Low Sweetness Research Articles

Effect of flax addition on the flavor profile of muffins and snack bars

Development of bakery products containing milled flaxseed, could have potential health benefits due to its high antioxidant, lignan and omega-3 fatty acid alpha linolenic acid content. However the effect of adding flaxseed, especially in the high amounts required for use as the food supplement in clinical trials, may affect the flavor characteristics. The objective of this study was to evaluate the flavor profile of different muffin and snack bar formulations with and without milled flaxseed. Three snack bar formulations and two muffin formulations with and without flaxseed were evaluated by ten and eleven trained assessors respectively. The intensity of seven aroma and eight flavor attributes for snack bars, and nine aroma and ten flavor attributes for muffins were measured on 15-cm line scales. Both the orange cranberry and apple spice muffin formulations with flaxseed had significantly lower sweetness and vanilla aroma and flavor intensities, and significantly higher grain/flax aroma and flavor, and bitter taste compared to the non-flax muffin. Of the two flavorings apple spice appeared to have the best potential, since the apple aroma and flavor were significantly higher for the flax muffin compared to the non-flax muffin. The orange cranberry, gingerbread raisin and cappuccino chocolate chip snack bar formulations with and without flaxseed showed no significant differences in intensities for the grain/flax aroma and flavor. The gingerbread raisin snack bar formulations showed no significant differences for any other attributes except for higher spice aroma in the flax sample, which makes it a promising flavoring option.

EFFECT OF 1-MCP ON SHELF-LIFE AND VOLATILE PRODUCTION OF MEXICAN GUAVA FRUITS (CV. 'MEDIA CHINA')

The Mexican guava fruit shelf-life is very short (two weeks at 8-10°C) which does not allow for export to distant markets and improvement of the marketing process. The chemical 1-methylcyclopropen (1-MCP) inhibits the formation of ethylene and extends the shelf-life in different fruits, but it can at the same time modify their sensory characteristics. The objective of this work was to determine the time and concentration optimum of 1-MCP to extend the guava fruit shelf-life and to study its effects on the production of volatiles. A first experiment used 1-MCP concentrations in the air of 0.6, 0.9, and 1.2 p.p.m. at different exposure times (1, 3, and 5 hours.) and at room temperature with the subsequent transfer of the fruits to 10°C under a humid air flow (20 L h -1 ) during 30 days. Fruit samples were analyzed at different periods. After the identification of the best conditions, a second experiment was realized to compare volatile production in treated and untreated fruits. The respiration rate, ethylene production, color changes, penetration resistance, total sugars content, volatile production, and sensorial analysis were measured. A 0.6 p.p.m. application of 1-MCP during five hours allowed 25 days of shelf-life with high penetration resistance (31.6 N) and slow color change (a * value 3.7) with respect to the control (4.2 N and 6.3, respectively). The ethylene production was low (0.8 μl kg -1 h -1 ) whereas the control showed 1.8 μl kg -1 h -1 . After 15 and 20 days of storage at 10°C and 6 days at 25°C, the total aroma was clearly higher in control samples (9.59 and 24.04 mg kg -1 ) than untreated fruits (4.69 and 8.886 mg kg -1 ), which was explained by minor peak areas in the first 170 peaks. The sensory analysis confirmed these results, but the 1-MCP could be used to extend the shelf-life only with low aroma and sweetness intensities in the fruits.

PERSPECTIVES OF PROCESSING PAPAYA (CARICA PAPAYA) FRUIT: NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL STRATEGIES

