Sensory Appreciation Research Articles

The Use of Carrot Fiber and Some Gums in the Production of Block-Type Melting Cheese.

In this study, the effect of carrot fiber and certain gums on the physicochemical, textural, microbiological, and sensory properties of block-type melting cheese, which holds a significant place in our daily food consumption, was investigated. The study also aimed to determine the impact of carrot fiber and other gums on cheese properties, as well as on yield and meltability. Carrot fiber was used at levels of 2.5% and 5.0% by weight, while carrageenan and xanthan gum were each used at levels of 0.25% and 0.50%. The cheeses were analyzed on days 1, 15, and 30. At the end of the study, it was determined that the highest total dry matter, fat, and protein values were found in the control sample due to the addition of water when preparing the cheeses with fiber and gum. The highest dry matter, fat, salt, and protein ratios were 59.65%, 29.40%, 1.48%, and 24.48%, respectively, in the control sample. The lowest fat, salt, and protein ratios were 25.00%, 1.31%, and 22.07%, respectively, in the 5.0% carrot fiber sample. The lowest dry matter value was found in the 0.5% xanthan sample, namely 53.62%. The highest L* value was measured in the control sample at 86.89, while the lowest was measured in the 5.0% carrot fiber sample at 81.86. The lowest a* and b* values were 2.82 and 29.42, respectively, in the control sample, while the highest values were 6.20 and 37.37, respectively, in the 5.0% carrot fiber sample. It was observed that the use of carrot fiber imparted an orangish color to the cheese. It was observed that the pH values of the samples were similar. According to the sensory evaluation results, the most liked sample was the control sample with 8.5 points, followed by the 0.25% xanthan sample with 8.0 points. The 5.0% carrot fiber sample received the lowest sensory appreciation with 6.1 points. It was understood that the use of carrot fiber gave the cheese an orangish color. Although the meltability varied according to the amount of gum and fiber used, it was measured at 6.92 cm in the 0.25% carrageenan sample on the first day and at 6.79 cm in the control sample on the last day of storage. It was observed that the use of fiber decreased the total bacterial count, while the use of gum increased it.

Optimization of citrus fiber-enriched vegan cream cheese alternative and its influence on chemical, physical, and sensory properties.

Dairy product alternatives have increased in recent years as a result of medical prescriptions or personal preferences. The main purpose of the present study was to optimize vegan-based cream cheese formulation added with citrus fiber considering the textural and physicochemical properties of the samples. The physicochemical (pH value, water activity, and color), texture, microstructure, and sensory properties of manufactured vegan-based cream cheese were characterized and compared to those of a commercial one. Three optimized products were produced, according to the textural properties. The addition of citrus fiber did not affect the pH and water activity values of the cheese samples significantly. Although citrus fiber had an effect on the color values of the samples, a significant difference in the sensory scores was not recorded by the panelists. The sample having 1.21% citrus fiber (A) showed a hardness value similar to that of control sample and it received high sensory appreciation. The sample added with 1.41% citrus fiber (B) was scored high by the panelists, with no significant difference compared to commercial cream cheese, even though it showed high hardness. According to the results of the current research, vegan-based cream cheese can be produced as a promising food as a new alternative to milk and dairy products.

Still just a matter of taste? Sensorial appreciation of seafood is associated with more frequent and diverse consumption

