increased sensitivity to specific odors more frequently, paid more attention to odors, and agreed more strongly that their sense of smell has caused inconvenience to them. Based on these data, subjective hyperosmia is associated with primarily negative odor-related experiences.

Pleasantness of the odor of androstenone as a function of sexual intercourse experience in women and men

Androstenone (5α-androst-16-en-3-one) and other androstenes, body odor components occurring in apocrine secretions, may play a role in human chemosignaling. We hypothesized that the odor of androstenone may gain hedonic value from sexual intercourse experiences via associative learning. Young adults (N = 397, 61.5% women, age 21-24 years, randomly sampled regarding sexual experience) rated the intensity and pleasantness of the odors of androstenone, cinnamon, chocolate, isovaleric acid, lemon, and turpentine. Among women who were able to perceive androstenone, the odor was rated as more pleasant (less unpleasant) by those who had had experienced sexual intercourse with at least one partner (n = 175) than by those who reported never having experienced intercourse (n = 12, p = .006). The difference was specific to women. The results suggest that, among women, sexual experience may modify the pleasantness of the odor of androstenone.

Genetic analysis of chemosensory traits in human twins

We explored genetic influences on the perception of taste and smell stimuli. Adult twins rated the chemosensory aspects of water, sucrose, sodium chloride, citric acid, ethanol, quinine hydrochloride, phenylthiocarbamide (PTC), potassium chloride, calcium chloride, cinnamon, androstenone, Galaxolide™, cilantro, and basil. For most traits, individual differences were stable over time and some traits were heritable (h(2) from 0.41 to 0.71). Subjects were genotyped for 44 single nucleotide polymorphisms within and near genes related to taste and smell. The results of these association analyses confirmed previous genotype-phenotype results for PTC, quinine, and androstenone. New associations were detected for ratings of basil and a bitter taste receptor gene, TAS2R60, and between cilantro and variants in three genes (TRPA1, GNAT3, and TAS2R50). The flavor of ethanol was related to variation within an olfactory receptor gene (OR7D4) and a gene encoding a subunit of the epithelial sodium channel (SCNN1D). Our study demonstrates that person-to-person differences in the taste and smell perception of simple foods and drinks are partially accounted for by genetic variation within chemosensory pathways.

A genome-wide study on the perception of the odorants androstenone and galaxolide

Twin pairs and their siblings rated the intensity of the odorants amyl acetate, androstenone, eugenol, Galaxolide, mercaptans, and rose (N = 1573). Heritability was established for ratings of androstenone (h (2) = 0.30) and Galaxolide (h(2) = 0.34) but not for the other odorants. Genome-wide association analysis using 2.3 million single nucleotide polymorphisms indicated that the most significant association was between androstenone and a region without known olfactory receptor genes (rs10966900, P = 1.2 × 10(-7)). A previously reported association between the olfactory receptor OR7D4 and the androstenone was not detected until we specifically typed this gene (P = 1.1 × 10(-4)). We also tested these 2 associations in a second independent sample of subjects and replicated the results either fully (OR7D4, P = 0.00002) or partially (rs10966900, P = 0.010; N = 266). These findings suggest that 1) the perceived intensity of some but not all odorants is a heritable trait, 2) use of a current genome-wide marker panel did not detect a known olfactory genotype-phenotype association, and 3) person-to-person differences in androstenone perception are influenced by OR7D4 genotype and perhaps by variants of other genes.

Food neophobia in young adults: genetic architecture and relation to personality, pleasantness and use frequency of foods, and body mass index--a twin study

Food neophobia has been studied extensively in children, but its causal origins and relationship to eating behavior in adults are not well understood. We studied genetic and environmental effects on variation in food neophobia, measured using the Food Neophobia Scale, and explored associations between food neophobia and personality, pleasantness and use frequency of food groups, and body mass index in young adult twins (N = 1175, aged 20-25 years, 54.7% women). In women, additive genetic effects (heritability) accounted for 61% of variation in food neophobia, whereas in men, shared environmental effects explained 45% of the variation. Food neophobia negatively correlated with the personality trait Openness, corrected for the structural overlap (r = -0.23), and in women, these two traits had a genetic correlation (r (g) = -0.39). In addition, food neophobia negatively correlated with pleasantness and use frequency of fruits and vegetables and of fish and with mean pleasantness of foods. Once evolutionarily important, food neophobia should at present be considered in nutrition counseling as a possible barrier to a balanced diet.