Papaya is a tropical fruit grown more prominently in recent years, production next to fruits such as mango, banana, citrus and pineapple at the global level. Even in India, the fruit is more common with a number of varieties. The fruit is characterise for its active pectinolytic enzymes during ripening. Papain, the proteolytic enzyme is of industrial importance. The fruit is known for its carotenoid content and retinol activity, to counteract vitamin A deficiency. Pro-vitamin A carotenoids average 232 μg beta-carotene and 594 μg beta-cryptoxanthin/100 g and vitamin A ranged from 18 to 74 μg RAE (retinol activity equivalents)/100 g. Lycopene content in the red-fleshed varieties ranged from 1350-3674 μg/100 g. Its vitamin C content is -50 mg/100 g. Because of faster fruit softening consequent to ripening, and the recorded transportation losses up to 40%, the fruit requires conversion into processed products, to ensure extended storage, for transportation, trade and consumption. Juice, blended beverages, jam (including low calorie), jelly, dehydrated, osmo dried, cereal flakes, fruit bar, candy, restructured and intermediate moisture and frozen products could be developed from the fresh fruit, besides minimal processing. The fruit is known to reduce blood cholesterol. The pectin content of the fruit aids in jam preparation and easy setting. Varieties with low sweetness suit the diabetic patients. Because of the mild flavor of the fruit, the products can be supplemented with other strong flavors, to obtain tailor made sensorial products. Its fast growth in nature, higher yields and diverse range of varieties offer papaya fruit for development of economically viable products on commercial scale, with ample scope for blending with other fruits. The biochemical constituents of the fruit related to health benefits and the provision for development of wide spectrum of processed products dictate the scientific merit of the fruit, with national and international strategies for the future.

Dietary fructooligosaccharides and potential benefits on health

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are oligosaccharides that occur naturally in plants such as onion, chicory, garlic, asparagus, banana, artichoke, among many others. They are composed of linear chains of fructose units, linked by beta (2-1) bonds. The number of fructose units ranges from 2 to 60 and often terminate in a glucose unit. Dietary FOS are not hydrolyzed by small intestinal glycosidases and reach the cecum structurally unchanged. There, they are metabolized by the intestinal microflora to form short-chain carboxylic acids, L -lactate, CO(2), hydrogen and other metabolites. FOS have a number of interesting properties, including a low sweetness intensity; they are also calorie free, non-cariogenic and are considered as soluble dietary fibre. Furthermore, FOS have important beneficial physiological effects such as low carcinogenicity, a prebiotic effect, improved mineral absorption and decreased levels of serum cholesterol, triacylglycerols and phospholipids. Currently FOS are increasingly included in food products and infant formulas due to their prebiotic effect stimulate the growth of nonpathogenic intestinal microflora. Their consumption increases fecal bolus and the frequency of depositions, while a dose of 4-15 g/day given to healthy subjects will reduce constipation, considered one of the growing problems of modern society, and newborns during the first months of life.

Sensory characterization of meat from pigs vaccinated against gonadotropin releasing factor compared to meat from surgically castrated, entire male and female pigs

Boar taint is a sensory defect mainly due to androstenone and skatole. The most common method to control boar taint is surgical castration at an early age. Vaccination against gonadotropin releasing factor (also known as immunocastration) is an alternative to surgical castration to reduce androstenone content. In this experiment, loins from 24 female (FE), 24 entire male (EM), 24 vaccinated males (IM) and 23 surgically castrated males (CM) were evaluated by eight trained panellists in 24 sessions. Loins were cooked in an oven at 180 °C for 10 min. Furthermore loins were evaluated by consumers and its androstenone and skatole content were also chemically determined. Meat from EM had higher androstenone and skatole odour and flavour than meat from FE, IM and CM and lower sweetness odour scores. High correlations were found between androstenone and skatole levels assessed by trained panelists, chemical analysis and consumers’ acceptability. Moreover meat from EM is mainly related to androstenone and skatole attributes.

Development of Lactose-hydrolyzed Milk with Low Sweetness Using Nanofiltration

A lactose-hydrolyzed milk with low sweetness was developed using nanofiltration. Raw milk was treated with 0.03% β-galactosidase at 4°C for 24 h to hydrolyze lactose partially. The resultant lactose-hydrolyzed milk containing 0.43% lactose was then concentrated using a nanofiltration membrane to reach concentration factor of 2.13. The concentration factors and coefficients of retention of milk components in nanofiltration were determined. The concentration factor of milk fat was 2.20 which was the highest of the milk components. The coefficient of retention of calcium and riboflavin was 0.96 and 0.76, respectively. However, the coefficient of retention of glucose, galactose, and sodium was 0.21, 0.15, and 0.22, respectively. Raw milk was treated with 0.1% β-galactosidase at 4°C for 40 h to hydrolyze lactose fully and then concentrated to reach a concentration factor of 1.6 by using nanofiltration. The concentrated milk was reconstituted with water. The lactose-hydrolyzed milk had sweetness similar to milk. The compositional ratios of crude protein, calcium, sodium, and riboflavin of lactose-hydrolyzed nanofiltrated milk to those of raw milk were 99%, 97%, 77%, and 80%, respectively. This study showed that nanofiltration of lactose-hydrolyzed milk to remove galactose and glucose did not cause significant loss of calcium. The lactose-hydrolyzed nanofiltrated milk contained 0.06% lactose and had sweetness similar to milk.

