Global Flavor Research Articles

Production of pentaquarks with hidden charm and double strangeness in Ξb and Ωb decays

Recently, several pentaquark states Pcss, with global flavor c¯cssn, have been predicted within a theoretical framework based on unitary coupled channels. We study theoretically the feasibility to observe the Pcss with I(JP)=12(12−) in the decays Ξb0→ηηcΞ0 and Ωb−→K−ηcΞ0. Indeed, within the model, the ηcΞ0 channel is the lowest mass pseudoscalar-baryon channel to which this pentaquark state couples, thus we can expect to observe its signal in the ηcΞ0 invariant mass distribution of the mentioned decays. We identify the dominant weak decay processes and then implement the hadronization into the different meson-baryon channels in the final state, linked by flavor symmetry. The dominant meson-baryon final state interaction is then implemented to generate the full amplitude, implicitly accounting for the dynamical emergence of the pentaquark states. We obtain a clear Breit-Wigner-like resonant signal in the spectrum of the Ωb− decay, exceeding that in the Ξb0 decay by two to three orders of magnitude. In the case of the latter decay, the resonant state would manifest as a significant dip in the spectrum. We study the feasibility of searching for these b-hadron decay modes and analyzing their resonant components using the current and future data samples from the LHCb experiment. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Global lepton flavour violating constraints on new physics

We perform a global analysis of the bounds from charged lepton flavour violating observables to new physics. We parametrize generic new physics through the effective field theory formalism and perform global fits beyond the common one-operator-at-a-time analyses to investigate how much present data is able to constrain the full parameter space. We particularly focus on leptonic and semileptonic operators with light quarks, identifying unbounded flat directions, detailing how many are present and which operators are involved. The analysis is performed in the general LEFT formalism, which contains all possible low-energy effective operators relevant for lepton flavour violation, as well as in more restricted scenarios, when operators come from a SMEFT completion. We find that flat directions play no role in the fully leptonic four-fermion operators. Conversely, they significantly hinder the ability to derive global bounds on semileptonic operators, with several flat or at least very poorly constrained directions preventing to fully constrain the parameter space. These results are particularly affected by the proper inclusion of uncertainties in the parameters describing μ-e\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\mu -e$$\\end{document} conversion, which decrease the number of well-constrained directions in operator space when treated as nuisance parameters in the fit. While present data is able to provide global constraints on all operators only in the more restricted scenarios we investigated, very strong correlations among the parameters must exist to avoid conflict with the different observables. We provide correlation matrices approximating our full results as a useful tool to compare present data with particular UV completions.

Molecular pentaquarks with hidden charm and double strangeness

We analyze theoretically the coupled-channel meson-baryon interaction with global flavor c¯cssn and c¯csss, where mesons are pseudoscalars or vectors, and baryons have JP=1/2+ or 3/2+. The aim is to explore whether the nonlinear dynamics inherent in the unitarization process within coupled channels can dynamically generate double- and triple-strange pentaquark-type states (Pcss and Pcsss, respectively), for which there is no experimental evidence to date. We evaluate the s-wave scattering matrix by implementing unitarity in coupled channels, using potential kernels obtained from t-channel vector meson exchange. The required PPV and VVV vertices are obtained from Lagrangians derived through appropriate extensions of the local hidden gauge symmetry approach to the charm sector, while capitalizing on the symmetry of the spin and flavor wave function to evaluate the BBV vertex. We find four different poles in the double strange sector, some of them degenerate in spin. For the triple-strange channel, we find the meson-baryon interaction insufficient to generate a bound or resonance state through the unitary coupled-channel dynamics. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

YUMMZ Sugar Free Ice Cream

YUMMZ, epitomizes innovation and health-consciousness in the ice cream industry, striving to redefine indulgence with guilt-free frozen treats. At its core, YUMMZ is driven by a mission to revolutionize ice cream consumption, intertwining traditional Indian flavors with modern dietary considerations, thus offering consumers a harmonious blend of taste and nutrition. Committed to this mission, YUMMZ sets forth ambitious goals, encompassing the development of diet ice cream options that are not only low in calories, sugar, and saturated fat but also imbued with the rich tapestry of Indian herbs and spices, aiming to provide a novel experience that prioritizes health without compromising on indulgence. Moreover, customer satisfaction stands as a cornerstone of YUMMZ's ethos, with a focus on offering a diverse range of flavors, shapes, and toppings that cater to the varied preferences and dietary needs of consumers, ensuring that each frozen delight is a personalized and delightful experience. This dedication to the customer extends beyond mere product offerings, as YUMMZ actively engages with its consumer base through both business-to-business and business-to-consumer channels, fostering connections and gathering feedback to continuously refine its products and services, thereby cementing its position as a customer-centric brand. As YUMMZ looks towards the future, expansion looms large on its horizon, with plans to diversify its product offerings and distribution channels both nationally and internationally, capitalizing on emerging trends in health-conscious eating and global flavor preferences, thus solidifying its status as a trailblazer in the ice cream landscape.

