Main Sensory Characteristics Research Articles

Development of a functional Greek sheep yogurt incorporating a probiotic Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus wild-type strain as adjunct starter culture

Greek yogurt is a fermented dairy product of high nutritional value that can be used as a matrix for the delivery of probiotics. The aim of this study was to develop a new probiotic Greek sheep yogurt with upgraded quality and functional characteristics. To do this, yogurt was manufactured by fermenting pasteurized milk with the commercial starter culture (Streptococcus thermophilus (ST), Lactobacillus bulgaricus (LB)) together with a probiotic Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (LR) wild-type strain (probiotic yogurt; PY). As a control, yogurt manufactured with only the starter culture (ST, LB) was used (conventional yogurt; CY) The survival of all three lactic acid bacteria (LAB) species (ST, LB, and LR) was monitored throughout the products’ shelf life (storage at 4 °C for 25 days), and also following exposure to a static in vitro digestion model (SIVDM). The population dynamics of total aerobic plate count (APC), Enterobacteriaceae, yeasts and molds grown in both yogurts were also determined. The total antioxidant activity (AA) of yogurts was comparatively determined using in parallel two different assays, whereas the Folin-Ciocalteu assay was used to determine their total phenolic content (TPC). At each sampling day, yogurts were also evaluated for their pH, titratable acidity (TA) and main sensory characteristics. The population of probiotic LR remained stable during the shelf life (and above 108 CFU/g). Yogurt starters (ST, LB) were not detected following SIVDM, whereas LR (in PY) presented a reduction of about only one log. The AA and TPC of PY were found significantly higher than that of CY (P < 0.05). At the end of storage (25th day), neither pH nor TA differed significantly between the two yogurt types, while no fungal growth was observed in the PY. Consumer sensory analysis did not reveal important differences between the two yogurt types during their shelf life. To sum up, the novel yogurt was able to deliver to consumers a high number of probiotic cells (>108 CFU/g), presented increased antioxidant power, had an expanded shelf life, and maintained its good sensory attributes.

Enriched Red Wine: Phenolic Profile, Sensory Evaluation and In Vitro Bioaccessibility of Phenolic Compounds

The beneficial health effect of red wine depends on its phenolic content and the phenolic content in red wines is affected by ecological, agricultural, and enological practices. Enriched wines have been proposed as an alternative to increase the phenolic content in wines. Nevertheless, phenolic compounds are related to the sensory characteristics of red wines, so enrichment of red wines requires a balance between phenolic content and sensory characteristics. In the present study, a Merlot red wine was enriched with a phenolic extract obtained from Cabernet Sauvignon grape pomace. Two levels of enrichment were evaluated: 4 and 8 g/L of total phenolic content (gallic acid equivalents, GAE). Wines were evaluated by a trained panel to determine their sensory profile (olfactive, visual, taste, and mouthfeel phases). The bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds from enriched red wines was evaluated using an in vitro digestive model and phenolic compounds were quantified by High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Enrichment increased mainly flavonols and procyanidins. Such an increase impacted astringency and sweetness perceived by judges. This study proposes an alternative to increase the phenolic content in wines without modifying other main sensory characteristics and offers a potential beneficial effect on the health of consumers.

Natural versus conventional production of Spanish white wines: an exploratory study.

Natural wine (NW) lacks an official or agreed definition, but it can be generally described as a wine produced with organic or biodynamic grapes with minimal intervention in the cellar, and with minimal or no use of oenological additives. The present study aimed to test the hypotheses that self-defined NWs differ from conventional wines (CW) in their chemical composition and main sensory characteristics. The levels of conventional oenological parameters, turbidity, biogenic amines, ochratoxin A, ethyl carbamate, sulphites, chlorides, some metals, major, trace and Strecker aldehyde volatile compounds were determined in 28 wines, including natural and conventional Spanish commercial white wines. Wines were also sensory described following a labelled free sorting task. NWs presented higher pH, volatile acidity (VA) and turbidity values, and a more intense yellow colour, whereas they have a lower malic acid content compared to theor conventional counterparts. NWs presented lower levels of total sulphur dioxide but significantly higher levels of biogenic amine putrescine, although both compounds are within the legal limits in all cases. None of the dimensions of the similarity space discriminated NWs from CWs. However, 70% of the NWs were grouped on the basis of various aromatic defects related to their higher content in 4-ethylphenols and VA. The remaining 30% were not differentiated from their conventional counterparts. It could be confirmed that NW can be globally differentiated from CW with respect to to their chemical and their sensory profiles, whereas the content in toxicants was not significantly different, with the exception of total sulphur dioxide and putrescine levels. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Nutritional, rheological and sensory properties of butter processed with different mixtures of cow and sheep milk cream

