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Recent studies investigate the possibility of including alternative protein sources in broiler chicken diets, e.g., insect and algae. Given the important relationship between feed and sensory quality of the meat, it is crucial to assess consumer perception and preferences. To this aim, five chicken breast samples – i) one control ii) two from chickens fed diets containing 9 % and 18 % of Hermetia illucens larvae meal and iii) two from chickens fed diets including 3 % and 6 % of dehydrated microalgae meal (Arthrospira spp.) in partial replacement for soybean meal - were tested by 84 subjects. Each sample was portioned, individually packaged under vacuum and sous-vide cooked. Subjects were asked to provide hedonic (9-point hedonic scale) and Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) responses and to indicate the perceived intensities of four selected attributes. Instrumental analyses were carried out by means of image and texture analysis. No statistically significant differences were registered regarding flavor and texture, while breasts from chickens fed with microalgae meal had the highest visual liking. Cochran's tests, conducted on CATA results, revealed that six attributes were significant (p ≤ 0.05). By Penalty Analysis, pink color and juiciness were found to be drivers of liking, while grey, white, dry and pale had a negative impact.

ABSTRACT: The sensory characteristics of poultry products are crucial in defining their quality and widely influence consumer choices. Even though the scientific literature clearly indicates that for muscle foods the sensory profile is relevant in purchase decisions and overall acceptability, sensory evaluation has often been underestimated and considered complementary to instrumental and/or chemical assessments. Sensory analysis includes different types of validated tests (discriminative, descriptive, and affective), applied depending on the purpose of the research study, requiring special attention in the sample preparation phase, in particular for nonhomogeneous products such as poultry meat, requiring reproducible cutting, cooking and presentation to the tasters. The aim of this paper is to review, critically assess and discuss sensory methods, standardized procedures and sample preparation tailored for chicken meat, through the literature from 2000 to 2023, with a section dedicated to ethical aspects that must be carefully considered when designing a sensory protocol. The target readers are both the research and the business communities, as the information can be widely applied for quality control, to develop new food products, to understand or drive preferences or, for example, to assess potential sensory differences among chickens fed with different diets. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this review represents a useful first guide for those approaching the sensory analysis of chicken meat.

Consumers are increasingly attracted to innovative, gourmand, and sustainable food products. This has led to a growing interest in flavored olive oils through co-milling processing. This study explores the production and characterization of flavored olive oils obtained by co-milling olives with orange pomace, black pepper, and hemp seeds, aiming to enhance their sensory and compositional properties while promoting sustainability through the valorization of agri-food by-products. The flavored olive oils and their control samples were analyzed for free acidity, tocopherols, phenolic compounds, volatiles, and sensory profiles. The flavored oils exhibited an acceptable hydrolytic state and peculiar sensory notes, depending on the ingredients used, as well as enhanced compositional qualities. This research highlights the potential of using oranges and hemp by-products in flavored oil production, offering an innovative approach to reducing food waste, with the possibility of future industrial applications.

Food evaluation is a topic central to consumer research and food marketing. However, there is little consensus regarding how consumers combine sensory stimuli, product information, and visual impressions to shape their evaluation. Moreover, the bulk of research relies on studies based on questionnaires and declarative responses, raising questions about subliminal processes and their hierarchy in an evaluation process. To address this gap in the literature, we conducted a study with more than 400 participants in Morocco and Tunisia and investigated how factors such as flavor/taste, product information, and packaging design in a variety of olive oils influence visual attention and are reflected in willingness to pay (WTP). We implemented incentivization through an auction to reduce the hypothetical bias in stated WTP values. The results revealed that, compared to tasting the oils, the provision of cognitive information led to an increase in consumers’ WTP. However, a drastic increase in WTP occurred when the consumers were exposed to package designs, overshadowing the formerly dominant effects of product attributes. These findings support theories suggesting a visual perceptual processing advantage due to the picture superiority effect–a picture says a thousand words. Further, it underlines the importance of graphic design in food marketing. The findings have ramifications for food marketing, product development, and pricing strategies.