Wrinkles in the Froggatt-Nielsen mechanism and flavorful new physics

When the Froggatt-Nielsen mechanism is used to explain the Standard Model flavor hierarchy, new physics couplings are also determined by the horizontal symmetry. However, additional symmetries or dynamics in the UV can sometimes lead to a departure from this naïve scaling for the new physics couplings. We show that an effective way to keep track of these changes is by using the new spurions of the U(3)5 global flavor symmetry, where we parameterize extra suppression or enhancement factors, referred to as wrinkles, using the same power counting parameter as in the original Froggatt-Nielsen model. As a concrete realization, we consider two flavor spurions of the S1 leptoquark, and demonstrate that wrinkles can be used to make an enhanced value of textrm{BR}left({B}^{+}to {K}^{+}nu overline{nu}right) consistent with other flavor observables. We also present example UV models that realize wrinkles, and comment on choosing consistent charges in ordinary Froggatt-Nielsen models without the typical monotonicity condition.

Evaluation of soy stroganoff formulations in the IF Goiano Campus Ceres

Textured soy protein is a food alternative that can partially replace animal derivatives, and meet some dietary restrictions, and its use in ready-to-eat dishes will make food practical in its preparation. The objective was to carry out the evaluation of soy stroganoff formulations at the IF Goiano Campus Ceres. Three formulations of soy stroganoff (traditional, light and lactose-free) were prepared, stored in two types of packaging (for conventional oven and microwave oven). Microbiological tests were performed for molds and yeasts (CFU/g), coliforms at 35°C and 45°C (NMP/g); physical-chemical analyzes of pH, titratable acidity, moisture, total solids; acceptance sensory tests (blind and with information) by attribute (global impression, texture, flavor, appearance, color and aroma), acceptability index (IA), purchase intention and consumer profile through a structured questionnaire with questions closed. Regarding physical-chemical determinations and sensory tests of acceptance and purchase intention, they were submitted to analysis of variance and differences in means compared by Tukey's test at a 5% significance level. The results of the microbiological analyzes were descriptively evaluated. The results of the acceptability index and consumer profile were evaluated in percentage. A completely randomized experimental design was used, in three lots, three replications and in triplicate. Except for batch 2 of treatments A, C and D (16, 30 and 16 CFU/g), in all other batches of treatments, mold and yeast values were negative, with the samples ready for consumption. It was observed for coliforms at 35 °C and 45 °C that all treatments showed negative results (>3 MPN/g), demonstrating good microbiological quality. For the physical-chemical parameters, all treatments were significantly different from each other. Treatment E (traditional, conventional oven), regardless of the evaluated attribute, had an AI above 70%, and obtained a higher purchase intention value compared to treatment C (lactose-free, microwave) with a lower value, a result that has already been expected. Treatments B, C and E, regardless of the evaluated attribute, obtained AI above 70%, with the products ready to be commercialized. It was observed that 78% of participants consume stroganoff and the majority (98%) are unaware of other types of stroganoff on the market other than the traditional one. They also reported being the flavor of chicken stroganoff that they most know (90%) and consume (90%). Most prefer to use a microwave oven to defrost ready meals. All formulations showed good microbiological parameters. Regardless of the physical-chemical parameter evaluated, all treatments were significantly different from each other. Comparing the results, it was observed that the use of information in relation to the blind test during the sensory acceptance tests interfered with the tasters' response to the different evaluated formulations. The traditional formulation for conventional oven E stood out in the acceptability index and blind purchase intention tests, this being the formulation most conducive to commercialization.