This study assessed the quality parameters and consumer perception and behavior of butter processed with different ratios of cow and sheep milk cream. Cow milk cream butter (CMCB) showed lower moisture content and higher fat content, smaller fat globules, and higher concentrations of long-chain saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids, resulting in improved potential health indices. In addition, CMCB showed yellow color, little salt, and butter taste as the main sensory characteristics, resulting in grateful and good digestibility perceptions. Sheep milk cream addition improved the rheological properties of the products (lower viscosity, consistency index, and rigidity (J0), and higher fluidity and viscoelastic behavior (J1)), mainly due to the increased concentrations of short-chain and medium-chain saturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. However, sheep milk cream butter (SMCB) was characterized by a greasy and striking aroma, with a lower perception of good digestibility and good appearance, and a higher bitter taste. The association of cow and sheep milk cream could be an exciting option to obtain products with improved fatty acid profiles, health indices, and yet maintain desired rheological and sensory properties. The formulation with 60% sheep milk cream and 40% cow milk cream would be the suggested combination.

Generating New Snack Food Texture Ideas Using Sensory and Consumer Research Tools: A Case Study of the Japanese and South Korean Snack Food Markets.

Food companies spend a large amount of money and time to explore markets and consumer trends for ideation. Finding new opportunities in food product development is a challenging assignment. The majority of new products launched in the market are either copies of existing concepts or line extensions. This study demonstrates how the global marketplace can be used for generating new texture concepts for snack foods. One hundred and twenty-three prepacked snack foods from South Korea (SK) and ninety-five from Japan (JP) were purchased for this study. Projective mapping (PM) was used to sort the snacks on a 2-dimensional map (texture and flavor). Sensory scientists grouped snacks on similarities and dissimilarities. PM results showed, 65% (JP) and 76% (SK) snacks were considered as hard textures, ranging from moderate to extremely hard. Sixty-five percent of JP snacks were savory, whereas 59% of SK snacks had a sweet flavor. The PM 2-dimensional map was used to find white spaces in the marketplace. Thirty-two diversified snacks from each country were screened and profiled using descriptive sensory analysis by trained panelists. Attributes such as sustained fracturability, sustained crispness, initial crispness, and fracturability were the main sensory texture characteristics of snacks. Results showed how descriptive analysis results can be used as initial sensory specifications to develop prototypes. Prototype refinement can be performed by doing multiple developmental iterations and consumer testing. The study showed how white spaces are potential opportunities where new products can be positioned to capture market space. Practical Application: The methodology produced in this study can be used by food product developers to explore new opportunities in the global marketplace.

Interactions between Polyphenols and Volatile Compounds in Wine: A Literature Review on Physicochemical and Sensory Insights

Wine polyphenols (PPhs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are responsible for two of the main sensory characteristics in defining the complexity and quality of red wines: astringency and aroma. Wine VOCs’ volatility and solubility are strongly influenced by the matrix composition, including the interactions with PPhs. To date, these interactions have not been deeply studied, although the topic is of great interest in oenology. This article reviews the available knowledge on the main physicochemical and sensory effects of polyphenols on the release and perception of wine aromas in orthonasal and retronasal conditions. It describes the molecular insights and the phenomena that can modify VOCs behavior, according to the different chemical classes. It introduces the possible impact of saliva on aroma release and perception through the modulation of polyphenols–aroma compounds interactions. Limitations and possible gaps to overcome are presented together with updated approaches used to investigate those interactions and their effects, as well as future perspectives on the subject.