This study aimed to investigate consumer sensory profiles and liking of Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese produced with milk from cows reared indoors and fed with different forage sources, i.e., dry hay and fresh forage. Two cheese samples were tested by 119 Italian subjects, following a protocol that included a Check-All-That-Apply method to assess the sensory profile, a Just-About-Right scale to evaluate the adequacy of attributes, and questions on liking (9-point hedonic scale). A questionnaire related to personal information and consumption habits was also submitted. The color of the two samples, based on image analysis, was different: the sample produced with milk from the dairy cows fed fresh forage had a higher intensity of yellow than the other; they were also described differently (p ≤ 0.05) by participants in the consumer test. Indeed, Parmigiano Reggiano produced with milk from the cows that were fed dry hay was mainly characterized by a “fresh milk” and “solubility”, while the sample produced with milk from cows fed fresh forage was described as “yellow”, “seasoned”, “pungent”, and with a “cheese crust” flavor. Even if no significant differences were observed between the two samples in terms of liking (p ≤ 0.05), the attribute “graininess” showed a great impact on liking ratings together with “yellow” (p ≤ 0.05), apparently corresponding to a specific expectation regarding the intensity of these attributes. Data were also analyzed according to the gender of consumers, highlighting that for women, the adequacy of “fresh milk”, “sweet”, and “graininess” greatly impacted liking for the cheese from cows fed dry hay.

The possibility of enriching the oil produced from Leccino cultivar olive fruits with phenolic and volatile compounds by adding olive leaves (2.5%) during industrial-scale production were investigated. Furthermore, the influence of the addition of leaves on the oil quality, composition, and oxidative stability during storage for 6 and 12 months was studied. A slight negative impact on the oil quality after processing with leaves was determined. The addition of leaves had no influence on the total saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids in oils, while it influenced increases in total phenolic compounds (+29.55%), total secoiridoids (+29.43%), chlorophylls (+47.59%), and the oil stability index (+18.70%), and their higher values were also determined in the stored oils. The addition of leaves increased C5 volatiles (+10.50%) but decreased C6 volatiles (−10.48%). The intensity of most of the positive sensory characteristics increased in fresh oils obtained with leaves, and the established improvements were also maintained in the stored oils. The extractability of olive paste was positively affected by the addition of olive leaves, which increased the oil yield (+27.17%). The obtained results significantly contribute to the knowledge about the possibilities of enriching olive oils with bioactive compounds.

Two turmeric food powders (C1 and C2) were studied for curcuminoid content and their effects on the guinea pig intestinal tract in vitro. C1 contained a higher curcuminoid content than C2 (5.22% vs 2.31%). C1 and C2 increased gallbladder (∼10%) and biliary smooth muscle tone (∼15%), without affecting the sphincter of Oddi smooth muscle contractility. C2 was more effective than C1 in lowering ileum tone (–22% vs −37%), whereas the reverse occurred in the colon (-50% vs −20%). Standard Fast Fourier transforms and absolute powers analysis of the frequency bands highlighted that, in the bile duct, C2 induced contractions of higher variability and ampler oscillations of low-frequency waves. At the Oddi sphincter, C1 had a biphasic effect, increasing and then drastically decreasing the oscillations. The same occurred with C2 in the ileum, while both samples reduced the fluctuations in the colon.

This study aimed to formulate a Gouda-type cheese from cow’s milk, flavored with lavender flower powder (0.5 g/L matured milk), ripened for 30 days at 14 °C and 85% relative humidity. Physicochemical, microbiological, and textural characteristics, as well as the volatile composition of the control (CC—cheese without lavender) and lavender cheese (LC), were assessed at 10-day intervals of ripening. Consumers’ perception, acceptance, and purchase intention were only evaluated for ripened cheeses. Moisture and carbohydrate contents, the pH, cohesiveness, indexes of springiness and chewiness decreased during ripening in both CC and LC; however, protein, ash, and sodium chloride contents, titratable acidity, hardness, lactobacilli, streptococci, and volatiles increased. Fat and fat in dry matter contents, respectively, the energy value did not vary with ripening time in LC and increased in CC; gumminess decreased in CC and did not change in LC. Lavender flower powder significantly affected the cheese’s microbiological and sensory characteristics and volatile composition but did not considerably impact physicochemical and textural ones. Populations of lactobacilli and streptococci were substantially higher in LC compared to CC. The volatile profile of LC was dominated by terpene and terpenoids, and that of CC by haloalkanes. Sensory scores were slightly lower for LC than CC, even if it did not considerably affect consumers’ acceptance and purchase intention.