Improving health and sustainability outcomes in WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrial, Rich, Democratic) nations necessitates a reduction in red meat consumption. Seafood is often overlooked in achieving this goal. However, simply consuming more of familiar fish species places high stress on production of these species. For this reason, diversification of seafood consumption is also critical. Here the motives for seafood consumption (frequency and diversity) are investigated across two studies by adapting the 4Ns survey to the seafood category. This 16-item survey measures four factors underpinning meat consumption: namely that it is ‘Natural’, ‘Necessary’, ‘Normal’ and ‘Nice’. Swedish consumers' hedonic and sensory expectations of two herring concepts (traditional pickled contra novel minced and presented as a burger) are also evaluated in relation to the 4Ns. Study 1 (N = 304) revealed that the seafood 4Ns scale had a similar underlying structure to that of meat and had good test-retest reliability. Study 2 (N = 514) showed that consumers expected to like the pickled herring (associated with being ‘seasoned’, ‘salty’, ‘sweet’, ‘firm’, ‘juicy’, ‘chewy’, and ‘slimy’) more than the minced herring (associated with being ‘mushy’, ‘fishy’, ‘grainy’, ‘dry’ and having ‘small bones’), and that ‘Nice’ scores affected expectations of both herring concepts. Food neophobia correlated inversely with seafood consumption frequency, expected liking, the ‘Nice’ subscale, and food agency. Critically, in both studies, enjoyment of seafood (higher ‘Nice’ scores) predicted more frequent and diverse seafood consumption, whilst agreeing that seafood is ‘Necessary’ for health predicted only consumption frequency, not diversity. Communicating the positive sensory attributes of seafood and developing novel product concepts in ways that disconfirm sceptical consumers' negative sensory expectations may increase acceptance of both familiar and unfamiliar seafood concepts.

Morphobiometric Characterisation of Carob Tree Pods Cultivated in Algeria and Evaluation of Physicochemical, Nutritional, and Sensory Properties of Their Powders

Abstract Given its very important economic and environmental interests, the cultivation of carob tree in Algeria has experienced remarkable development, which is reflected in the methods of plant multiplication, the increase in the surface area of its cultivation, and in particular, the growing number of carob fruit processing industries (first and second transformation). In this context, the present study focused on the evaluation of the food quality of whole pod powders and carob pulps from three different regions of Algeria (Boumerdes, Relizane, and Tissemsilt). The experimental part presents a morphobiometric characterisation of carob pods carried out during the 2020–2021 production campaign — length, width, mass, volume, thickness, size index (length/width), the number and mass of seeds, analysis of the food quality of carob powders from whole pods and their pulps and determining their physicochemical properties (particle size, pH and dry matter), nutritional properties (ash, crude proteins, total sugars, crude fibres, fats) and sensory (colour, taste, texture, and smell). The results showed that the morphobiometric characteristics of the carob pods studied (physicochemical, nutritional, and sensory properties of the powders) strongly depend on the biogeographical site of the carob tree and the conditions of its production. Compared to the other carob fruit powders analysed, Relizane carob pulps powder showed a better sensory appreciation; this powder was characterised by a colour (100% light brown), taste (50% sweet, 50% very sweet), texture (100% fine), and odour (100% carob with strong intensity). Indeed, the study of the food quality of the two types of powders obtained separately from whole pods (seeds and pulps) and from the pulps is very valuable and opens possible ways of food valorisation of carob tree fruit.

Effect of fermentation process on hygiene and perceived quality of lait caillé, an ethnic milk product from Burkina Faso

Lait caillé is a traditional fermented milk product in Burkina Faso. The objective of this study was to contribute to consumer acceptance of lait caillé. For this purpose, the production practices in rural and urban areas were identified through semi-structured interviews, while the perceived quality of lait caillé in urban area was investigated through a survey. Then, microbiological and physico-chemical parameters were analysed on samples from rural and urban sites. Finally, an attempt to improve the hygiene of the traditional processing was proposed by use of Lactococcus lactis and Leuconostoc mesenteroides stains as starter. These were previously isolated from traditional lait caillé. The results on the manufacturing processes revealed from the raw milk practices of spontaneous fermentation, backslopping and contact with bacterial biofilms attached to container. The survey on perceived quality indicated that traditional lait caillé possessed a niche market which could be enlarged by implementation of good manufacturing practices in the production sites. The microbiota of the end product was characterised by high loads of Enterococcus spp., Enterobacteria and Pichia spp. Fermented milks by starter cultures showed improved hygienic quality and a positive sensory appreciation. However, the use of selected strains might be followed by loss of some features of traditional lait caillé, which scientists should work to resolve.