Improving Oxidative Stability and Sensory Properties of Ale Beer by Enrichment with Dried Red Raspberries (Rubus idaeus L.)

Red raspberry has attracted great interest due to its inherent antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, and antihyperglycemic effects. To brew a beverage with high antioxidant capacity and desirable sensory characteristics (malty aroma, hop aroma, fruit flavor, freshness, fullness, sweetness, sourness, and bitterness), dried red raspberries (Rubus idaeus L.) (30 g L−1 wort) were added to beer at different stages of the brewing process (beginning of boiling, before fermentation, before conditioning) and compared to a control without added dried fruits. The beer was fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae for 7 days at 18 °C followed by a secondary fermentation of 3 days at 20 °C. The main physicochemical attributes (original gravity, ethanol content, pH, color, colloidal haze, viscosity, bitterness, diacetyl, acetaldehyde, higher alcohols, and esters), sensory characteristics, and major bioactive compounds were determined. A decline in pH and an increase in color were observed in the raspberry beers. Adding dried fruits at the beginning of boiling imparted the highest oxidative stability and total phenolic and flavonoid content (696 mg GAE L−1 and 510 mg QE L−1, respectively). Sensory analysis revealed that the most preferred product according to appearance, flavor, and taste was the beer with dried fruits added at the beginning of boiling.

Apple pomace as food fortification ingredient: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The present review aimed to investigate and analyze the use of byproduct apple pomace as a fortification ingredient in different types of foods. The data obtained from English published articles found on Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar in the period from 2007 to 2019 were used for making the table overview and meta-analysis of results described in those studies. The systematic review confirmed the importance of apple pomace use in the food industry due to the beneficial nutritional profile and ecological issue (waste management). The main attributes of apple pomace are high content of antioxidant compounds and dietary fibers. Dietary fibers from apple pomace significantly increased total fiber content in enriched products-meaning that the transfer of the fortification can be declared health beneficial. The conducted meta-analysis showed unambiguously the different influence of apple pomace addition according to fortified food commodity. The fortification drawbacks were noticeable in plant food products because darker and brownish color was not evaluated positively by panelists. Oppositely, color, as one of the main sensory characteristics, was beneficially affected in animal origin food. The sensory properties, including color, play an important role in product acceptance by consumers. Besides color, animal origin products fortified by apple pomace showed the most acceptable textural properties and oxidative stability.

Consumer acceptance of an iron bean variety in Northwest Guatemala: the role of information and repeated messaging

Micronutrient malnutrition affects 2 billion people worldwide and biofortification could prove to be a cost-effective solution to its alleviation. The aims of this study are as follows: (i) to understand consumer acceptance of the main sensory characteristics such as taste, color, texture, etc., of an iron-enriched bean variety compared to a popular traditional one (“parramos”); (ii) to measure consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for an iron-enriched bean variety compared to a traditional one; (iii) to investigate the role of nutrition information; and (iv) to understand the impact of information repetition on consumer acceptance. To achieve this, a home use testing (HUT) method and a Becker-DeGroot-Marshak mechanism were used. The results indicate that consumers equally preferred the iron-enriched and the local bean varieties, although some minor differences were found in some of the sensory characteristics. Although the mean WTP for the iron-enriched bean variety was higher, the difference was not statistically significant among the groups evaluated. The information provided and the order of variety delivery play a significant role in consumer acceptance for the iron-enriched variety, and repetition in providing information had a positive impact depending on the type of message provided and on who received it (e.g., men or women, more educated respondents). Potential censored bids were found due to the nature of the currency interval and some transaction costs.

