Vanilla Custard Research Articles

Acceptability of protein-fortified recipes in older adults in France

Public health policies recommend food fortification, namely adding ingredients of nutritional interest into commonly consumed foods, to help older adults with reduced appetite achieve sufficient protein intake. The aim of the present study was to assess the acceptability and sensory perception of protein-fortified recipes in older adults. Two variants – standard and protein-fortified – were developed for six food products covering various food matrices (savoury/sweet, hot/cold, liquid/solid): bolognese sauce, mashed potato and carrot soup; stuffed pepper, apple crumble and vanilla custard. Sixty-five and 56 participants tested respectively in a sensory laboratory. All participants were 70 years or older and lived at home (women: 58 %). Participants were asked to rate liking and food oral processing for each sample as well as to describe its sensory characteristics (free comments, CATA). They were not informed about the nature of the difference between the variants, namely protein fortification. It was observed that using protein extracts to fortify food products results in texture alteration, with a granular, sticky, and compact texture. If this effect is minimal compared to the standard variant, it does not significantly impact liking. However, when the effect is more pronounced and/or accompanied by changes in taste and appearance, it leads to a decrease in product liking. Thus, having a fortified product that closely matches the standard product in all sensory aspects (taste, texture, appearance) appears crucial for consumer acceptability. This work lay the groundwork for further enhancing the functionality of protein extracts and/or the sensory properties of fortified recipes in order to develop palatable protein-enriched foods.

Quantitative Estimation of Vanillin content in various brands of Vanilla Flavored Custard Powder by Conductometry

A facile and cost effective conductometric method for quantitative estimation of vanillin content in various locally available brands of vanilla custard powders was performed. Background of the study was conducted taking the base of varied consumption of flavored foods. Vanillin being the choice of flavored desserts in the local region of Telangana, few brands of custard powder were analyzed conductometrically. The milk proteins were removed by precipitation using Saturated copper sulphate and the vanillin content of the various vanilla flavoured custard powder was extracted by liquid-liquid extraction using methanol as solvent.Then the extracted analyte was titrated aganist 0.00105 M NaOH (Standardized).The observed conductance readings on Y-axis and volume of NaOH added on X-axis was taken and plotted a graph and end point determined graphically at 3.5mL,4mL and 3.5mL for product-1, product-2 and product-3.The amount of vanillin content in various locally available brands of vanilla flavoured custard powders was determined. And all the data obtained in this study was within the limits according to FDA. This method is well suited for routine lab analysis and easy to perform when compared to spectroscopic methods.

Substitution of milk allergen ingredient by blood plasma powder in custard with different sweeteners

AbstractAnimal blood is a by-product, which can be utilized in a value-adding way instead of being wasted. Allergen substitution is a good possibility especially for a substance that is difficult to substitute, such as milk. Blood plasma is a fluid with high protein content without blood (iron) taste and colour, so it is similar to milk in several ways. While investigating the substitution of milk, it is advisable to investigate the substitution of sugar as well because a lot of consumers who exclude milk from their diet find the glycaemic index and energy content of foods important. The investigated model food is a simple, homogeneous matrix: vanilla custard with milk and with and without sugar and vanilla custard with blood plasma and with and without sugar. Colour, pH and rheological attributes of custard sample groups were measured. According to the results the used protein source as well as sweetener significantly determine the colour, pH and texture of the final product. However, colour and pH are easy to change with other components (food colours, acidity regulators) and the effect of milk and sugar substitution on rheological attributes might not be possible to detect without instrumental analysis.

Identification of the bacteria and their metabolic activities associated with the microbial spoilage of custard cream desserts