A sensory study on consumer valuation for plant-based meat alternatives: What is liked and disliked the most?

The food sector has witnessed a surge in the production of plant-based meat alternatives that aim to mimic various attributes of traditional animal products. However, overall sensory appreciation remains low. This study employed open-ended questions, preference ranking, and an identification question to analyze sensory drivers and barriers to liking four burger patties, i.e., two plant-based (one referred to as pea protein burger and one referred to as animal-like protein burger), one hybrid meat-mushroom, and one 100 % beef burger. Untrained participants (n = 175) were randomly assigned to blind or informed conditions in a between-subject study. The main objective was to evaluate the impact of providing information about the animal/plant-based protein source/type, and to obtain product descriptors and liking/disliking levels from consumers. Results from the ranking tests for blind and informed treatments showed that the animal-like protein was the most preferred product, followed by the 100 % beef burger. Moreover, in the blind condition, there was no significant difference in preferences between the beef burger and the hybrid and pea protein burgers. In the blind tasting, people preferred the pea protein burger over the hybrid one, contrary to the results of the informed tasting, which implies the existence of affecting factors other than pure hedonistic enjoyment. In the identification question, although consumers correctly identified the beef burger under the blind condition, they still preferred the plant-based 'animal-like' burger.

Enrichment of wheat bread with carob molasses source: Impact on bread quality and acceptability

Carob is one the most important plant sources of dietary fiber, which is essential for human health and must be consumed daily. Carob molasses (pekmez) obtained from carob fruit contains many beneficial components for health. Although the molasses pulp that comes out as waste in the production of molasses contains a large amount of fiber, it is not evaluated. In this study; purification, drying and grinding of the crude carob fiber (CCF) from raw molasses pulp was carried out. The obtained CCF flour was added to the bread. After baking bread, the effects of the addition of 1 to 5 % CCF flour on chemicals (moisture, ash and protein) and also textural (hardness, color) and sensory properties (acceptability, taste, softness, appearance) of the bread samples were investigated. The results showed that the addition of CCF up to 4 % into the bread dough had no significant effect compared with the control group on these properties. Therefore, a brad formulation can be developed which is a fibrous bakery product with reduced fat for health and which has better sensory appreciation.

Essential Oil Stabilisation by Response Surface Methodology (RSM): Nanoemulsion Formulation, Physicochemical, Microbiological, and Sensory Investigations.

This manuscript aimed to optimise the encapsulation of Thymus capitatus essential oil into nanoemulsion. Response Surface Methodology results were best fitted into polynomial models with regression coefficient values of more than 0.95. The optimal nanoemulsion showed nanometer-sized droplets (380 nm), a polydispersity index less than 0.5, and a suitable Zeta potential (-10.3 mV). Stability results showed that nanoemulsions stored at 4 °C were stable with the lowest d3,2, PolyDispersity Index (PDI), and pH (day 11). Significant ameliorations in the capacity to neutralise DPPH radical after the encapsulation of the antimicrobial efficacy of thyme essential oil were recorded. S. typhimurium growth inhibition generated by nanoencapsulated thyme essential oil was 17 times higher than by bulk essential oil. The sensory analysis highlighted that the encapsulation of thyme essential oil improved enriched milk's sensory appreciation. Indeed, 20% of the total population attributed a score of 4 and 5 on the scale used for milk enriched with nanoemulsion. In comparison, only 11% attributed the same score to milk enriched with bulk essential oil. The novel nanometric delivery system presents significant interest for agroalimentary industries.

