TIME‐COURSE OF VISCOSITY, SWEETNESS AND FLAVOR IN CHOCOLATE DESSERTS

Abstract

Using a strip‐chart recorder to monitor time, intensities of oral viscosity, sweetness, and chocolate flavor were evaluated for two chocolate desserts — canned pudding and a canned crème — identical in formula except for the thickening agent. The time‐intensity (T‐I) curves provided four major sets of information for interpretation of findings: (1) maximum sensory intensity; (2) time required to reach maximum; (3) total duration of sensation, and (4) total area under the curve. Maximum oral viscosity was perceived 8.6 s after placement of the 5‐g sample into the mouth, maximum sweetness after 11.1 s, and maximum chocolate flavor after 12.9 s. The pudding had significantly greater oral viscosity than the creme, but the two products had similar time patterns for flavor. Sweetness and flavor persisted long after viscosity was no longer detectable. Although there was considerable between‐judge variation in the type of T‐I curves generated, within‐judge responses were reproducible as was the panel as a group. The usefulness of information on the time course of textural and flavor characteristics of foods and model systems during oral manipulation and swallowing is discussed.