The famous French dessert “ile flottante” consists of a sweet egg white foam floating on a vanilla custard cream, which contains highly nutritive raw materials, including milk, sugar and egg. Spoilage issues are therefore a key concern for the manufacturers. This study explored the bacterial diversity of 64 spoiled custard cream desserts manufactured by 2 French companies. B. cereus group bacteria, coagulase negative Staphylococcus, Enterococcus and Leuconostoc spp. were isolated from spoiled products. Thirty-one bacterial isolates representative of the main spoilage species were tested for their spoilage abilities. Significant growth and pH decrease were observed regardless of species. While off-odours were detected with B. cereus group and staphylococci, yoghurt odours were detected with Enterococcus spp. and Leuconostoc spp. B. cereus group bacteria produced various esters and several compounds derived from amino acid and sugar metabolism. Most Staphylococci produced phenolic compounds. Enterococcus spp. and Leuconostoc spp. isolates produced high levels of compounds derived from sugar metabolism. Each type of spoilage bacteria was associated with a specific volatile profile and lactic acid was identified as a potential marker of spoilage of custard cream-based desserts. These findings provide valuable information for manufacturers to improve food spoilage detection and prevention of chilled desserts made with milk and egg.

Elaboration and validation of the method for the quantification of the emetic toxin of Bacillus cereus as described in EN-ISO 18465 - Microbiology of the food chain – Quantitative determination of emetic toxin (cereulide) using LC-MS/MS

A method for the quantification of the Bacillus cereus emetic toxin (cereulide) was developed and validated. The method principle is based on LC-MS as this is the most sensitive and specific method for cereulide. Therefore the study design is different from the microbiological methods validated under this mandate. As the method had to be developed a two stage validation study approach was used. The first stage (pre-study) focussed on the method applicability and the experience of the laboratories with the method. Based on the outcome of the pre-study and comments received during voting at CEN and ISO level a final method was agreed to be used for the second stage the (final) validation of the method. In the final (validation) study samples of cooked rice (both artificially contaminated with cereulide or contaminated with B. cereus for production of cereulide in the rice) and 6 other food matrices (fried rice dish, cream pastry with chocolate, hotdog sausage, mini pancakes, vanilla custard and infant formula) were used. All these samples were spiked by the participating laboratories using standard solutions of cereulide supplied by the organising laboratory. The results of the study indicate that the method is fit for purpose. Repeatability values were obtained of 0.6 μg/kg at low level spike (ca. 5 μg/kg) and 7 to 9.6 μg/kg at high level spike (ca. 75 μg/kg). Reproducibility at low spike level ranged from 0.6 to 0.9 μg/kg and from 8.7 to 14.5 μg/kg at high spike level. Recovery from the spiked samples ranged between 96.5% for mini-pancakes to 99.3% for fries rice dish.

Food acceptability affects ghrelin and insulin levels in healthy male subjects. A pilot study

The obesity prevalence worldwide is reaching epidemic proportions, which makes the understanding of the mechanisms that regulate appetite of paramount importance. This study assessed whether the hedonic characteristics of a food item (high acceptability [HA] vs modified low acceptability [LA]) have a significant effect on postprandial ghrelin and insulin levels and appetite scores of isoenergetic meals in normal-weight men. We hypothesize that food acceptability would significantly impact appetite scores and affect the studied postprandial hormones. Eleven healthy men with normal body mass index (19-25 kg/m2) were recruited for a randomized, crossover design. Subjects were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 meals: vanilla custard with acesulfame-K (LA, excessively sweet) or without it (HA). One week later, subjects were crossed over to ingest the other meal. Blood samples were withdrawn before meal (time 0) and after 15, 30, 60, 120, 180, and 240 minutes and were analyzed for ghrelin, insulin, and glucose. Appetite scores were also recorded at the above time points, and acceptability was measured. Ghrelin levels were significantly higher (P<.05) for LA meal at 180 and 240 minutes than the HA meal. Insulin levels were significantly higher (P<.05) for HA meal at 15 and 30 minutes than the LA meal. Appetite scores varied from baseline levels for both meals but not between meals at different time points. The results suggest that the hedonic properties of a meal could affect food intake and appetite through stimulation or inhibition of appetite hormones, suggesting the need to assess the acceptability of foods in formulating weight-reducing diets.