3D printed gluten-free cereal snack with incorporation of Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) and/or Chlorella vulgaris

3D food printing is a recent technology promising to break cultural barriers by introducing new food sources such as microalgae, through innovative food shapes and textures, in a resource-scarce world whose sustainability is at stake because of the current intensive production of meat and agriculture products. The present work intends to create an innovative gluten-free cereal snack nutritionally improved by the incorporation of Chlorella vulgaris and Arthrospira platensis (“Spirulina”) biomass using 3D printing technology. Doughs without (control) or with microalgal biomass with different incorporation percentages (from 5 to 30 %) were tested and those showing the most adequate rheology (low viscoelastic moduli and apparent viscosity) and texture (low firmness, adhesiveness and high cohesiveness) properties for a correct printing process were selected and baked (control and 5 % microalgae incorporation). Nutritional characterization of the control and 5 % snacks was performed, in terms of total protein and lipid contents, ash, humidity, water activity, energy, and carbohydrates, as well as total phenolics, pigments and antioxidant activity. Physical traits of snacks, including their colour and size, were also analysed. Control snacks presented a lighter and yellow colour compared to snacks containing Chlorella and Spirulina, which had higher green chromaticity (Control: a* −0.953, b* 21.3; Chlorella 5 %: a* −2.20, b* 11.8; Spirulina 5 %: a* -1.05, b* 3.55). Nutritional characterization revealed that snacks containing Chlorella and Spirulina had both higher protein and essential minerals content. Overall, 5 % Spirulina snacks presented the best nutritional and sensory performance, with higher antioxidant activity, mineral and protein contents. These Spirulina-snacks deserved a positive sensory appreciation from consumers.

Study of the Dilution-Induced Deposition of Concentrated Mixtures of Polyelectrolytes and Surfactants.

Mixtures of polyelectrolytes and surfactants are commonly used in many technological applications where the challenge is to provide well-defined modifications of the surface properties, as is the case of washing formulations in cosmetics. However, if contemporary experimental and theoretical methods can provide insights on their behavior in concentrated formulations, less is known on their behavior under practical use conditions, e.g., under dilution and vectorization of deposits. This makes it difficult to make predictions for specific performance, as, for example, good hair manageability after a shampoo or a comfortable sensorial appreciation after a skin cleanser. This is especially important when considering the formulation of new, more eco-friendly formulations. In this work, a detailed study of the phase separation process induced by dilution is described, as well as the impact on the deposition of conditioning material on negatively charged surfaces. In order to gain a more detailed physical insight, several polyelectrolyte–surfactant pairs, formed by two different polymers and five surfactants that, although non-natural or eco-friendly, can be considered as models of classical formulations, have been studied. The results evidenced that upon dilution the behavior, and hence its deposition onto the surface, cannot be predicted in terms of the behavior of simpler pseudo-binary (mixtures of a polymer and a surfactant) or pseudo-ternary mixtures (two polymers and a surfactant). In many cases, phase separation was observed for concentrations similar to those corresponding to the components in some technological formulations, whereas the latter appeared as monophasic systems. Therefore, it may be assumed that the behavior in multicomponent formulations is the result of a complex interplay of synergistic interactions between the different components that will require revisiting when new, more eco-sustainable ingredients are considered.

English

Reaching the second UN Sustainable Development Goal requires improving the nutritional value of food products and dietary diversity. Simultaneously, recent research highlights the importance of processing highly nutritious but underutilized African leafy vegetables (ALV) for lowering post-harvest losses and bridging off-season gaps. Combining both goals, it seems promising to utilize neglected ALV for enhancing conventional food items that are already well accepted in consumer diets but low in nutritional value. Therefore, this study analyzes consumer demand for maize (Zea mays L.) and millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn) porridges combined with cowpea leaf powder (Vigna unguiculata L.Walp) (CLP) in Kayunga, Uganda. The study relies on combining sensory analysis with a binding Becker-DeGroot-Marschak auction to analyze consumer demand. Results show that consumer acceptance of CLP-enhanced porridges is predominantly shaped by sensory perception (p < 0.05). Although adding CLP lowers consumers’ sensory appreciation, the study still identifies a reasonably large group of consumers, nearly 50% of the participants, who valued CLP-enhanced porridges as much as plain ones. This justifies the conclusion that adding CLP is not without risks but is accepted among many consumers and can thus help to promote the consumption of locally available plants. For future product development, we recommend that priority is given to sensory attributes, and special focus is placed on consumers who barely incorporate fresh vegetables into their diets.   Key words: African leafy vegetables, Uganda, willingness to pay, sensory analysis, porridge.