Cold-pressed hemp seed oil (CP-HSO) has become available on the market and is gaining popularity mainly for its appeal and nutritional profile. The sensory quality largely depends on seed quality and processing as well as oil storage conditions. Given the “native” nature of the product, obtained by cold-pressing, the development of a standardized methodology to evaluate and describe the sensory quality of HSOs is of the utmost importance. To this aim, 16 commercial HSOs were evaluated, covering the main differences in brands and sales channels. A trained panel developed a vocabulary to describe the HSO profile consisting of 44 attributes, and a practical sensory wheel was proposed to classify attributes in different clusters and according to sensory modality. A sensory profile sheet was developed including two color descriptors (yellow, green), seven main positive (sunflower/pumpkin seeds, nutty, toasted nutty, hay, sweet, bitter, and pungent), several secondary positive (herbs, coffee, tobacco, etc.), four main defects (rancid, paint, burnt, and fish), and other secondary negative descriptors (boiled vegetables, cucumber, etc.). Subsequently, specific training of the panelists was carried out, and a satisfactory performance level was reached. This study represents the first attempt to standardize the sensory quality and terminology of HSO.

Typical salami produced from Mora Romagnola (MR), an autochthonous pig breed extensively farmed within a geographically confined Italian area, are food products of commercial interest. This investigation aimed to highlight elements for the recognition and authentication of such typical salami. Five MR salami were analyzed using a sensory and instrumental approach, and the results were compared with those from eight salami made from a conventional pig breed. The sensory profiles were defined through attributes such as seasoning, pepper, garlic, fermented etc.; no differences in the products ascribable to the pig breed were highlighted. By analyzing volatile compounds, 33 molecules were detected; significant differences were found among samples, probably related to processing methods. Color differences between MR and conventional salami were identified by an electronic eye. According to instrumental texture analysis, large variability among the MR samples was detected, probably related to different types of salami (recipe, casing, size, ripening). Correlations were found among the sensory results, volatile compounds, and textural properties of the samples. Most differences do not appear to be specifically related to MR breed; only red color intensity evaluated by an electronic eye showed a correlation with breed, i.e., MR salami. This study highlights the large variability among the salami analyzed.

The interest in hemp seed oil has recently increased, due to the latest regulations which allow its use as food. Hemp seed oil is characterized by a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are highly prone to oxidation. Accelerated thermal oxidation (60 °C, 18 days) has been applied to nine types of cold-pressed hemp seed oils to monitor the evolution of the samples during oxidative deterioration. The results showed that the only determinations of primary (peroxide value) and secondary (TBARs) oxidation products did not allow a sufficient or correct evaluation of the oxidative changes of hemp seed oils during storage. In fact, samples at the end of the test were primarily characterized by a high presence of oxidation volatile compounds and a significant decrease of antioxidants. Several volatiles identified before the accelerated storage, such as the predominant α-pinene and β-pinene, gradually decreased during the accelerated storage period. On the other hand, aldehydes (hexanal, (E)-2-hexenal, heptanal, (E,E)-2,4-hexadienal, (E)-2-heptenal, (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal, (E,Z)-2,4-heptadienal, 2-octenal, nonanal, nonenal, 2,4-nonadienal, (E,E)- 2,4-decadienal and 2,4-decadienal), ketones (1-octen-3-one, 3-octen-2-one, (E,E)-3,5-octadien-2- one and 3,5-octadien-2-one), acids (propionic acid, pentanoic acid, hexanoic acid and heptanoic acid) and 2-pentyl-furan increased during the accelerated storage, as principal markers of oxidation.

The extraction of molecules with high added value plays an important role in the recovery of food waste. This work aimed to valorize tomato pomace, a by-product composed of skin and seeds, through extraction of carotenoids, especially lycopene and β-carotene. The tomato pomace was dried using three different methods (freeze-drying, heat drying, and non-thermal air-drying) to reduce its weight, volume, and water activity and to concentrate the carotenoid fraction. These drying approaches were compared considering the extractive potential. Three solvent mixtures were compared, a traditional one (n-hexane:acetone) and two green deep eutectic solvent mixtures (ethyl acetate:ethyl lactate and menthol:lactic acid) in combination with different drying procedures. The extract obtained using ethyl acetate:ethyl lactate with non-thermal air-drying showed the highest contents of lycopene and β-carotene (75.86 and 3950.08 µg/g of dried sample, respectively) compared with the other procedures.