Pie Love You, Cake Do Without You

Pie Love You, Cake Do Without You Marianne Gingher (bio) Click for larger view View full resolution Pie Love You, 2014, illustrated by the author. In the beginning, he acted like a man who hadn’t eaten a home-cooked meal in twenty years. His first wife had been too unhappy to cook and the second one, too angry. He couldn’t get over my cooking. He didn’t cook, but he’d sit in the kitchen and watch me frying up chicken livers or making Lowcountry crab cakes out of a Charleston cookbook or rolling out a pie crust, and his handsome face wore the balmiest, most satisfied look that I’d ever seen on a man. I’d grown up among southern cooks: my maternal grandmother was from Kentucky and my paternal grandmother from North Carolina. They knew their way around the southern [End Page 110] kitchen, and I have their recipes to prove it—though I never saw either of them consult a cookbook. My Kentucky grandmother, Elizabeth, made a twelve-egg angel food cake from scratch that was as tender as fluff and always accompanied by cups of boiled vanilla custard, served chilled, that you dipped slices of the cake into. Her mother, my great-grandmother Mary Yeager, had taught her to churn butter, and Granny had much respect for butter. You never spread anything but on your toast or the yeast-risen bran rolls she baked when you visited her. Granny was a superb pie maker. Her signature dessert was a fairytale concoction called Coronation Butterscotch Pie made with caramelized sugar and slathered with turrets of meringue. She loved to tell the story about that pie saving her marriage. Despite the culinary delights that came out of her kitchen, Granny was a slow and dreamy cook, forgetful, easily distracted, and disorganized. During the Depression, after she and my grandfather lost their house and lived in a rented cracker-box, he located a German girl who, for room and board, helped Granny cook and clean. But Granny never mastered the art of domestic proficiency. Hosting family reunions, my grandfather always employed a cook to help prepare our evening meal and tidy up afterwards. The one who became our patron saint was a soft-spoken, gently efficient African American woman named Maggie. She worked shoulder-to-shoulder with Granny, and at 4 p.m., when they began their dinner preparations, the kitchen was off-limits to us children. Because of Maggie, Granny stayed on task and we ate on time. Many years later, after a disabling stroke, my mother became slow in the kitchen, too, but she did not want to give up cooking. For inspiration, she hung a picture of Maggie above the stove and carried on. My North Carolina grandmother, Ruth, a jackrabbit in the kitchen, made cakes more than she baked pies. She served a killer skillet cornbread and deep-fried her own hush puppies. Both my grandmothers fried chicken up a storm. In the summer Grandmother Ruth stirred up the sweetest succotash I’ve ever eaten, a toss of garden fresh baby lima beans and Silver Queen corn, the kernels as tiny and white as baby teeth with lots of fresh black pepper and just the right amount of bacon fat. We sprinkled vinegar and sugar on our sliced German Johnson tomatoes, and she made a watermelon rind pickle so luminous and translucent green it could have come from the Emerald City of Oz. My mother loved to bake pies, and my first cooking lesson, when I was ten or so, was learning how to make a piecrust. The only pie I didn’t try to bake was the Coronation Butterscotch pie. Its history intimidated me, but Mother was a whiz at it. Only after she stopped cooking did I give it a go, much to my sons’ delight, and for all the trouble it is to make, it’s become a holiday staple. Today, I’m a big fan of The Moosewood Cookbook, Laurie Colwin’s Home Cooking, The Silver Palate, and the many recipes offered by Melissa Clark and Mark Bittman that I’ve clipped from the New York Times. But...

Boom In E-Cigarettes Sparks Debate

Inside a basement shop in Washington, D.C., on a bustling street filled with restaurants and nightclubs, a hazy cloud with the sweet scent of cotton candy and vanilla custard lingers in the air. Two men are sitting at a tasting bar smoking the latest flavors of “e-juice,” while the shop manager “vapes” on his electronic cigarette, or “box mod” device, behind the counter. The back wall is lined with hundreds of 10–15-mL eyedropper bottles, each with a colorful, eye-catching label announcing an enticing flavor. Melon head, razzletaz, serious kiwi, Swedish fish, gummy bear, taste the rainbow—the list goes on. The vials contain e-juice, a liquid concoction of varying amounts of nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerin, and food-grade flavorings. The juice is heated inside battery-operated, refillable devices that come in myriad sizes, colors, shapes, and styles. Nicotine in the e-juice, as well as any flavors, is aerosolized and inhaled by the user. ...