Higher Flavor Symmetries in the Standard Model

AbstractA study of the generalized global flavor symmetries of the Standard Model is initiated. The presence of nonzero triangle diagrams between the U(3)5 flavor currents and the hypercharge current intertwines them in the form of a higher‐group which mixes the zero‐form flavor symmetries with the one‐form magnetic hypercharge symmetry. This higher symmetry structure greatly restricts the possible flavor symmetries that may remain unbroken in any ultraviolet completion that includes magnetic monopoles. In the context of unification, this implies tight constraints on the combinations of fermion species which may be joined into multiplets. Three of four elementary possibilities are reflected in the classic unification models of Georgi–Glashow, , and Pati–Salam. The final pattern is realized non‐trivially in trinification, which exhibits the sense in which Standard Model Yukawa couplings which violate these flavor symmetries may be thought of as spurions of the higher‐group. Such modifications of the ultraviolet flavor symmetries are possible only if new vector‐like matter is introduced with masses suppressed from the unification scale by the Yukawa couplings.

Mixed moduli in 3d mathcal{N} = 4 higher-genus quivers

We analyze exactly marginal deformations of 3d mathcal{N} = 4 Lagrangian gauge theories, especially mixed-branch operators with both electric and magnetic charges. These mixed-branch moduli can either belong to products of electric and magnetic current supermultiplets, or be single-trace (non-factorizable). Apart from some exceptional quivers that have additional moduli, 3d mathcal{N} = 4 theories described by genus g quivers with nonabelian unitary gauge groups have exactly g single-trace mixed moduli, which preserve the global flavour symmetries. This partly explains why only linear and circular quivers have known AdS4 supergravity duals. Indeed, for g > 1, AdS4 gauged supergravities cannot capture the entire g-dimensional moduli space even if one takes into account the quantization moduli of boundary conditions. Likewise, in a general Lagrangian theory, we establish (using the superconformal index) that the number of single-trace mixed moduli is bounded below by the genus of a graph encoding how nonabelian gauge groups act on hypermultiplets.

Variant Nelson-Barr mechanism with minimal flavor violation

Within the general framework of using spontaneous CP violation to solve the strong CP problem, we construct a variant Nelson-Barr model in which the Standard Model (SM) quark contribution to the strong CP phase is cancelled by new heavy QCD-charged fermions. This cancellation is ensured by choosing conjugate representations for the new colored states under the same global flavor symmetry of SM quarks. Choosing the global flavor symmetry to be that of minimal flavor violation, we suppress higher-order corrections to the strong CP phase to well below current experimental constraints. More than two dozen massless Goldstone bosons emerge from spontaneous flavor symmetry breaking, which yield strong astrophysical constraints on the symmetry breaking scale. In the early universe, the Goldstone bosons can be thermally produced from their interactions with the heavy colored fermions and contribute to ∆Neff at a measurable level. As a function of reheating temperature, the predicted ∆Neff shows an interesting plateau behavior we dub the “flavor stairway”, which encodes information about the SM quark flavor structure.

Appeal of e-cigarette flavors: Differences between never and ever use of combustible cigarettes

BackgroundCharacterizing the appeal of flavored e-cigarette solutions by tobacco product use status can inform regulations to reduce vaping in those who never smoked without discouraging adopting e-cigarettes as a quit-smoking aid. MethodsAdults aged 21+ who currently use tobacco products (N = 119) self-administered standardized puffs of eight non-tobacco flavored and two tobacco-flavored e-cigarette solutions using a pod-style device. Participants rated appeal (0–100 scale) following each administration. Mean differences in flavor appeal ratings were compared between four groups: people who never smoked/currently vape, formerly smoked/currently vape, currently smoke/currently vape, and currently smoke/do not vape (with interest in vaping). ResultsThe Global Flavor (all non-tobacco vs. tobacco)×Group interaction (p = .028) revealed higher appeal for non-tobacco vs. tobacco flavors in adults who never smoked/currently vape (B[95 %CI] = 13.6[4.1–23.1]), formerly smoked/currently vape (B[95 %CI] = 11.6[4.2–18.9]), and currently smoke/currently vape (B[95 %CI] = 9.3[2.5–11.6]), but not adults who currently smoke/never vaped (B[95 %CI] = −0.1[−5.1 to 4.9]). In flavor-specific analyses, adults who never smoked/currently vape rated strawberry (p = .022), peppermint (p = .028), and menthol (p = .028) more appealing than tobacco flavors. Among adults who formerly smoked/currently vape, strawberry (p < .001), peppermint (p = .009), and vanilla (p = .009), were more appealing than tobacco. Adults who currently smoked/currently vape rated peppermint (p = .022) and vanilla (p = .009) as more appealing than tobacco. No non-tobacco flavors were more appealing than tobacco in adults who currently smoke/never vaped. ConclusionsE-cigarette sales restrictions on non-tobacco flavors, including menthol, may eliminate products preferred by adults who vape, including those who never smoked, without discouraging adults who currently smoke and never vaped from trying e-cigarettes.