Tasting experiences on local apple cultivars with blind and sighted consumers

Abstract Consumers increasingly address their attention to healthy fruits produced under organic agricultural managements. However, such produce may be less appealing in appearance influencing the purchase decisions of consumers. This research had the purpose to determine on three Italian local apple cultivars (Casciana, Rosa, Ruggine) the sensory appreciation of fruit through experiments conducted with blind (BC) and sighted (SC) consumers. The appreciation of apples differed between consumers with different visual ability. This aspect mainly concerned cvs Casciana and Rosa with contrasting fruit appearance traits. The BCs were inclined to better evaluate Casciana apples characterised by less attractive fruits. Conversely, the visual factor could have influenced the SCs’ judgment, as they appreciated Rosa more by the best outer traits of fruits. Intriguing responses were obtained when SCs were blindfolded.

Consumer evaluation of meat quality from barrows, immunocastrates and boars in six countries

The practice of surgical castration of piglets and its alternatives is still under debate. Production of boars may impair meat quality due to boar taint and reduced tenderness compared to meat from surgically castrated male pigs, while immunocastration reduces boar taint and may improve meat quality but seems to be less accepted by the pig chain. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the consumer’s sensory appreciation of meat from barrows (BAs), immunocastrates (ICs) and boars (BOs) in six European countries, taking into account the selection of tainted carcass and consumers’ appreciation of boar taint. Loin chops of 30 BAs, 30 ICs and 30 BOs were evaluated by 752 consumers in six countries: Belgium, Czech Republic, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Spain. Consumers rated odour, flavour, tenderness, juiciness, overall liking and willingness to buy and sensitivity to and liking of androstenone (AND) and liking of skatole (SKA) was also tested. In each of the six countries, consumers liked the odour of the BO samples less than that of BA, and IC intermediate. For flavour, tenderness, juiciness, overall liking and willingness to buy, liking scores given by the Czech, Polish and Portuguese consumers significantly differed between the BA, BO and IC. Willingness to buy was highest for BA by Czech and Polish consumers and for BA and IC by Portuguese consumers. The frequency of the negative check all terms that apply terms also differed, with a higher frequency of disgusting for BO compared to BA and IC and of off-flavour, irritating, manure, sweat, disappointing compared to BA, and intermediate for IC. 31% of the consumers disliked the odour of AND (NEGAND), and 36% of them were not sensitive; in contrast, 77% of the consumers disliked SKA (NEGSKA). The decrease in flavour liking score for BO compared to BA and IC was more outspoken by the NEGAND consumer, while NEGSKA consumers gave an overall lower liking score independent of the type of male pig. The results of this study indicate that IC can be a valid alternative for surgical castration.

Physico-chemical Properties and Sensorial Appreciation of a New Fermented Probiotic Beverage Enriched with Pea and Rice Proteins.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physico-chemical stability, the sensorial properties, and the microbial quality of a fermented beverage enriched with pea and rice proteins (PRF) during storage at 4°C. To investigate the effect of the protein enrichment and fermentation, the PRF beverage quality was compared with non-fermented and non-enriched beverages. The beverage was supplementedwitha50/50 mixture of pea and rice protein concentrateto 13% concentration. Following inoculation with 108 CFU/mL of lactic acid bacteria, it was incubated at 37°Cfor 14 h. Results showed that the enrichment with protein induced an increase in pH, titratable acidity and viscosity of the PR products, while the fermentation led to a decrease of pH and viscosity. However, a significant increase of the viscosity of PRF from 39 to 57 cP was observed during the 143days of storage (P ≤ 0.05). The PRF beverage contained significantly more peptides < 200Da than the non-fermented one (PRNF) and these small peptides were also released during the storage. Despite the physico-chemical modifications, the sensorial properties of the PRF product were appreciated over the storage, particularly for the texture. Furthermore, the beverage maintained a high concentration of viable probiotics during the entire storage with 8.4 log colony form unit (CFU)/mL after 143days. Applying probiotics and the mixture of rice and pea proteins in the fermented beverage can enhance nutritional and nutraceutical valueof the product.