The content of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) is one of the quality parameters to define if an olive oil can be classified as extra virgin as these compounds are considered markers for virgin olive oils obtained from poor-quality olives. In addition, FAEEs can also be indirect markers to detect soft deodorization treatment. In this study, an off-line HPLC-GC-FID method for determination of FAEEs is presented, revising the preparative step and the GC injector required by the official method (EU Reg. 61/2011). After optimization, the method was validated in-house by analyzing several parameters (linearity, limit of detection LOD, limit of quantification LOQ, robustness, recovery, precision, and accuracy) to determine its effectiveness. Linearity was measured in the 2.5–50 mg/L range; furthermore, intra-day and inter-day precision values were lower than 15%, while the LOD and LOQ were lower than 1 and 1.5 mg/kg, respectively, for all compounds considered. The main advantages of this revised protocol are: (i) significant reduction in time and solvents needed for each analytical determination; (ii) application of HPLC as an alternative to traditional LC, carried with manually packed glass columns, thus simplifying the separation step.

This study evaluates the antioxidant activity of cannabidiol (CBD), added to model systems of refined olive (ROO) and sunflower (SO) oils, by measuring the peroxide value, oxidative stability index (OSI), electron spin resonance (ESR) forced oxidation, and DPPH• assays. Free acidity, a parameter of hydrolytic rancidity, was also examined. CBD was compared using the same analytical scheme with α-tocopherol. CBD, compared to α-tocopherol, showed a higher scavenging capacity, measured by DPPH• assay, but not better oxidative stability (OSI) of the oily systems considered. In particular, α-tocopherol (0.5%) showed an antioxidant activity only in SO, registered by an increase of more than 30% of the OSI (from 4.15 ± 0.07 to 6.28 ± 0.11 h). By ESR-forced oxidation assay, the concentration of free radicals (μM) in ROO decreased from 83.33 ± 4.56 to 11.23 ± 0.28 and in SO from 19.21 ± 1.39 to 6.90 ± 0.53 by adding 0.5% α-tocopherol. On the contrary, the addition of 0.5% CBD caused a worsening of the oxidative stability of ROO (from 23.58 ± 0.32 to 17.28 ± 0.18 h) and SO (from 4.93 ± 0.04 to 3.98 ± 0.04 h). Furthermore, 0.5% of CBD did not lower dramatically the concentration of free radicals (μM) as for α-tocopherol, which passed from 76.94 ± 9.04 to 72.25 ± 4.13 in ROO and from 17.91 ± 0.95 to 16.84 ± 0.25 in SO.

Cannabis has regained much attention as a result of updated legislation authorizing many different uses and can be classified on the basis of the content of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a psychotropic substance for which there are legal limitations in many countries. For this purpose, accurate qualitative and quantitative determination is essential. The relationship between THC and cannabidiol (CBD) is also significant as the latter substance is endowed with many specific and non-psychoactive proprieties. For these reasons, it becomes increasingly important and urgent to utilize fast, easy, validated, and harmonized procedures for determination of cannabinoids. The procedure described herein allows rapid determination of 10 cannabinoids from the inflorescences of Cannabis sativa L. by extraction with organic solvents. Separation and subsequent detection are by RP-HPLC-UV. Quantification is performed by an external standard method through the construction of calibration curves using pure standard chromatographic reference compounds. The main cannabinoids dosed (g/100 g) in actual samples were cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), CBD, and Δ9-THC (Sample L11 CBDA 0.88 ± 0.04, CBD 0.48 ± 0.02, Δ9-THC 0.06 ± 0.00; Sample L5 CBDA 0.93 ± 0.06, CBD 0.45 ± 0.03, Δ9-THC 0.06 ± 0.00). The present validated RP-HPLC-UV method allows determination of the main cannabinoids in Cannabis sativa L. inflorescences and appropriate legal classification as hemp or drug-type.