Oral processing assessed by M-mode ultrasound imaging varies with food attribute

Ultrasonic imaging was used to quantify oral movements made during the oral processing of foods while subjects assessed the intensity of the sensory attributes, thick, creamy, sweet and bitter. A series of four stimuli were prepared with high and low viscosities and high and low sweetness. Over five sessions, subjects ( N = 8) were asked to consume 5 ml spoonfuls of each of the stimuli while holding an ultrasound probe beneath their chin so as to produce a mid-line sagital image of the floor of the mouth and tongue. In the first session, subjects were asked to swallow the sample. In subsequent sessions, subjects were asked to rate one of the attributes, thickness, sweetness, creaminess or bitterness, in random order. The resulting video recordings were subjected to an image-processing algorithm to quantify the amount of intra-oral manipulation performed. The results demonstrated that oral movements varied with attribute, especially in the period during which the bulk of the food is typically processed and the following swallowing phase. The food's sweetness affected oral movements especially during the bulk phase, whereas the food's viscosity primarily affected movements during the following swallowing and clearance phases.

Influence of sweetness on the sensory-specific satiety and long-term acceptability of tea

Our objectives were to investigate: (1) the effect of long-term exposure on acceptance of tea with two sucrose levels; (2) whether long-term consumption of tea at a specific sucrose level would shift the optimum sucrose level; and (3) whether sensory-specific satiety could serve as a rapid method for predicting the long-term acceptability of sweetened tea. This study had four parts: an initial taste test to determine the optimum and low levels of sucrose, a 6-week long-term acceptability test during which two groups of subjects consumed tea with the optimum and low sweetness levels, respectively, a second taste test, and a sensory-specific satiety test. Liking for the low sweet tea increased with repeated consumption, but this increase was not predicted by sensory-specific satiety. Liking, consumption and tiredness were complexly interrelated with each other and with measures of hunger and desire to consume the tea.

Cryoprotective effects of trehalose and sodium lactate on tilapia ( Sarotherodon nilotica) surimi during frozen storage

The cryoprotective effects of trehalose and sodium lactate at level of 8% (w/w) in tilapia surimi were studied in comparison with a conventional cryoprotectant (sucrose/sorbitol, 1:1) during extended storage at −18 °C for up to 24 weeks. All present cryoprotectants retarded the protein changes as evidenced by the lowered decrease in salt extractable protein (SEP), Ca 2+-ATPase activity, total sulfhydryl content as well as the impeded increase in disulfide bond content and surface hydrophobicity. The gel-forming ability of frozen surimi was more retained with addition of cryoprotectants. Among all cryoprotectants used, trehalose exhibited the greatest protective effect on protein denaturation as shown by the effectiveness in maintaining Ca 2+-ATPase activity and protein solubility. Additionally, the greatest breaking force and deformation were obtained in surimi added with 8% trehalose throughout the frozen storage up to 24 weeks. Sodium lactate showed a similar cryoprotective effect to sucrose/sorbitol blend. Therefore, trehalose and sodium lactate appeared to be promising alternative cryoprotectants for surimi owing to their low sweetness and caloric value.