Quantitative and Qualitative Variation of Fat in Model Vanilla Custard Desserts: Effects on Sensory Properties and Consumer Acceptance

The effects of variation in fat content (0.1% to 15.8%) and type of fat, using different types of milk, dairy cream, or vegetable fat cream, on sensory characteristics and consumer acceptance of starch-based vanilla model custards were studied. Descriptive analysis with trained panelists and consumer testing with untrained assessors were applied. Descriptive data were related to hedonic data using principal component analysis to determine drivers of liking and disliking. Results demonstrated an increasing effect of fat concerning visual and oral thickness, creamy flavor, and fat-related texture properties, as well as a decreasing effect concerning yellow color and surface shine. A lack of fat caused moderate intensities in pudding-like flavor attributes and an intensive jelly texture. Adding a vegetable fat cream led to lower intensities in attributes yellow color, cooked flavor, thick, and jelly texture, whereas intensities in vegetable fat flavor and fat-related texture properties increased. All consumers favored custards with medium fat contents, being high in pudding-like and vegetable fat flavor as well as in fat-related texture attributes. Nonfat custards were rejected due to jelly texture and moderate intensities in pudding-flavor attributes. High-fat samples were liked by some consumers, but their high intensities in thickness, white color, and creamy flavor also drove disliking for others.

Food aroma affects bite size

Abstract Background To evaluate the effect of food aroma on bite size, a semisolid vanilla custard dessert was delivered repeatedly into the mouth of test subjects using a pump while various concentrations of cream aroma were presented retronasally to the nose. Termination of the pump, which determined bite size, was controlled by the subject via a push button. Over 30 trials with 10 subjects, the custard was presented randomly either without an aroma, or with aromas presented below or near the detection threshold. Results Results for ten subjects (four females and six males), aged between 26 and 50 years, indicated that aroma intensity affected the size of the corresponding bite as well as that of subsequent bites. Higher aroma intensities resulted in significantly smaller sizes. Conclusions These results suggest that bite size control during eating is a highly dynamic process affected by the sensations experienced during the current and previous bites.

Impact of proprioception and tactile sensations in the mouth on the perceived thickness of semi-solid foods

Although sensory tests are already a common tool in the food industry and research, the way in which humans perceive the mouthfeel of liquid and semi-solid foods is still far from being completely understood. In contrast to mouthfeel, most olfactory and gustatory sensations are attributed to specialized sensor types which stimulate the sensory cells directly. This might be the reason why their sensation can often be modeled by unidimensional relations. Sensory attributes such as “consistency” and especially “creaminess” are, however, multidimensional in nature, which might be ascribed to the fact that more than one sensory system is included in the process of thickness evaluation. This study investigated the impact of two sensory systems on the perception of thickness of semi-solid foods, namely proprioception of the tongue and the tactile senses. The anesthetic lidocaine was used to inhibit the tactile mechanoreceptors, leaving the proprioception unaltered. Therefore, the separate effects of these two systems on the thickness could be observed, using vanilla custard as a model food. This study suggests that the mechanosensors are almost exclusively responsible for the sensation of mouthfeel and proprioception plays a negligible role.

Listeria monocytogenes Attachment to and Detachment from Stainless Steel Surfaces in a Simulated Dairy Processing Environment

The presence of pathogens in dairy products is often associated with contamination via bacteria attached to food-processing equipment, especially from areas where cleaning/sanitation is difficult. In this study, the attachment of Listeria monocytogenes on stainless steel (SS), followed by detachment and growth in foods, was evaluated under conditions simulating a dairy processing environment. Initially, SS coupons were immersed in milk, vanilla custard, and yogurt inoculated with the pathogen (10(7) CFU/ml or CFU/g) and incubated at two temperatures (5 and 20 degrees C) for 7 days. By the end of incubation, cells were mechanically detached from coupons and used to inoculate freshly pasteurized milk which was subsequently stored at 5 degrees C for 20 days. The suspended cells in all three products in which SS coupons were immersed were also used to inoculate freshly pasteurized milk (5 degrees C for 20 days). When SS coupons were immersed in milk, shorter lag phases were obtained for detached than for planktonically grown cells, regardless of the preincubation temperature (5 or 20 degrees C). The opposite was observed when custard incubated at 20 degrees C was used to prepare the two types of inocula. However, in this case, a significant increase in growth rate was also evident when the inoculum was derived from detached cells. In another parallel study, while L. monocytogenes was not detectable on SS coupons after 7 days of incubation (at 5 degrees C) in inoculated yogurt, marked detachment and growth were observed when these coupons were subsequently transferred and incubated at 5 degrees C in fresh milk or/and custard. Overall, the results obtained extend our knowledge on the risk related to contamination of dairy products with detached L. monocytogenes cells.