SENSORY PROFILE OF BRAZILIAN COFFEES BASED ON CONSUMER PERCEPTION AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE CONVENTIONAL METHODS

Consumer-based methodologies for sensory characterization of foods have been widely discussed and are satisfactory, when compared to the results of trained panelists. However their efficiency in the description of complex foods rich in sensory attributes (flavor and aroma) such as coffee still needs to be explored. Polarized sensory positioning (PSP) is an innovative methodology for sensory characterization, based on the comparison of samples with reference products. In this study, roasted and ground coffees with different quality ratings according to the Coffee Quality Program (PQC) of the Brazilian Coffee Industry Association (ABIC) - Traditional, Superior and Gourmet – were evaluated by this method, applied to consumers. The beverage was presented to 100 consumers, who quantified the degree of global difference between the samples and the chosen references, using unstructured scales, followed by the verbal description of the sensory characteristics perceived in each sample evaluated. The samples were described for 30 attributes related to visual appearance, aroma, flavor, texture and hedonic terms. The method presented a good discriminative capacity, since it was able to differentiate the samples according to the PQC classification. In addition it allowed to identify the main sensory characteristics responsible for similarities and differences between the samples. The results indicate that consumers were able to infer about a quality classification based on their own perception and vocabulary, and the Brazilian traditional coffee was considered inferior to specialty coffees increasingly available in the market.

Pole selection in Polarized Sensory Positioning: Insights from the cognitive aspects behind the task

Polarized Sensory Positioning (PSP) is a relatively new methodology for sensory characterization, based on the comparison of samples to reference products, usually called poles. The key step in the implementation of this methodology is the selection of the poles. In this context, the aim of the present work was to gain insights on the strategies used by consumers to complete this task and to study the influence of the number and characteristics of the poles on results from PSP. Three consumer studies were carried out, on three product categories: chocolate-flavored milks, vanilla milk desserts and orange-flavored powdered drinks. In each study, three groups of consumers (n=40) evaluated samples using one of three sets of two or three poles. After the PSP task consumers indicated how they evaluated the degree of difference between the samples and the poles, and listed the sensory characteristics of the poles they took into account for the evaluation. Consumers tended to evaluate the degree of difference between the samples and each of the poles by evaluating the intensity of one or two main sensory characteristics. Sample configurations obtained using two and three poles did not largely differ, especially when the poles clearly represented the sensory characteristics responsible for the main differences among samples. This work demonstrates that it is possible to unfold a multidimensional sensory space with the use of just two well-selected poles, and that the number of poles should be selected considering the main sensory characteristics that discriminate among samples.

FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERS EVALUATION OF BISCUITS SUBLIMATED WITH PURE PHYCOCYANIN ISOLATED FROM SPIRULINA AND SPIRULINA BIOMASS.

The aim of the present work is to study the effect of incorporation of biomass and phycocyanin extracts of Spirulina platensis growing in define media at large scales (300 liters, limited in nitrogen and high salinity) to traditional butter biscuits in order to increase general mental health as functional products, FPs). The FP were manufactured at a pilot scale formulated by adding algal biomass (0.3, 0.6 and 0.9%) and S. platensis phycocyanin (at 0.3%) to wheat flour and stored for one month at room temperature, protected from light and air. The approximate and nutrition composition of S. platensis biomass showed high quantity (% dry weight, dw.) of phycocyanin (13.51%, natural food colorant), tocopherols (0.43%), carotenoids (2.65%), vitamins C (1.25%), -6, -3 fatty acids, essential elements (Fe, Zn, Cr, Se, and others) and antioxidant compounds includes: total phenolic (1.73%), flavonoids (0.87%) and glutathione (0.245 mM). FPs showed a high oxidative stability during storage (30 days) periods (as assessed by antiradical scavenging activity of DPPH and TBA test), compared with that in untreated food products (control). Data of sensory evaluation revealed that FPs containing S. platensis biomass or algae extracts were significantly acceptable as control for main sensory characteristics (colour, odour/ aroma, flavor, texture, the global appreciation and overall acceptability). S. platensis FPs presented an accentuated green tonality, which increase with the quantity of added biomass. Thus, it could be concluded that functional biscuits had good sensory and nutritional profiles and can be developed as new niche food market.

