Flavor Aftertaste Research Articles

Savoury and kokumi enhancement increases perceived calories and expectations of fullness in equicaloric beef broths

A food’s sensory appeal can be affected when reformulation is focused on reducing calorie content. Savoury taste enhancers and kokumi compounds have been used to improve the sensory qualities of reduced-calorie foods, but less is known about how such enhancement influences foods’ expected calories and satiating properties. This study examined whether savoury enhancement in a beef broth has an impact on its perceived calories, expected fullness and prospective portion selection. A sensory panel (n = 40, 20F) evaluated the sensory properties of broths that contained six different savoury and kokumi taste enhancers alone and in combination. Descriptive analysis and temporal-check-all-that-apply approach were used to profile the broths, and identified differences in savouriness intensity, mouthfeel and aftertaste across the different savoury- and kokumi-enhanced broths. Participants assessed each beef broth for its estimated calories and expected fullness, and self-selected prospective portion size. Total energy differences between broths were negligible, but participants’ perceptions of calorie content and expected fullness differed across the savoury- and kokumi-enhanced broths. Partial least squares regression was used to identify the sensory drivers of these differences and showed that broths with a higher intensity of ‘beef flavour’, ‘savouriness’, ‘body thickness’, ‘mouth-coating’ and ‘flavour aftertaste’ were positively related to higher calorie ratings, while ‘sourness’ intensity was negatively associated with calorie and fullness expectations. Savoury and kokumi enhancers can promote the flavour, mouthfeel and temporal sensory qualities of low-calorie foods, and could be used to increase their expected satiating properties by playing on learned associations between these sensory cues and fullness.

Sensory analysis of individual strawberry fruit and comparison with instrumental analysis

A new method for measuring fruit-to-fruit variation in strawberries by both sensory and instrumental analyses was developed and applied. The method allowed quantification of fruit-to-fruit variation in sensory attributes and instrumental properties. Two commercial colour gradings (3/4 and 4/4 red) of strawberry commonly used at harvest were investigated. In the main experiment, one-half of a strawberry fruit was assessed for sensory characteristics by a trained panel while the other half was concurrently individually evaluated for soluble solids content (SSC), pH, titratable acidity (TA), firmness, and headspace volatile composition. The sensory evaluation was additionally performed on a bulk purée of fruit from the same harvest and the results were compared with the sensory evaluation on individual fruit. This study suggests that fruit-to-fruit variation is substantial in SSC, TA and fruit firmness and sensory characteristics such as ‘fruity odour’, ‘sweet flavour’ and ‘flavour aftertaste’, whereas other characteristics show similar variation among panellists for both individual fruit and bulk purée analyses. Further, individual fruit flavour characteristics were correlated with fruit biophysical properties. The results obtained are specific to this study and further investigations need to be undertaken to validate this method as a model for fruit-to-fruit variation in small fruit.

ANÁLISE DESCRITIVA QUANTITATIVA DA AGUARDENTE DE CANA DURANTE O ENVELHECIMENTO EM TONEL DE CARVALHO (Quercus alba L.)

Besides its economical and social importance, there are very few studies, about the Brazilian sugar cane spirit, or cachaca, quality. This Brazilian beverage is very quite appreciate by its typical aroma and flavor, that can be improved by aging in wood recipes. The complex process that occurs during the aging depends, among various things, on the wood utilized to made the cask, the aging time, and of course the initial distillate quality. In order to study the sensorial profile or the sugar cane spirit aged in oak casks, samples corresponding to zero, 12, 24, 36 and 48 months, aging in a 200 liters oak cask, and two commercial brands, were submitted to the descriptive quantitative analysis methodology. An initial group of 16 members, pre-selected by triangular tests and sequential analysis, had created according to the Kelly's Repertory Grid Method, the descriptive terms for the aged sugar cane spirit. After a training period, the group was reduced to 10 members, based on its discriminant power, reproducibility and agreement among judges. Then the samples were tested by this selected group in individual cabins, in monadic form with four repetition, and the results submitted to analysis of variance, Tukey's tests and principal component analysis. The descriptors selected for the aged sugar cane spirit were: woody aroma, vanilla aroma, alcohol aroma, yellow coloration, initial sweetness, sweetness aftertaste, initial woody flavor, wood flavor aftertaste, agressivity, astringency and sour. The results showed significant changes in the cachaca sensorial characteristics during the aging period (p£0,05). After 48 months the aged product showed pronounced woody aroma, initial sweetness, sweetness aftertaste, vanilla aroma, yellow coloration, initial woody flavor and woody flavor aftertaste. The aged sample showed alcohol aroma, agressivity, initial alcohol flavor and alcohol flavor aftertaste, significativelly lower than the others samples analyzed