Mucua: Sensory analysis of the fruit of Adansonia digitata L. (Baobab) in natura

The mucua is the fruit of the embondeiro or baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) and originates from Africa. It has a high content of ascorbic acid and dietary fiber, along with antioxidant properties. The aim of this study was to test the acceptability of the mucua fruit in natura in a sample of Portuguese adults and test its intention to consume and availability to pay for this fruit. After providing the fruit, participants fulfilled a questionnaire for their socioeconomic characterization and tested their acceptability and willingness to pay for the fruit. The participatants in this study (n=53) were 20 years old, primarily female (80.8%), Portuguese (73.1%), and students (86.6%). The tasters considered the following aspects of the mucua fruit pleasant or very pleasant: global appreciation (49.2%), color (71.2%), shape (53.8%), flavor (40.4%), aroma (48.5%) and texture (44.2%). Approximately 30% of tasters would be willing or very willing to consume this fruit regularly and pay 3 €/ kg (62.9%). The mucua had good acceptance by the tasters, and the color, the form, and the global appreciation, were the attributes with the best scores on the acceptability test. In addition, they were willing to consume it regularly if they were available at an economically affordable price.

Anomaly-free axion dark matter in three Higgs doublet model and its phenomenological implications

We study phenomenological implications of an axion that arises as a pseudo Nambu-Goldstone boson due to the spontaneous breaking of anomaly-free global flavor symmetry. One interesting possibility for such anomaly-free axion to explain dark matter (DM) is when it has a mass of order keV and an intermediate scale decay constant, since it can be explored through direct search experiments, X-ray observations, various stellar cooling processes, and the misalignment mechanism naturally explains the DM abundance. As a concrete renormalizable model of such axion, we consider an extended Higgs sector with global flavor symmetry, which consists of three Higgs doublet fields and three singlet Higgs fields with U(1)B−L charges. We identify viable parameter regions that satisfy theoretical bounds on the Higgs potential and various experimental limits on this model, and evaluate the mass spectra of the axion and extra Higgs bosons. We find that even an anomaly-free axion can generally couple to photons through mixing with CP-odd Higgs, and that its strength depends on the vacuum expectation values of the Higgs doublets as well as the axion mass. As a result, the ratios of the vacuum expectation values of the Higgs doublets are tightly constrained to satisfy the X-ray constraints. We show the favored parameter region where axion DM explains the XENON1T excess. We also demonstrate that the axion-electron coupling is correlated with the extra Higgs boson masses and mixing angles for CP-even Higgs bosons. Thus, if the axion is detected in future observations, the extra Higgs boson masses and the coupling of the standard model-like Higgs boson with the weak gauge bosons are restricted. This is a good example of the synergy between searches for the axion DM and the BSM around the electroweak scale.

S-foldings of 5d SCFTs

We explore the ℤ2,3,4,6 S-foldings of some 5d superconformal field theories from the (p, q) 5-brane web perspective. The S-folding involves both a spatial quotient and an SL(2, ℤ) transformation on 5-branes simultaneously. The ℤ2,3,4,6 S-foldings are achieved by the insertion of the D4, E6, E7, E8 7-branes, respectively. The deficit angles and monodromies of these 7-branes are exactly those necessary for the S-foldings. We explore the details of the S-folding process, especially the enhancement of global flavor symmetry in various simple cases. The characteristic of the S-folding depends sharply on whether the fixed point of the discrete symmetry is at the center of a compact face (or surface), at a 5-brane, or at a crossing point of 5 branes. The analysis of the prepotential greatly supports this view of the discrete gauging.

Probing the flavor-specific scalar mediator for the muon (g — 2) deviation, the proton radius puzzle and the light dark matter production

Flavor-specific scalar bosons exist in various Standard Model extensions and couple to a single generation of fermions via a global flavor symmetry breaking mechanism. Given this strategy, we propose a MeV flavor-specific scalar model in dimension-$5$ operator series, which explains the muon g-2 anomaly and proton radius puzzle by coupling with the muon and down-quark at the same time. The framework is consistent with the null result of high-intensity searches. Specifically, the supernova constraints for muon couplings become weakened by including the contribution of down-quark interaction. The parameter space for explaining muon $g-2$ discrepancy is available when $10\%$ energy deposition is required in the energy explosion process in the supernova, but this is ruled out by the $1\%$ energy deposition requirement. We also investigate the searches for mediator and dark matter and the resulting constraints on viable parameter space such as nuclear physics constraints, direct detection for light boosted dark matter, and possible CMB constraints. When compared to conventional dark matter production, light dark matter production has two additional modifications: bound state formation and early kinetic equilibrium decoupling. We are now looking into the implications of these effects on the relic density of light dark matter.