Food Products with High Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities and Their Sensory Appreciation

(1) Background: The demand for healthy and nutritious food is growing worldwide. Fermented dairy products are highly valued by consumers for their health benefits. Kefir is a fermented dairy product that brings many benefits to the consumer due to its antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, antihypertensive and antimicrobial properties. Extracts from various plants in the form of volatile oils have a beneficial efct on consumer health. Following the research, their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities were demonstrated. (2) Methods: In the present study, the main purpose was to obtain a fermented dairy product with a high nutritional value; therefore, kefir, enriched with three types of volatile oils, namely, volatile mint oil, volatile fennel oil and volatile lavender oil, was made. The kefir samples obtained were sensory and texturally analyzed. The beneficial effect on health must also be studied in terms of the acceptability of these products by consumers from a sensory point of view. A non-numerical method based on several multi-personal approval criteria was used to interpret the results obtained in the sensory analysis. In the textural analysis, the consistency, cohesiveness and firmness of the kefir samples were analyzed. (3) Results: The samples enriched with volatile oils obtained superior results compared to the control sample in both conducted examinations. Kefir samples with volatile oils retained their sensory and textural characteristics for a longer time during storage. (4) Conclusions: The volatile oils added to kefir positively influenced the sensory and textural characteristics of the finished product.

Aproveitamento dos resíduos do tamarindo no vale do São Francisco: potencial alimentar e nutricional

ABSTRACT: This performed a technical application of tamarind residues (peel and seeds) in a habitually-consumed food product (cookie) and to verify its sensory and market acceptance. We initially proceeded by preparing the peel flour and roasted seeds by conventional drying. Then, the flours were physico-chemically characterized. Next, the products were prepared; cookies were prepared replacing wheat flour with peel flour (PF0, 15 and 30%), and a second kind of cookie was made by replacing wheat flour with roasted seed flour (SF0, 15 and 30%). Affective tests (hedonic scale, attitude and ordering) and purchase intention were subsequently evaluated to verify sensory acceptability. All cookies generated high energy value. The fiber content was higher in the incorporated formulations compared to the standards. The highest sensorial acceptance mediansfor the peel flour cookies were for the standard cookie and the cookiewith 15% peel flour, which were statistically equivalent. Conversely, the cookie with 30% peel flour had lower medians compared to the others. Other tests also revealed better scores for standard formulations and 15%peel flour. There was no difference in the medians by the hedonic tests, attitude and purchase intentionfor cookies prepared with roasted seeds, presenting scores indicating high sensory and market appreciation. It is concluded that it is possible to incorporate tamarind peel flour and roasted seeds in cookies and add nutritional value, especially at a concentration of 15%.

The impact of contextual information regarding the origin of food on consumers’ judgments

Explicit and implicit responses to food and beverage are known to be modulated by expectations generated by contextual factors. Among these, labelling regarding the country of origin has been systematically shown to impact on consumers' evaluations of products. However, it is not clear yet whether the presence of food origin biases also affects humans’ physiological (i.e., implicit) responses, as well as whether different conditions of sensory appreciation of products are equally influenced. The present preliminary study investigated the psychophysiological responses to food samples paired to labels of declared (i.e., Italy, Spain/Germany, EU) or undeclared origins. Food items (i.e., olives and cracker) were presented in visual or taste conditions to thirty Italian participants, whose behavioral (i.e., liking, willingness to buy, and estimated cost) and physiological (i.e., skin conductance responses) responses were collected. The results indicated that the food samples elicited stronger liking and willingness to buy responses by participants and were estimated as more expensive, when being firstly experienced through vision than taste. No differences in the physiological arousal state were found as a function of food origin or sensory condition of presentation.

