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Flexible dosing and ease of swallowing are key factors when designing oral drug delivery systems for paediatric and geriatric populations. Multi-particulate oral dosage forms can offer significant benefits over conventional capsules and tablets. This study proposes the use of an in vitro model to quantitatively investigate the swallowing dynamics in presence of multi-particulates. In vitro results were compared against sensory tests that considered the attributes of ease of swallowing and post-swallow residues. Water and hydrocolloids were considered as suspending vehicles, while the suspended phase consisted of cellulose pellets of two different average sizes. Both in vivo and in vitro tests reported easier swallow for smaller multi-particulates. Besides, water thin liquids appeared not optimal for complete oral clearance of the solids. The sensory study did not highlight significant differences between the levels of thickness of the hydrocolloids. Conversely, more discriminant results were obtained from in vitro tests, suggesting that a minimum critical viscosity is necessary to enable a smooth swallow, but increasing too much the carrier concentration affects swallowing negatively. These results highlight the important interplay of particle size and suspending vehicle rheology and the meaningful contribution that in vitro methods can provide to pre-screening multi-particulate oral drug delivery systems before sensory evaluation.

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a side effect of diabetes that affects ~4% of the world population. Such a high prevalence mandates appropriate models for studying potential treatments for DPN. This study used a streptozotocin (STZ) induced DPN model in Wistar rats in conjunction with a precise insulin treatment to create a realistic environment for the development and testing of DPN. Four sensory tests: Von Frey force, Von Frey time, Hargreaves method, and digit spread were used to measure neuropathy. Neuropathy was effectively measured with the Hargreaves method, the Von Frey force, and Von Frey time (p < 0.05). Digit spread produced insignificant results. The study described herein is a realistic model for accurately testing DPN in rats treated with insulin. STZinduced diabetic rats may be used to successfully model the progression of diabetic neuropathy in individuals treating their condition with insulin. Three methods traditionally only used in studies mimicking the symptoms of neuropathy were also effective in measuring neuropathy resulting from diabetes.

Sweet aftertaste (Huigan) is a sensation perceived after drinking tea, and lasts in the mouth and throat, leading to salivation for an extended period of time. The study aimed to reveal the underpinning mechanisms of Huigan and the its influencing factors. Tribology approach was applied to this study in conjunction with sensory analysis and other physiology assessments. Tea compounds of commercial interest were selected for the study. Preliminary sensory tests of 24 subjects were carried out to evaluate the Huigan intensity of these tea compounds. Based on these tests, 12 subjects were selected and divided into two groups, each with 6 subjects: sensitive subjects and non-sensitive subjects. In vitro tribology measurements were made for samples prepared either prepared as 1:1 mixtures of tea compound solution and human whole saliva or expectorated tea compound solutions along with the saliva which were collected from the subjects after oral processing. The Huigan intensity perceived by the sensitive group was found to be highly correlated with the friction coefficient measured, especially at the sliding speeds lower than 0.5 mm/s.

Background Double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC) is considered the gold standard for food allergy diagnosis. However, this test is rarely performed routinely in clinical practice because of various practical issues, e.g. the lack of a standardized matrix preparation. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a convenient DBPCFC matrix, that can easily be implemented in daily clinical practice. The focus of this study was the blinding of hazelnuts, whereby the hazelnuts retained as much as possible their allergenicity and could be mixed homogenously in low-doses to the matrices. Methods A basophil-activation test (BAT), microbial tests and an LC-MS/MS test were performed to assess respectively the allergenicity of the used hazelnuts, the microbial stability of the novel developed matrices and the homogeneity of the hazelnuts in the matrices. A sensory test was conducted to validate the blinding of the hazelnuts in the matrices. A pilot DBPCFC study included eight patients as proof of concept. Results The BAT-test gave the first insights concerning the retained allergenicity of the hazelnuts. The microbial safety could be assured after 12 months of storage. Sufficient masking was assessed by several sensory tests. Homogeneous hazelnut distribution could be achieved for the different hazelnut concentrations. The DBPCFC’s results showed diverse allergic responders (from no reactions to distinct objective symptoms). Conclusion A novel stable and validated DBPCFC matrix using raw hazelnuts has been developed that allows easy preparation in a standardized way for convenient use in daily clinical practice. Trial registration EC Project number: EC/2015/0852; Date of registration: 13 Oct 2015; End date: 01 Feb 2017 Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13601-017-0181-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