Vibromyography of oral processing varies with type of semi-solid food and with sensory judgements

Vibromyography was used to quantify oral activity during the processing of well-characterized semi-solid model foods whilst subjects assessed the intensity of the sensory attributes to thick, creamy, melting, fatty, rough and liking. A series of eleven starch-based vanilla custard desserts was prepared with five different viscosities, three different fat levels, and three different particle sizes. Over 5 sessions, subjects ( N = 10) took 5 ml spoonfuls of each of the stimuli for 5 s before they rated the strength of the various attributes. The results demonstrated that oral movements varied significantly with the type of semi-solid food and with the type of attribute. Individual subjects displayed a highly idiosyncratic behaviour. Oral movements were significantly related to sensory ratings of liking, creaminess and roughness.

Modelling oral conditions and thickness perception of a starch product

Food components stimulate salivation, and the flow and composition of the saliva also affect the perception of the food product. In starch-containing foods, salivary α-amylase breaks down the starch and this may cause thinning in semi-solid foods. The aims were to determine the importance of salivary composition to perceived thickness. Vanilla custard was assessed for taste intensity, creaminess and thickness. To extend the range of saliva composition and flow, an α-amylase inhibitor was added to the samples at different concentrations and the pH of the samples was lowered by adding citric acid. From each collected spat-out bolus, temperature, pH, dilution factor and α-amylase activity were measured. Addition of amylase inhibitor reduced saliva α-amylase activity and increased perceived thickness and creaminess. Acidification increased mechanical thickness prior to testing and perceived thickness but did not reduce the in situ α-amylase activity because the saliva stimulated by acidified custards was also more concentrated in α-amylase. Alpha-amylase activity varied widely among subjects and so decreasing oral α-amylase activity would not guarantee an increase in perceived thickness and creaminess of starch-based foods.

EFFECTS OF BITE SIZE ON THE SENSORY PROPERTIES OF VANILLA CUSTARD DESSERTS

ABSTRACT A trained panel of 19 subjects were asked to rate a number of sensory attributes of commercially available vanilla custard desserts. Stimuli were placed in plastic cups and were sampled using 11‐mm‐diameter straws. In total, 304 samples were weighed before and after sampling and the volume ingested was calculated. The subjects were categorized into two groups on the basis of the mean volume ingested per sample (&lt; and &gt;10.6 mL). There were significant differences in the ratings between the two groups for temperature, creamy, astringent, melting and airy mouthfeels and rough and fatty after‐feel. We suggest that in sensory testing, it is important to either control or measure bite size to reduce intersubject variability. Manufacturers and caterers may also be able to modify the perception of their products by providing cues to the appropriate bite size by controlling the size of the spoon or container provided.

PROP sensitivity reflects sensory discrimination between custard desserts

Sensitivity to 6- n-propylthiouracil (PROP) for a group of 180 naïve consumers was related to their perception of 16 commercially available vanilla custard desserts. Rated intensities of taste and texture attributes varied moderately and inconsistently with PROP sensitivity. In contrast, discriminative ability increased with PROP sensitivity resulting in higher numbers of significant differences between pairs of custards. In terms of signal/noise theory, the results indicate that PROP sensitivity enhances the separation of the response signals but does not reduce their noise. The naïve consumers were also compared with highly trained panelists to test whether effects of PROP sensitivity resemble the effects of experience and training. Naïve consumers and trained panelists responded similarly with respect to taste and texture sensations such as creaminess and thickness, but were clearly different with respect to others such as heterogeneity and fattiness. Trained panelists demonstrated even stronger discriminative abilities than consumers with high PROP sensitivities for some attributes but weaker abilities for others. A practical implication of these findings is that selection criteria for participation in sensory panels should include PROP sensitivity, if the panel is aimed at maximum discriminative performance.