Quality Components of Sea Buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides) Varieties

The sensory quality and chemical constituents of juices from seven sea buckthorn (Hippophaerhamnoides L.) varieties were studied in two consecutive seasons. The juices were generally described as sour and astringent, with low sweetness and fruity flavor. The differences in sensory quality as well as in chemical composition between samples and years were significant (p < 0.05) in most parameters studied. The Chuiskaya variety was described as the sweetest, with the strongest fruity flavor, whereas the varieties Avgustinka, Botanicheskaya, Trofimovskaya, and Raisa were the sourest and most astringent. Total sugar (fructose and glucose) varied from 1.9 to 7.1 g/100 mL in juice, total acid (malic and quinic acids) from 3.1 to 5.1 g/100 mL, vitamin C from 29 to 176 mg/100 mL, and pulp oil from 0.7 to 3.6%. The soluble solids were between 7.4 and 12.6, the pH between 2.7 and 2.9, and the titrable acidity between 2.0 and 3.7. The redness was highest on Avgustinka and Raisa, but there were no differences in yellowness. Total sugar and the sugar/acid ratio correlated positively with sweetness and negatively with sourness and astringency, whereas total acid and titrable acidity correlated positively with sourness and astringency and negatively with sweetness.

Volatile Flavor Analysis and Sensory Evaluation of Custard Desserts Varying in Type and Concentration of Carboxymethyl Cellulose

The influence of type and concentration of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) on flavor and textural properties of custard desserts was examined. A synthetic strawberry flavor mixture was used to flavor the custards; it comprised 15 volatile flavor compounds. The viscosity of the custards was determined using rheometric measurements. Static headspace gas chromatography and in-nose proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry analyses were conducted to determine the custards' volatile flavor properties. Perceived odor, flavor, and textural properties were assessed in sensory analysis experiments using magnitude estimation against a fixed modulus. Both type and concentration of CMC altered the viscosity of the custards. Softer custards had higher static headspace flavor concentrations. On the contrary, firmer custards demonstrated higher in-nose flavor concentrations. In sensory analysis, firmer custards showed higher thickness and lower sweetness intensities than their low-viscosity counterparts. The thickness perception corresponded to the viscosity of the custards. Removal of sucrose from the custards affected sweetness intensity only and not the intensity of other attributes. Therefore, the influence of the viscosity of the custards on the release of sweet-tasting components is held responsible for the effect on perceived sweetness intensity. Odor intensities were generally higher for the low-viscosity custard, whereas fruity flavor intensities were higher for the firmer custards. Odor intensities correlated with static headspace concentrations and flavor intensities related reasonably well with in-nose concentrations. Opening and closing of the nasal cavity is regarded as an important factor determining the discrepancy between static and in-nose measurements.

Odor-taste interactions: effects of attentional strategies during exposure.

Through repeated pairings with a tastant such as sucrose, odors are able to take on the tastant's qualities, e.g. by becoming more sweet smelling. When such odors are subsequently experienced with a sweet tastant in solution, the mixture is often given a higher sweetness rating than the tastant alone. Odor-induced taste enhancement appears to be sensitive to whether an odor-taste combination is viewed analytically as a set of discrete qualities, or synthetically as a flavor. The present research attempted to determine if adoption of these different perceptual approaches during co-exposure with sucrose would influence the extent to which an odor would become sweet smelling and subsequently enhance sweetness intensity. In Experiment 1, subjects received multiple exposures to mixtures of sucrose with low sweetness, low familiarity odors or, as a control, the odors and sucrose solutions separately. Two groups that received mixtures made intensity ratings that promoted either synthesis or analysis of the individual elements in the mixtures. The odors became sweeter smelling irrespective of group. Only adopting a synthetic strategy produced odors that enhanced sweetness in solution. However, these effects were also shown with a 'non-exposed' control odor. This could be accounted for if the single co-exposure with sucrose that all odors received in the pre-test was able to produce sweeter odors. A second experiment confirmed this prediction. Thus, while even a single co-exposure with sucrose is sufficient to produce a sweeter odor, the adoption of a synthetic perceptual strategy during the co-exposure is necessary to produce an odor that will enhance sweetness. These data are consistent with associative leaning accounts of how odors take on taste qualities and also support the interpretation that these effects reflect the central integration of odors and tastes into flavors.