ABSCTRACT This work aimed to obtain a vegetable burger from the cashew juice production residue (fiber) and cowpea that are two abundant materials in Northeast Brazil. Fiber was washed and pressed in an expeller for five times. Cowpea was soaked in water and, after skin removal, ground to obtain a paste. Hamburgers were made by mixing the cashew fiber, the cowpea paste, and the ingredients used in traditional burger recipes, then shaped and frozen. Four sensory tests were performed to define: (1) the need of cooking the cowpea paste with the other ingredients; (2) the fiber/paste proportion; (3) ingredients to enhance the sensory characteristics; (4) burger acceptance. The resultant formulation had 29.3% of cashew fiber, 29.3% of cowpea paste, 25.1% of tomato, 6.8% of onion, 5.3% of sweet pepper, 1.3% of garlic, 0.1% of black pepper, 0.2% of dehydrated parsley, 1.2% of salt and 1.4% of corn oil. The sensory acceptance was 7.8 in a 9-point hedonic scale. Proximate composition was 71.08% moisture, 2.07% ashes, 4.86% proteins, 1.19% lipids and 20.79% total carbohydrates. Stability was evaluated during frozen storage (-18 ºC) for 180 days. In this period, acidity increased and pH and ascorbic acid decreased. As to color, a* and b* values increased, indicating that the burgers became more orange/brown. The burger was considered microbiologically safe and shelf-stable for at least 6 months. RESUMO Esse trabalho teve como objetivo obter hambúrguer vegetal a partir do resíduo da extração do suco de caju (fibra) e de feijão caupi, que são materiais abundantes na região Nordeste do Brasil. A fibra foi lavada e prensada em expeller por cinco vezes. O caupi foi macerado em água e após remoção da casca, moído para obtenção de pasta. Os hambúrgueres foram obtidos pela mistura da fibra, da pasta de caupi e de outros ingredientes usados em receitas tradicionais, moldados e congelados. Quatro testes sensoriais foram usados para definir: (1) necessidade de cozimento da pasta de caupi com os outros ingredientes; (2) a proporção fibra/pasta de caupi; (3) ingredientes para melhorar as características sensoriais; (4) aceitação do hambúrguer. A formulação obtida continha 29,3% de fibra de caju, 29,3% de pasta de caupi, 25,1% de tomate, 6,8% de cebola, 5,3% de pimentão, 1,3% de alho, 0,1% de pimenta do reino, 0,2% de salsinha desidratada, 1,2% de sal e 1,4% de óleo de milho. A aceitação sensorial foi 7,8 em escala hedônica de nove pontos. A composição centesimal foi 71,08% de umidade, 2,07% de cinzas, 4,86% de proteínas, 1,19% de lipídeos e 20,79% de carboidratos totais. A estabilidade foi avaliada durante armazenamento congelado (-18 ºC) por 180 dias. Nesse período, a acidez aumentou e o pH e o ácido ascórbico diminuíram. Com relação à cor, os valores de a* e b* aumentaram, indicando que os hambúrgueres ficaram mais laranjas/marrons. O hambúrguer foi considerado seguro microbiologicamente e estável por pelo menos seis meses.

Rabbit meat is a viable option to meet the qualitative and nutritional demands of the current consumers, due to its easy digestion, high protein content and unsaturated fatty acids, low-fat concentration. Despite its nutritional characteristics, this meat is not widely accepted in Mexico, so it is necessary to develop products that favor its acceptance. In the present study, two experiments were carried out using sensory tests to evaluate the acceptance of a sausage type made from rabbit meat. Experiment one consisted of a sensorial test of the sausage with 24 hours of rest after its elaboration, through a hedonic scale with values from 1 to 10 where 1 corresponded to the lowest score and 10 to the highest. Experiment two was developed by a sensorial test for a sausage ripened at 48, 120, 216 and 312 hours, with the hedonic scale established for experiment one. The evaluated aspects of the product were: color, smell, flavor, texture and overall, the results were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics and analysis of variance. In conclusion, the sausage was accepted by the participants in both experiments. In experiment two, the highest level of acceptance corresponded to 216 hours of maturation (P

Sensory tests are quality assurance tools commonly used to measure and/or detect the presence of abnormal characteristics perceived through the senses in lots of raw material and final products in many manufacturing and food industries. In this paper two acceptance sampling plans for sensory evaluation are designed, and an illustration of the performance of such plans applied to a real data set is presented.Sensory tests are quality assurance tools commonly used to measure and/or detect the presence of abnormal characteristics perceived through the senses in lots of raw material and final products in many manufacturing and food industries. In this paper two acceptance sampling plans for sensory evaluation are designed, and an illustration of the performance of such plans applied to a real data set is presented.