The multiple hats of a Global Business Economist.

A Global Business Economist should look at the world as it is, not as it ought to be. We need to be mind-readers, anticipating questions to come and pre-emptively searching for answers. Global interactions are making economic analysis increasingly complex. We must incorporate these linkages into the analysis, enriching the models and the story with global flavour and supplementing both with on-the-field expert assessment. Our most valuable asset is our independence and credibility, so we must tell it just how it is. Finally, communication is key. It is paramount to make the story and our deliberations easy to understand, regardless of the complexity of the analysis.

Collider signatures of vector-like fermions from a flavor symmetric model

We propose a model with two Higgs doublets and several SU(2) scalar singlets with a global non-Abelian flavor symmetry {mathcal{Q}}_6times {mathcal{Z}}_2 . This discrete group accounts for the observed pattern of fermion masses and mixing angles after spontaneous symmetry breaking. In this scenario only the third generation of fermions get their masses as in the Standard Model (SM). The masses of the remaining fermions are generated through a seesaw-like mechanism. To that end, the matter content of the model is enlarged by introducing electrically charged vector-like fermions (VLFs), right handed Majorana neutrinos and several SM scalar singlets. Here we study the processes involving VLFs that are within the reach of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). We perform collider studies for vector-like leptons (VLLs) and vector-like quarks (VLQs), focusing on double production channels for both cases, while for VLLs single production topologies are also included. Utilizing genetic algorithms for neural network optimization, we determine the statistical significance for a hypothetical discovery at future LHC runs. In particular, we show that we can not safely exclude VLLs for masses greater than 200 GeV. For VLQ’s in our model, we show that we can probe their masses up to 3.8 TeV, if we take only into account the high-luminosity phase of the LHC. Considering Run-III luminosities, we can also exclude VLQs for masses up to 3.4 TeV. We also show how the model with predicted VLL masses accommodates the muon anomalous magnetic moment.

Food Neophobia, Odor and Taste Sensitivity, and Overall Flavor Perception in Food

Smell, which allows us to gather information about the hedonic value of an odor, is affected by many factors. This study aimed to assess the relationship among individual factors, odor sensitivity, and enjoyment, and to evaluate how overall flavor perception and liking in actual food samples are affected by odor sensitivity. A total of 749 subjects, from four different Italian regions, participated in the study. The olfactory capabilities test on four odors (anise, banana, mint, and pine), as well as PROP (6-n-prpyl-2-thiouracil) status and food neophobia were assessed. The subjects were clustered into three groups of odor sensitivity, based on the perceived intensity of anise. The liking and intensity of the overall flavor were evaluated for four chocolate puddings with increasing sweetness (C1, C2, C3, and C4). The individual variables significantly affected the perceived intensity and liking of the odors. Even if all of the odor sensitivity groups perceived the more intensely flavored samples as the C1 and C4 chocolate puddings, the high-sensitivity group scored the global flavor of all of the samples as more intense than the low-sensitivity group. The low-sensitive subjects evaluated the liking of the sweeter samples with higher scores than the moderate-sensitive subjects, whereas the high-sensitive subjects gave intermediate scores. In conclusion, odor sensitivity plays a pivotal role in the perception and liking of real food products; this has to be taken into account in the formulation of new products, suitable for particular categories with reduced olfactory abilities.

Phase diagram and Higgs phases of three-dimensional lattice SU(N_{c}) gauge theories with multiparameter scalar potentials.