A sensory study of the ageing bouquet of red Bordeaux wines: A three-step approach for exploring a complex olfactory concept

The ageing bouquet, which defines the overall quality of fine wines, counts among the most fascinating but least known phenomena in oenology. Its complexity and subtlety are highly-valued attributes, together with the perfume and flavour of a fine wine.The aim of this work was firstly to explore whether wine professionals shared a common representation of the ageing bouquet of red Bordeaux wines and then to move on how they perceive and translate its main sensory characteristics. In a first step, a large panel of wine professionals including winemakers, wine-science researchers, oenologists, wine consultants, and graduate students in oenology were invited to answer a questionnaire about their personal definition of the wine ageing bouquet concept. The lexical field generated through a free association task revealed that conceptualisation of the ageing bouquet involves a wide variety of quality dimensions, where intrinsic attributes, such as sensory clues, complexity, balance, and positive ageing evolution, play an important role. Importantly, this step showed the occurrence of a confusion of the ageing bouquet with a reductive fault of wine among the panel and emphasised the need for a careful selection of assessors before moving on to the next wine tasting steps.In a second step, 30 red Bordeaux wines were assessed by 13 wine professionals from the Bordeaux area who were selected among the best skilled ones thanks to the initial step of our study. They were initially required to score to which extend each tasted wine represented a qualitative ageing bouquet. Then, they were invited to freely express their individual sensory descriptions for those with the highest scores. A profile of aromatic attributes of the ageing bouquet typicality of these wines was then compiled on the basis of the frequency citation method. Although all wine professionals were not consensual in their assessment of the typicality of individual wines during tasting, they were able to express a collective representation of the main odour characteristics of a wine’s ageing bouquet. Their olfactory representations tended to highlight a pool of seven main aromatic notes: undergrowth, truffle, toasted, spicy, liquorice, mint, and fresh red- and black-berry fruits. As a third step, a validation of these seven more frequently elicited aromatic descriptors was addressed through a profiling of their sensory intensity by the panel. Three out seven (undergrowth, truffle, and spicy notes) were turned out significant for wines discrimination among the assessors. Overall, this study provides new insights into the ageing bouquet concept in red Bordeaux wines and offers an interesting framework for carrying out subsequent conventional quantitative sensory analysis as well as initiating qualitative and quantitative chemical work.

Influência de tratamento térmico e sistemas de embalagens na qualidade de lichia 'Bengal

Estudaram-se oito tratamentos quanto à eficiência de banhos hidrotérmicos com ou sem adição de produtos químicos na conservação da qualidade de lichias acondicionadas em bandejas de PET com tampa (BT) e cobertas com filme de PVC de 15 µm (BF), sendo submetidas a banhos hidrotérmicos, tais como:T1-BT e T2-BF - sem tratamento; T3-BT- água a 55ºC por 20 s; T4-BF- água a 55ºC por 20 s; T5-BT- água a 55ºC por 10 s e em ácido cítrico 60% por 10 s; T6-BF- água a 55ºC por 10 s e banho de ácido cítrico 60% por 10 s ; T7-BT- ácido cítrico 60% por 20 s; T8-BF-ácido cítrico 60% por 20 s. Avaliaram-se as principais alterações físicas, químicas, sensoriais e presença de doença em lichias armazenadas a 4ºC e a 25ºC. De forma geral, ao final do estudo, as lichias ficaram ligeiramente menos ácidas, com leve aumento no pH e com discreta redução de sólidos solúveis, e após dois dias a 25ºC todos os tratamentos apresentaram infestação por fungos.Os tratamentos T5, T6, T7 e T8 foram considerados inaceitáveis (&gt;4) a partir de 15 dias; T1, T2, T3 e T4 aceitáveis até 21 dias, pela avaliação visual. Quanto à manutenção da cor vermelha, os melhores tratamentos foram T1 e T4. O tratamento T2 apresentou os maiores valores de firmeza da casca, mostrando que o filme de PVC protegeu contra a perda de firmeza, de umidade e ao murchamento. A menor perda de massa foi nos tratamentos T6 e T8 (0,4%), ambos com filme de PVC, e a maior perda de massa foi nas amostras T5 (5,6%) acondicionadas nas bandejas perfuradas, além de apresentar menor firmeza na casca.