Th e aim of this study was to examine the infl uence of information about pig feeding (conventional vs. acorn-fed) on consumer acceptability and probability of purchase of sausages made from local Turopolje pig breed. The study was conducted on a sample of 135 respondents using three step procedures: hedonic test in blind conditions, evaluation of expected preferences and informed hedonic test. Results showed that in the blind test sausage from conventionally-fed pigs were rated higher, but in the expectancy test the consumers had better perception of sausages made of acornfed pigs. A significant assimilation effect was noticed for sausage made of acorn-fed pigs; information about acorn feeding increased consumers’ actual acceptance and probability of sausage purchase. However, information on conventional feeding did not influence consumers’ acceptance and probability of sausage purchase in informed vs. blind test. It is concluded that information on traditional feeding with acorn can be used as an influential marketing tool for Turopolje pig breed products.

Traditional farming practices include the use of local agricultural by-products in the diet of ruminants. Artichoke harvesting and transformation yield high amounts of by-products that, if properly used, may reduce farming costs and the environmental impact of farming. The present study tests the inclusion of silages from artichoke by-products (plant and outer bracts) in the diet of dairy goats (0%, 12.5% and 25% inclusion) on the technological and sensory properties of milk during a five-month study. Milk composition, color, stability, coagulation and fermentation properties remained unaffected by diet changes. Panelists were not able to differentiate among yogurts obtained from those milks by discriminant triangular sensory tests. Silages of artichoke by-products can be included in isoproteic and isoenergetic diets for dairy goats, up to a 25% (feed dry matter), without negatively affecting milk technological and sensory properties whereas reducing feeding costs.

The objective of this work was to perform the chemical characterization of marine bonefish (Albula vulpes) and the development of fish burgers. Three formulations of fish burgers were prepared, containing 5, 8, and 10% cassava starch and functional ingredients (onion, garlic, and ground white pepper). Proximate composition, microbiological and pH analyses of the raw material, and fish burgers were performed, as well as the sensory analyses of the fish burgers. The yield and nutritional value of bonefish was found to be comparable with those of species of commercial value, with high-protein and low-lipid contents. The protein content of the fish burgers varied from 17.52 to 19.40 g 100 g-1 (raw), and from 20.74 to 24.25 g 100 g-1 (grilled); and the lipid contents ranged from 0.20 to 0.73 g 100 g-1 (raw), and from 0.36 to 0.77 g 100 g-1 (grilled). In the sensory tests, the formulations received scores between six and seven on the nine-point hedonic scale. Acceptance indexes were higher than 70% for all the assessed attributes. Therefore, the use of this underutilized species proves to be feasible. Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar quimicamente o pescado marinho ubarana (Albula vulpes) e desenvolver hambúrguer de peixe. Foram preparadas três formulações de hambúrguer de peixe, com 5, 8 e 10% de fécula de mandioca e ingredientes funcionais (cebola, alho e pimenta-do-reino). Foram realizadas análises centesimais, microbiológicas e do pH da matéria-prima, assim como análises sensoriais dos hambúrgueres de peixe. O pescado ubarana apresentou rendimento e valor nutricional comparáveis aos de espécies de valor comercial, com elevado teor proteico e baixo teor de lipídios. Os teores de proteínas dos hambúrgueres de peixe variaram entre 17,52 e 19,40 g 100 g-1 (crus) e 20,74 e 24,25 g 100 g-1 (grelhados), e os de lipídios, entre 0,20 e 0,73 g 100 g-1 (crus) e 0,36 e 0,77 g 100 g-1 (grelhados). Nos testes sensoriais, as formulações receberam notas entre seis e sete na escala hedônica de nove pontos. Os índices de aceitação foram superiores a 70% para todos os atributos avaliados. Assim, o aproveitamento desta espécie subutilizada mostra-se viável.