Acetaminophen-containing chewable tablets with suppressed bitterness and improved oral feeling

The aim of this study was to develop acetaminophen chewable tablets with suppressed bitterness and improved oral feeling by examination of hard fats as the matrix base and of sweetening agents as corrigents. Witepsol ® H-15, W-35, S-55, E-75 and E-85, and Witocan ® H and 42/44 were used as hard fats. Witocan ® H and 42/44 were selected in view of improved oral feeling. Witocan ® H/Witocan ® 42/44 mixture tablets showed different melting characteristics and drug release rates dependent on their ratios, and those with the Witocan ® H/Witocan ® 42/44 ratio of 92.5% (w/w) and more showed good drug release. Sucrose, xylitol, saccharin, saccharin sodium, aspartame and sucralose were used as sweetening agents, and applied alone or with Benecoat BMI-40 or cocoa powder. The Witocan ® H tablet with 1% (w/w) saccharin plus 5% (w/w) Benecoat BMI-40 (Sc1-B5), and the Witocan ® H/Witocan ® 42/44 (92.5:7.5, w/w) mixture tablet with 1% (w/w) aspartame plus 5% (w/w) Benecoat BMI-40 suppressed bitterness and sweetness excellently, but the former tablet showed better drug release. Thus, the Witocan ® H tablet with Sc1-B5 is suggested as the best acetaminophen chewable tablet, exhibiting suppressed bitterness, low sweetness, improved oral feeling and good drug release.

Preparation and characterization of maltosyl-sucrose isomers produced by transglycosylation of maltogenic amylase from Bacillus stearothermophilus

To develop a new transfer product of sucrose, sucrose was modified to maltosyl-sucrose using the transglycosylation activity of maltogenic amylase from Bacillus stearothermophilus (BSMA). The transglycosylation reaction was conducted with maltotriose and sucrose as the donor and acceptor, respectively. The presence of various sucrose transfer products was confirmed by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance anion exchange chromatography (HPAEC). The sucrose transfer products were isolated by alkali-degradation followed by charcoal column chromatography using 20% (v/v) ethanol, then purified by ion exchange and Biogel P-2 gel permeation chromatographies. The structures of the major transfer products were determined to be 6 G-α-maltosyl-sucrose (maltosyl-sucrose 1) and 6 F-α-maltosyl-sucrose (maltosyl-sucrose 2) by LC-MS and 13 C NMR. The mixture of maltosyl-sucrose 1 and 2 showed low sweetness, high hygroscopicity, low Maillard reactivity, and high acid and heat stability. Furthermore, it had an inhibitory effect on mutansucrase and water-insoluble glucan formation. These results indicated that the mixture of maltosyl-sucrose 1 and 2 is a suitable sugar substitute useful for various food products.

Confusing tastes and smells: how odours can influence the perception of sweet and sour tastes.

This study investigated the relationship between perception of an odour when smelled and the taste of a solution to which the odour is added as a flavorant. In Experiment 1 (E1) sweetness, sourness, liking and intensity ratings were obtained for 20 odours. Taste ratings were then obtained for sucrose solutions to which the odours had been added as flavorants. Certain odours were found to enhance tasted sweetness while others suppressed it. The degree to which an odour smelled sweet was the best predictor of the taste ratings. These findings were extended in Experiment 2 (E2), which included a second tastant, citric acid, and employed four odours from E1. The most sweet smelling odour, caramel, was found to suppress the sourness of citric acid and, as in E1, to enhance the sweetness of sucrose. Again, odours with low sweetness suppressed the sweetness of tasted sucrose. The study demonstrated that the effects of odours on taste perception are not limited to sweetness enhancement and apply to sour as well as sweet tastes. The overall pattern of results is consistent with an explanation of the taste properties of odours in terms of prior flavour-taste associations.

The bitter with the sweet: The taste/stress/temperament nexus

Is the tongue a window to the psyche? In rats, stress alters taste, and individual differences in taste are related to measures of emotion. The present study concerned stress-induced changes in taste and its modulation by temperament in people. College students rated saccharin's bitterness and sweetness and a tone's loudness after exposure to a mild stressor. Temperament (trait arousability, pleasure, and dominance) was assessed separately. When individual differences were ignored, stress appeared to selectively increase sensitivity to saccharin's bitterness. However, the stressor's impact was modulated by temperament: Stress nonselectively augmented stimulus magnitude ratings among highly arousable individuals; relative to high-pleasure counterparts, low-pleasure individuals gave higher bitterness ratings and lower sweetness ratings after stress. Taste does seem to provide a glimpse of the emotional life of humans and other animals and opens new avenues to the study of the biological bases of affect.