Genetics of taste and smell: poisons and pleasures

Eating is dangerous. While food contains nutrients and calories that animals need to produce heat and energy, it may also contain harmful parasites, bacteria, or chemicals. To guide food selection, the senses of taste and smell have evolved to alert us to the bitter taste of poisons and the sour taste and off-putting smell of spoiled foods. These sensory systems help people and animals to eat defensively, and they provide the brake that helps them avoid ingesting foods that are harmful. But choices about which foods to eat are motivated by more than avoiding the bad; they are also motivated by seeking the good, such as fat and sugar. However, just as not everyone is equally capable of sensing toxins in food, not everyone is equally enthusiastic about consuming high-fat, high-sugar foods. Genetic studies in humans and experimental animals strongly suggest that the liking of sugar and fat is influenced by genotype; likewise, the abilities to detect bitterness and the malodors of rotting food are highly variable among individuals. Understanding the exact genes and genetic differences that affect food intake may provide important clues in obesity treatment by allowing caregivers to tailor dietary recommendations to the chemosensory landscape of each person.

The Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire, body mass index, and responses to sweet and salty fatty foods: a twin study of genetic and environmental associations

BACKGROUND

The relation between body weight and energy-dense foods remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

We estimated the effects of genetic and environmental factors on cognitive and emotional aspects of dieting behavior, body mass index (BMI), and responses to fatty foods and on their relations.

DESIGN

A total of 1326 adult twin persons (aged 17-82 y; 17% M and 83% F) from the United Kingdom and Finland completed the revised version of the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-R18) and reported the liking and use-frequency of 4 sweet-and-fatty and salty-and-fatty food items (6 items in the United Kingdom and 5 items in Finland). Genetic modeling was done by using linear structural equations.

RESULTS

Heritability estimates were calculated separately for the countries and sexes; they were 26-63% for cognitive restraint, 45-69% for uncontrolled eating, and 9-45% for emotional eating, respectively. Of the variation in liking and use-frequency of fatty foods, 24-54% was attributed to interindividual genetic differences. No significant correlations were observed between BMI and fatty food use or liking. However, BMI was positively (mostly genetically) correlated (genetic r = 0.16-0.51) with all of the dieting behaviors, and they correlated with fatty food use and liking ratings. Uncontrolled eating was both genetically and environmentally associated with liking for salty-and-fatty foods (genetic and environmental r = 0.16), and emotional eating was genetically associated with liking for sweet-and-fatty foods (genetic r = 0.31).

CONCLUSIONS

The relation between BMI and diet appears to be mediated through dieting behaviors. Dietary counseling should focus on unhealthy dieting behaviors rather than only on direct advice on food use.

Same genetic components underlie different measures of sweet taste preference

BACKGROUND

Sweet taste preferences are measured by several often correlated measures.

OBJECTIVE

We examined the relative proportions of genetic and environmental effects on sweet taste preference indicators and their mutual correlations.

DESIGN

A total of 663 female twins (324 complete pairs, 149 monozygous and 175 dizygous pairs) aged 17-80 y rated the liking and intensity of a 20% (wt/vol) sucrose solution, reported the liking and the use-frequency of 6 sweet foods (sweet desserts, sweets, sweet pastry, ice cream, hard candy, and chocolate), and completed a questionnaire on cravings of sweet foods. The estimated contributions of genetic factors, environmental factors shared by a twin pair, and environmental factors unique to each twin individual to the variance and covariance of the traits were obtained with the use of linear structural equation modeling.

RESULTS

Approximately half of the variation in liking for sweet solution and liking and use-frequency of sweet foods (49-53%) was explained by genetic factors, whereas the rest of the variation was due to environmental factors unique to each twin individual. Sweet taste preference-related traits were correlated. Tetravariate modeling showed that the correlation between liking for the sweet solution and liking for sweet foods was due to genetic factors (genetic r = 0.27). Correlations between liking, use-frequency, and craving for sweet foods were due to both genetic and unshared environmental factors.

CONCLUSION

Detailed information on the associations between preference measures is an important intermediate goal in the determination of the genetic components affecting sweet taste preferences.

Sweet taste preferences are partly genetically determined: identification of a trait locus on chromosome 16

BACKGROUND

Humans have an innate preference for sweet taste, but the degree of liking for sweet foods varies individually.

OBJECTIVE

The proportion of inherited sweet taste preference was studied. A genome-wide linkage analysis was performed to locate the underlying genetic elements in the genome.