Sensory correlation of glucose levels in a starch-based semi-solid model system before and after α-amylase breakdown

In this study a diabetic glucose monitor was used to measure the glucose content of 40 model vanilla custard desserts, these were compared with sensory ratings from a trained quantitative descriptive analysis panel. Stimuli varied in starch type, concentration and homogenisation but had identical sugar, flavour and fat contents. Despite this, mean sensory ratings of sweetness varied from 21 to 43 on a 100-point scale. Glucose levels in the stimuli were measured, in vitro, before and after the addition of 0.1% whole human saliva to the product. In all cases glucose concentration increased after the addition of saliva as starch was converted to glucose. There were highly significant correlations of some odour, flavour, mouth feel and after-feel attributes with glucose concentration. The correlation of sweet flavour with glucose concentration was higher in unmodified stimuli than in stimuli with added saliva, suggesting that sweetness is perceived soon after ingestion. Additional glucose produced through starch breakdown appeared to have a relatively small impact on the sensory scores of the stimuli.

Fatty versus creamy sensations for custard desserts, white sauces, and mayonnaises

Perceived fattiness and creaminess plus other texture and flavor attributes were assessed for a group of vanilla custard desserts, white sauces, and mayonnaises that differed widely in ingredients, fat content (0–72%), and consumption temperatures. In addition, the foods were measured instrumentally with regard to their lubricative properties, infra-red reflectance and turbidity of rinse water. Despite the variety in foods, fat content showed strong correlations with the instrumental measures, and perceived fattiness, and weaker but still significant correlations with creamy mouth and after-feel. Friction and infra-red reflectance demonstrated that properties of the surface of the oral food bolus are important for fat-related attributes via mechanisms such as lubrication. Turbidity of rinse water suggested that properties of the bulk of the food bolus are important as well. Creamy after-feel related less well to instrumental measures, fat content and other sensory attributes suggesting that the creaminess of oral coatings is not only affected by fat but also by other unknown properties.

Perceived creaminess of semi-solid foods

Results of sensory, physiological and physico-chemical studies from our laboratory on perceived creaminess of semi-solids foods are reviewed. Most results stem from studies using model vanilla custard desserts, allowing systematic variation of fat, flavor and thickener properties. The generalizability of the custard results was verified for yogurts, mayonnaises, white sauces and other semi-solid foods. Creaminess sensations could be decomposed into sensations reflecting either properties of the bulk or of the surface of the oral food bolus. Bulk properties related to the rheological properties of the bolus whereas surface properties related to lubrication and flavor release. Creaminess was inversely related to enzymatic and mechanical induced break-down during oral processing. Starch thickeners generally enhanced creaminess although they suffered from enzymatic break-down compared to non-starch thickeners. It is suggested that the negative effects of break-down were off-set by positive effects of fat migrating to the surface of the bolus. The surfaced fat enhances lubrication and the release of fat-soluble flavors enhance creaminess, especially in low fat starch-based semi-solids. Bulk-related properties were measured by rheological measurements, surface-related properties were measured by friction, and mechanical- and enzymatic break-down properties were measured with a modified rheometer.

Variation in retinol and carotenoid content of milk and milk products in The Netherlands

Retinol and carotenoids were measured in Dutch milk and dairy products using a validated approach based on complete extraction of fat, followed by mild saponification and analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography. Raw milk, full fat milk, semi-skimmed milk and butter contain about 10 μg retinol and 6 g carotenoids per g fat. Values for retinol equivalents in milk are 10–20% higher than the values published in the Dutch food composition table. β-Carotene comprises 90% of total carotenoids present in cow's milk, contrary to values published for human milk, which show more equally distributed carotenoids. Winter milk contains 20% less retinol and β-carotene compared to summer milk. Retention of retinol and β-carotene per g fat in hard cheese is one third to one half relative to the corresponding raw milk. In liquid and semi-liquid dairy products (pasteurized milk, buttermilk, vanilla custard, and yoghurt) retention of both compounds is above 80%. Recovery of carotenoids using the validated method is better than that reported by others previously.