Study on consumer evaluation of cooked sausages

The mapping method in the design of internal map is one of the novel and effective ways to evaluate consumer preferences. Internal map allows determining and visualizing differences in consumer preferences to foods that are being compared. It also helps to link together different information about the food item and consumer attitude to it. The aim of this study is to investigate the possibilities of internal map's instruments to assess consumer attitude to cooked sausages. Five samples of cooked sausage 'Doktorskaya', produced according to GOST R 521096-2011, which were purchased in department stores of Moscow and Moscow region (samples No 332 and No 326), the city of Kirov and Kirov region (samples No 347, No 312 and No 303), were chosen for research. Fifty one respondents took part in the consumer testing. All respondents were divided into groups: two groups according to gender (male, 19.6%; female, 80.3%), and two groups according to age (20 to 25 years, 76.5%; 26 to 45 years, 23.5%). All the description of sensory and other specific characteristics were discussed among the consumer groups previous to panel testing. Hedonic and additional information was collected with the aid of questionnaires. The results of consumer assessments were analysed together with additional attributes (demographic and other). The significance of the data obtained was checked with ANOVA. The data interpretation was carried out on two principal components, which explain over 70% of all data divergence. In the first stage main sensory characteristics were analysed: appearance, colour, flavour, consistency. In the second stage some specific characteristics were analysed: 'meaty' flavour, 'smoky' aroma, aroma of spices, 'spicy' taste and 'saltiness'. The obtained data demonstrated that samples No 332, No 326 and No. 347 were the leaders in terms of preference of their specific organoleptic characteristics. It is evident that internal preference maps facilitate the analysis of the consumer panel testing results of both sensory and specific characteristics. Summarizing the results of the study on the consumer evaluation of product quality, it can be concluded that the use of internal preference maps allows obtaining of the complex visualized information not only about overall preference of a product but also about preference of the individual organoleptic attributes and specific characteristics with regard to the market segments. Statistical analysis of the results of consumer preferences by mapping method enables to: (1) study product classes, highlight a direction and strength of liking or disliking of a product by the specific groups of population, determine the best and similar products by organoleptic properties; (2) study consumer requirements; (3) determine a direction of product modifications to optimize its organoleptic characteristics and improve perception by consumers; - assess consumer reaction on newly developed products; (4) establish the link between the product organoleptic characteristics and consumer preferences. The obtained information can be used by marketing services when developing a new product strategy and launching it to a market, studying a market structure, strengths and weaknesses of competitors, needs and motivation of buyers, the targeted work with a specific buyers' segment and so on.

Evaluation of the sensory characteristics of strawberry cultivars throughout the harvest season using projective mapping

Strawberry breeding programs should be able to rely on valid and simple methodologies for evaluating sensory quality of new cultivars. In this context, the aim of the present work was to evaluate the applicability of a simple sensory methodology, named projective mapping, to evaluate the sensory characteristics of strawberry cultivars and advanced selections throughout the harvest season. Three strawberry cultivars and two advanced selections were evaluated by an untrained assessor panel using projective mapping in three different moments of the harvest season: June (early season), August (mid-season) and September (peak harvest). Instrumental measurements were also performed. Projective mapping enabled the identification of the main sensory characteristics of the strawberry cultivars and advanced selections, as well as the similarities and differences among them. Sensory characteristics of the five evaluated strawberry cultivars and advanced selections largely varied throughout the harvest season. Simple instrumental measurements were not able to predict the sensory characteristics of the strawberry cultivars, suggesting the importance of sensory methodologies for the evaluation of new cultivars in breeding programs. Projective mapping consisted of a quick alternative for the evaluation of new cultivars relative to standard commercial cultivars. Its main advantage is that a large number of cultivars can be screened with minimal investment of time and resources.

Use of e-beam for shelf-life extension and sanitizing of marinated pork loin.

The effectiveness of E-beam radiation to extend the shelf-life of marinated pork loin slices stored at 4 and 8°C (temperature abuse) has been studied. The shelf-life was extended from 7 to 16 and >20 days after the application of 1 and 2 kGy, respectively. In the event of a temperature abuse occuring during the product distribution (e.g., increase to 8°C), the shelf-life would be extended from 5 to 10 and 16 days, respectively, when applying the doses mentioned previously. From a public health point of view, the irradiation of marinated pork loin may be marketable for a longer period of time of up to two weeks, and guarantees a practically Salmonella and Listeria-free product. Minor changes are produced by the E-beam treatment in the main sensory and rheological characteristics. The odor was the most affected feature, but the off-odors diminished with increased storage. In any case, testers judged the samples to be adequate for marketing.