DESIGN

A total of 146 subjects (32% men, 68% women) aged 18-78 y from 26 Finnish families evaluated the intensity and pleasantness of 3 suprathreshold solutions of sucrose (3.0%, 7.5%, and 18.75%) and plain water and the intensity of filter paper impregnated with 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP). The subjects also reported the pleasantness and the use frequency of 5 sweet foods (chocolate, candy, ice cream, sweet desserts, and sweet pastry) and completed a food-behavior questionnaire that measured their craving for sweet foods.

RESULTS

Of the chemosensory functions, the pleasantness rating of the strongest (18.75%) sucrose solution and the intensity rating of PROP yielded the highest heritability estimates (41% and 66%, respectively). The pleasantness and the use frequency of sweet foods (both variables calculated as a mean of ratings for 5 food items) and the craving for sweet foods showed significant heritability (40%, 50%, and 31%, respectively). A logarithm of odds score of 3.5 (P=0.00003) was detected for use frequency of sweet foods on chromosome 16p11.2 (marker D16S753).

CONCLUSIONS

Sweet taste preferences are partly inherited. Chromosome 16p11.2 may harbor genetic variations that affect the consumption of sweet foods.

Food neophobia shows heritable variation in humans

Food neophobia refers to reluctance to eat unfamiliar foods. We determined the heritability of food neophobia in a family and a twin sample. The family sample consisted of 28 Finnish families (105 females, 50 males, aged 18-78 years, mean age 49 years) and the twin sample of 468 British female twin pairs (211 monozygous and 257 dizygous pairs, aged 17-82 years, mean age 55 years). Food neophobia was measured using the ten-item Food Neophobia Scale (FNS) questionnaire, and its internationally validated six-item modification. The heritability estimate for food neophobia was 69 and 66% in Finnish families (h(2)) and 67 and 66% in British female twins (a(2)+d(2)) using the ten- and six-item versions of the FNS, respectively. The results from both populations suggest that about two thirds of variation in food neophobia is genetically determined.

Genetic component of identification, intensity and pleasantness of odours: a Finnish family study

Although potential odorant receptor genes have been identified, the precise genetic component of perception of odours is still obscure. Although there is some evidence for heritability of a few olfactory-related traits, no genome-wide search for loci harboring underlying genes has been published to date. We performed a genome-wide scan to identify loci affecting the identification, intensity and pleasantness of 12 odours (cinnamon, turpentine, lemon, smoke, chocolate, rose, paint thinner, banana, pineapple, gasoline, soap, onion) using 146 Finnish adults from 26 families. Several of these traits showed heritable variation in the families. Suggestive evidence of linkage was found for the pleasantness of cinnamon odour (h(2)=61%) on chromosome 4q32.3 (multipoint logarithm of the odds (LOD) score 3.01), as well as for the perceived intensity of paint thinner odour (h(2)=31%) on chromosome 2p14 (multipoint LOD score 2.55). As these loci do not contain any known human odorant receptor genes, they may rather harbor genes that affect the central processing than the peripheral detection of the odour signal. Thus, perception of odours is potentially modified by genes other than those encoding odorant receptors.

Kinetics of transglutaminase-induced cross-linking of wheat proteins in dough

The effects of TGase in dough after 15, 30, 45, and 60 min of resting time after mixing were studied with a Kieffer test. The resistance to stretching of control dough did not change greatly during the 60 min time period after mixing. In dough, TGase decreased extensibility and increased resistance to stretching and this change was already observed after the first 15 min (first measurement). The higher the enzyme dosage was, the higher the magnitude of the rheological change was. All of the doughs that contained TGase 3.8 or 5.7 nkat/g flour had a higher resistance to stretching and lower extensibility than control dough 15 min after mixing. Resistance to stretching clearly increased at a dosage of 5.7 nkat/g flour during the 15-60 min period after mixing. Extensibility increased in the control dough and in the doughs with a low enzyme dosage almost at the same rate. The evolution of air bubbles during proofing was determined with bright field microscopy and image analysis. In the presence of 5.7 nkat/g TGase, the fermented dough contained more of the smallest and less large air bubbles in comparison to the control dough. The effect of TGase and water content on the specific volume of the conventional and organic wheat bread was studied. Water did not have a significant effect on the specific volume of bread. TGase increased the specific volume of breads baked from organic flour only, when additional water (+10% of farinogram absorption) and a small enzyme dosage were used. Microstructural characterization showed that bread baked without TGase from conventional flour had a stronger protein network than that baked from organic flour. TGase improved the formation of protein network in breads baked from either normal or organic flour but at higher dosage caused uneven distribution.