Branched Oligosaccharides Concentrated by Yeast Fermentation and Effectiveness as a Low Sweetness Humectant

ABSTRACTA branched oligosaccharides (BOS) mixture was prepared from liquefied corn starch using Bacillus lichenifrmis maltogenic amylase (BLMA). A highly concentrated BOS was prepared by removing glucose and maltose through yeast fermentation, which increased the BOS content. Water activity (aw) of bread went from 0.87 to 0.82 when 10% (w/w) or to 0.78 when 20% (w/w) BOS was added. BOS lowered aw more effectively as concentration of BOS increased. The water sorption isotherm of BOS was much higher than that of sucrose at aw, 0.1–0.8. BOS also prevented starch retrogradation in bread, probably due to steric hinderance and to the state of water retained by BOS. Relative sweetness of BOS was ± 17.5% of sucrose. The BOS mixture produced by BLMA might provide a new type humectant for foods that is low in sweetness and retards retrogradation.

Preharvest furrow and drip irrigation schedule effects on postharvest muskmelon quality

Abstract A two-year study was conducted on the effects of furrow or drip irrigation applied 1, 2 or 4 days prior to harvest (following all plots having been watered 8 days prior to harvest) on the postharvest quality of muskmelon ( Cucumis melo L. var. reticulatus) fruits cv. Magnum 45. Fruit firmness was not affected by irrigation method or application time. Regardless of irrigation method, water applied at 4 days prior to harvest produced fruit with significantly lower soluble solids concentration SSC (10.8% vs. 12.2%) greater volume (1684 vs. 1508 cm 3 ) and greater moisture content (88.5% vs. 87.4%) compared to no watering after 8 days prior to harvest. No consistent differences were found with fruit SSC, volume moisture content or taste of fruits from plots where water was applied 1 or 2 days prior to harvest compared to fruits receiving no water after 8 days. Significantly lower sweetness and overall preference ratings were found for fruit from plots drip-irrigated 4 days prior to harvest compared to those that received no water after 8 days. In contrast, only sensory ratings of fruits from furrow-irrigated plots might indicate that watering 1 and 2 days prior to harvest may be as detrimental to quality as water applied at 4 days prior to harvest.

Fat Concentration Affects Sweetness and Sensory Profiles of Sucrose, Sucralose, and Aspartame

ABSTRACTThe sensory characteristics of sucralose, aspartame, and sucrose were studied in an unflavored lipid model system varying in fat levels. One study investigated the effects of fat on the potencies (vs. sucrose) of sucralose and aspartame. We also examined absolute changes in all three sweeteners in taste, temporal, and mouthfeel properties at fiied concentrations across a wide fat range. Results indicated a modest decrease in the potencies of sucralose and aspartame across fat concentrations, especially at lower sweetness levels. All sweeteners responded similarly to changes in fat concentration. Independent of fat level, sucralose was perceived more similar to aspartame in onset, bitterness, and aftertaste, than to sucrose.

POSTHARVEST QUALITY OF WATERMELON CULTIVARS

A study was conducted to characterize the quality of seedless and seeded watermelon. The seeded cultivars 'Jubilee', 'Black Diamond' and 'Allsweet' were compared with seedless 'King of Hearts' for firmness, lycopene content, rind thickness, soluble solids concentration (SSC), ascorbic acid, sugar composition, sweetness index and sensory qualities. 'King of Hearts' melons had higher firmness and lycopene values but a lower sweetness index compared with the other cultivars. 'Black Diamond' and 'Jubilee' cultivars had greater rind thickness compared to the other cultivars. 'Allsweet' and 'Jubilee' fruit had the highest ascorbic acid concentration. 'Black Diamond' had greater fructose and glucose levels than 'Jubilee' or 'King of Hearts' but was lowest in SSC. Untrained taste panelists preferred 'Jubilee' and 'Allsweet' melons. In this study, SSC, sugar composition, sweetness index or firmness were not good indicators of watermelon preference.