We consider three-dimensional lattice SU(N_{c}) gauge theories with degenerate multicomponent (N_{f}>1) complex scalar fields that transform under the fundamental representation of the gauge SU(N_{c}) group and of the global U(N_{f}) invariance group, interacting with the most general quartic potential compatible with the global (flavor) and gauge (color) symmetries. We investigate the phase diagrams, identifying the low-temperature Higgs phases and their global and gauge symmetries, and the critical behaviors along the different transition lines. In particular, we address the role of the quartic scalar potential, which determines the Higgs phases and the corresponding symmetry-breaking patterns. Our study is based on the analysis of the minimum-energy configurations and on numerical Monte Carlo simulations. Moreover, we investigate whether some of the transitions observed in the lattice model can be related to the behavior of the renormalization-group flow of the continuum field theory with the same symmetries and field content around its stable charged fixed points. For N_{c}=2, numerical results are consistent with the existence of charged critical behaviors for N_{f}>N_{f}^{★}, with 20<N_{f}^{★}<40.

Feeding cows with hay, silage, or fresh herbage on pasture or indoors affects sensory properties and chemical composition of milk and cheese

In European countries, silage-free feeding is an ancient tradition and has a particularly positive reputation among consumers. In the present study, we compared grass-based forages from the same plot conserved as hay or silage or fed fresh either on pasture or indoors, and we evaluated the differences in sensory properties of milk and uncooked pressed cheese. All herbage from the first cut of a grassland dominated by perennial ryegrass was harvested on the same day and preserved either as hay or silage. The first regrowth of the same plot was used for strip grazing or green feeding indoors. Balanced by breed, 24 Montbéliarde and 24 Holstein cows were allocated to the 4 treatments. Apart from the forages, the late-lactation cows received 3 kg/d of dry matter from concentrate. After 2 wk of dietary adaptation, the bulk milk of 3 subgroups, each with 4 cows, was collected. Part of the milk was pasteurized, and part was left raw and partly transformed to small-sized Cantal-type cheese ripened for 9 wk. Milk and cheese underwent descriptive sensory analysis by a trained sensory panel, as well as analyses of physicochemical traits. Volatile organic compounds of the cheeses were also analyzed. Raw and pasteurized milk from hay-fed cows had less intense odors of cooked milk, cream, and barnyard than milk from grazing cows, whereby the effect of pasteurization did not differ between herbage utilization methods. Cheeses obtained from cows fed fresh herbage (grazing and indoors) were clearly yellower than cheeses from silage- and hay-fed cows, which coincided with the color intensity perceived by the panelists. Moreover, cheeses from cows fed fresh herbage had more intense barnyard and dry fruit flavors, were perceived as creamier and having less lactic odor, and exhibited more fat exudation than those from cows fed conserved herbage. Only a few differences were observed in milk and cheeses from hay-fed compared with silage-fed cows, and those differences were far less pronounced than those of milk and cheeses from cows fed fresh herbage. In conclusion, the present study did not substantiate assumptions of clear sensory differences of milk and uncooked pressed cheese from hay-fed compared with silage-fed cows. For the first time, this study reports that the global flavor intensity of cheeses from indoor green-fed cows is similar to that of cheeses derived from cows fed conserved forages, whereas cheeses from grazing cows have the greatest global flavor intensity.

Sensory profile of protected designation of origin water buffalo ricotta cheese by different sensory methodologies

AbstractThe disciplinary protocol of protected designation of origin (PDO) water buffalo ricotta cheese allows to use both different ingredients and production technologies. This does not allow having a straight sensory profile. This study aimed to characterize the sensory profile of different PDO water buffalo ricotta cheeses and compare them with cow and sheep ricotta cheeses. To this purpose, a classical descriptive analysis (DA) and the modified version of flash profile (mFP) were used to draw the sensory profile of eight different ricotta cheeses. Simultaneously, a chemical–physical characterization was also performed. DA approach allowed discriminating the samples both for ingredient origin and homogenization process. On the other hand, mFP discriminated the samples mainly for ingredient origin. However, in both cases, different ingredient origins mainly affected flavor and odor attributes, meanwhile the technological process affected, as expected, the textural attributes. In particular, the water buffalo ricotta cheeses were described with intense global flavor and global taste, soft and spreadable, and very homogeneous in appearance. In conclusion, both the sensory methodologies identified the homogenized water buffalo ricotta cheeses as those with the most balanced sensory profile of than the other ricotta cheeses.Practical ApplicationDrawing the sensory profile of PDO water buffalo ricotta cheese may help to preserve the identity of this product, which is protected by a disciplinary protocol lacking in sensory attributes definition. The mFP provides useful information on the key sensory attributes of the PDO product, identifying the peculiarities of the water buffalo's whey. However, the DA allows highlighting all the variables affecting the sensory profile of the product, also related to the production process. The sensory profile obtained could help the Consortium of PDO water buffalo ricotta cheese to promote this product on the market.