Sensory Characteristics and Nutritional Quality of Food Products Made with a Biofortified and Lectin Free Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Flour.

Common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are an important source of nutrients with beneficial effects on human health. However, they contain lectins, that limit the direct use of flour in food preparations without thermal treatment, and phytic acid, that reduces mineral cation bioavailability. The objectives of this research were: to obtain biofortified snacks and a cream using an untreated common bean flour devoid of active lectins (lec−) and with reduced content of phytic acid (lpa) and to evaluate the sensorial appreciation for these products. The main results of the present work were: the products with the lpa lec− flour did not retain residual hemagglutinating activity due to lectins; they showed higher residual α-amylase inhibitor activity (from 2.2 to 135 times), reduced in vitro predicted glycemic index (about 5 units reduction) and increased iron bioavailability compared to the products with wild type flour; products with common bean flour were less appreciated than the reference ones without this flour, but the presence of an intense umami taste can be a positive attribute. Results confirmed that the use of the lpa lec− flour has important advantages in the preparation of safe and nutritionally improved products, and provide useful information to identify target consumers, such as children and elderly people.

Domestic Use Simulation and Secondary Shelf Life Assessment of Industrial Pesto alla genovese.

The secondary shelf life (SSL) is defined as the time after package opening during which the food product retains a required level of quality. The SSL, indicated in labels as “best if used within x days after opening”, could lead to domestic food waste if not correctly evaluated. In this context, the SSL of two brands of industrial shelf-stable pesto products (with an indicated SSL of 5 days) was studied through a domestic use simulation performed in five households under two scenarios simulating real opening and storage conditions. The quality of pesto after opening was assessed through microbiological and sensory analyses, determination of instrumental colour parameters, pH and volatiles profiling. For both pesto sauces tested, a SSL ≥ 20 days was proven. Irrespective of the intensity of use (scenarios 1 and 2), the pesto was microbiologically stable: the maximum count for total aerobic mesophilic bacteria (TMB) observed during 20 days of storage was 9.64 ± 1.7 × 102 CFU/g, starting from a commercially stable product. Colour parameters L* and ΔE did not change significantly during storage (p > 0.05), while the a* and BI values significantly changed (p < 0.05) during the first 5 days, and then stabilized during the rest of the household storage. Nevertheless, the slight colour modifications were not perceived by the sensory panel. Moreover, sensory assessors were not able to discern pesto samples stored for up to 20 days after first opening, from a just-opened reference sample, proving that the sensory appreciation of pesto was not influenced by the time after opening. The results of this study suggest the possibility to significantly extend or even omit the SSL indications for industrial pesto sauces. The objective assessment of SSL could have impressive practical outcomes both for the industry and the end user. The elongation of the SSL on the food label might increase food sustainability, thanks to the potential reduction of food wastes, thus giving added value to the commercial products. In addition, the end user could benefit the increase of the useful period for the food consumption after first opening, with significant domestic food waste reduction, reduced household stock turnover and consequent cost savings.

Purification of crude fiber from carob molasses pulp and uses in traditional Turkish sucuk

Carob molasses (pekmez) obtained from carob fruit contains many beneficial components for health. Although the molasses pulp that comes out as waste in the production of molasses contains a large amount of fiber, it is not evaluated. In this study; purification, drying and grinding of the crude carob fiber (CCF) from raw molasses pulp was carried out. The obtained CCF flour was added to the traditional Turkish sucuk (sausage) dough (which also contents meat, salt, garlic, sugar, species) and fermented sucuk was produced for 4 weeks. After fermentation, the effects of the addition of 5–20% CCF flour on chemicals (moisture, ash, protein and fat) and also textural (hardness, colour) and sensory properties (acceptability, taste, softness, appearance) of the fermented sucuk samples were investigated. The results showed that the addition of CCF flour up to 10% into the sucuk dough had no significant effect compared with control group on these properties. Therefore, a sucuk formulation can be developed which is a fibrous meat product with reduced fat for health and which has better sensory appreciation.