Influence of different amounts of vegetable coagulant from cardoon Cynara cardunculus and calf rennet on the proteolysis and sensory characteristics of cheeses made with sheep milk

Different amounts of powdered vegetable coagulant (PVC) obtained from Cynara cardunculus (normal amount=PVC; double the normal amount=2PVC) were compared with calf rennet in cheese made from sheep milk, by determining different chemical, biochemical, and sensory characteristics throughout of 6 months of ripening. For most of the chemical parameters studied, no differences were observed between the coagulants assayed. However, significantly higher ( p<0.05) levels of casein hydrolysis, measured as soluble nitrogen (SN), non-protein nitrogen (NPN), amino acid nitrogen (AAN) and ammonia-nitrogen (N.NH 3), were observed after 2 days of ripening in cheeses produced with 2PVC compared with those made with normal amount of PVC. Furthermore, only the levels of SN and NPN were significantly higher ( p<0.05) in cheeses produced with PVC than those obtained with calf rennet. The main sensory characteristics were enhanced ( p<0.05) in cheeses obtained with vegetable coagulant in comparison to those made with calf rennet. The bitter taste of cheeses produced with 2PVC was not significantly stronger ( p>0.05) than in those produced with a normal amount of vegetable coagulant (PVC). The increased proteolytic activity of the vegetable enzymes enables manufacturers to produce fully ripened cheeses (especially when the amount of the vegetable coagulant is doubled) with all the genuine end-product organoleptic characteristics approximately 3 months earlier than if calf rennet is used.

A Bayesian approach to the effect of selection for growth rate on sensory meat quality of rabbit

The effect of selection for growth rate on the sensory characteristics of rabbit meat was assessed by comparing a selected and a control population of rabbits. Embryos belonging to generation 7th were frozen, thawed and implanted in does in order to produce the control group. The control group was formed from the offspring of the embryos belonging to the 7th generation. Selected animals belonging to 21st generation (S) were compared with animals of the control group (C), both were contemporary. Forty animals per group were slaughtered at 9-weeks-old. The sensory analysis was carried out on samples of the Longissimus dorsi muscle. The parameters evaluated were: intensity of rabbit flavour (IRF), aniseed odour (AO), aniseed flavour (AF), liver flavour (LF), tenderness (T), juiciness (J), fibrousness (F). A Bayesian analysis was performed. The ratio of the selection and control effects was analysed. There was a difference between the selected and control groups for IRF, AO, AF and LF. Conversely, no differences were found in T, J and F between groups. Selected group had 3% and 23% higher values of IRF and LF, respectively, than the control group. A relevant effect of selection on AO and AF appeared (probability of relevance P r = 1), with lower values for selected animals. There was a difference between male and female groups for IRF, but this was not relevant. No differences between sexes were found for the rest of the characteristics evaluated. Selection for growth rate did not affect the main sensory characteristics of meat, like T and J but, it had a negative effect on some flavour characteristics.

Stability and enhancement of berry juice color.

Attractive color is one of the main sensory characteristics of fruit and berry products. Unfortunately, the color of red juices is unstable and easily susceptible to degradation, leading to a dull and weak juice color. This study was designed to investigate the color stability and copigmentation of four different berry juices enhanced by phenolic acids and commercial color enhancers. Phenolic acid enrichment improved and stabilized the color of the berry juices during storage. The commercial color enhancers immediately produced an intensive color to the juices, which, however, was not very stable. The color enhancement was intensive in strawberry and raspberry juices and effective in lingonberry and cranberry juices. Sinapic acid induced the strongest color in strawberry juice. Ferulic and sinapic acids improved raspberry juice color equally. Rosmarinic acid enhanced the color of lingonberry and cranberry juices the most. The addition of the simple cinnamic acids produced novel peaks to the end of the high-performance liquid chromatography chromatogram, indicating a formation of new compounds. It can be assumed that sinapic and ferulic acids formed new intramolecular copigmentation compounds with berry anthocyanins whereas rosmarinic acid stabilized anthocyanins intermolecularly.