Sucrose in chiffon cakes was replaced with different levels of sorbitol (0, 30, 50, 70, and 100%), and the effects on the physical properties and storage stability of the cakes were measured. The specific gravity and viscosity of the batter, as well as the volume and moisture content of the cakes, decreased with increasing sorbitol content. The hardness of the cakes slightly decreased as the amount of sorbitol increased, whereas the lowest cohesiveness was observed in the cakes with equal amounts of sucrose and sorbitol. Storage for one day slightly increased the hardness of the cakes and decreased their cohesiveness. Although the amount of mold and total microbial count increased with increasing storage days at room temperature, the replacement of sucrose with 70 or 100% sorbitol was effective in suppressing microbial growth. In sensory tests, the formulation with 70% sorbitol substitution in the chiffon cakes was the most acceptable.

The aim of this trial was to describe physicochemical, microbiological and organoleptic characteristics of dry fermented sausages produced from high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) pre-processed trimmings. During ripening of the meat products pH, weight, water activity (aw), and several microbiological parameters were measured at zero, eight, fifteen days and after 6weeks. Sensory characteristics were estimated at day 15 and after six weeks by a test panel by using several sensory tests. Enterobacteriaceae were not detected in sausages from HHP-processed trimmings. Fermentation was little affected, but weight and aw of the HHP-processed sausages decreased faster during ripening. HHP-treated sausages were consistently less favoured than non HHP-treated sausages, but the strategy may be an alternative approach if the process is optimized.

This study investigated changes in quality and sensory characteristics of soy sauce (Kanjang) with added Astragalus membranaceus (AK) to develop a new soy sauce product with improved sensory characteristics. The pure salinity slowly increased, but AK 10% decreased. The pH was a constant in all samples. The soluble solid content (Brix) increased after 2 months, but AK 10% decreased. With increased addition of Astragalus membranaceus (AM), the optical density increased after 4 months. The amino nitrogen increased in soy sauce with AK 5%. The total free amino acid content gradually increased in soy sauce with AK 5% aged for 6 months. As the addition of AM increased, the crude protein level decreased, but there was no difference between AK 0% and 5%. The sensory tests of AK 5% after 6 months showed higher acceptance. According to the aging period, the acceptability of AK 5% was the best. The results showed that soy sauce with of AK 5% and aged for 6 months exhibits greatly enhanced quality and sensory characteristics. Therefore, it is expected to be used as a natural resources in seasoning area.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to substitute wheat flour by passion fruit peel flour in Brazilian honey bread (pão de mel), with evaluation of the breads’ sensory features, chemical composition and physical properties. Design/methodology/approach – Honey breads with wheat flour (standard) and with replacement of this ingredient by 10 to 50 per cent passion fruit peel flour were produced. Two sensory tests were applied, to identify how different formulations with passion fruit peel flour were when compared to the standard formulation, and also the acceptability of the products. The selected honey breads, through sensory results, were evaluated regarding to chemical composition and physical properties. Findings – Formulations with 10 and 20 per cent substitution were the least different to formulations with only wheat flour, and were as acceptable as the wheat flour sample. Physical and chemical characteristics of breads with 10 and 20 per cent passion fruit peel flour were similar; however, honey bread with 20 per cent passion fruit peel flour had higher fibre content, ash quantity and hardness value; a lower specific volume; and a different colour from the wheat flour sample. Practical implications – This study offers an opportunity to food industries through utilization of an agro-industrial by-product on the formulation of a Brazilian traditional product. Originality/value – This study presents the feasibility of using an agro-industrial by-product to Brazilian honey bread, enhancing the nutritive value of this product and reducing the impact of passion fruit peel flour on the environment.

Zanthoxylum bungeanum, also called the Szechuan pepper, is a pungent-flavored spice. Together with the chili pepper, it constitutes the typical flavor of famous Chinese Szechuan cuisine. With the worldwide popularity of Sichuan cuisine and pungent food, the research on sensory perception of pungency of Z. bungeanum becomes more important and necessary. This article first determined the sensory recognition threshold and just noticeable difference of pungency of Z. bungeanum. The pungent extract, containing hydroxyl α-sanshool (63.6%), hydroxyl β-sanshool (22.8%), and hydroxyl γ-sanshool (7.4%) from Z. bungeanum was used as the tested sample prepared in ethanol–water solution. Ten selected assessors participated in three sessions of sensory tests in standard sensory evaluation booths established according to ISO 8589 by following two-alternative forced choice procedure. The data showed that the recognition threshold was 0.036 mg pungent extract per 1 mL ethanol–water solution and just noticeable difference ...

(Recibido: 2015/03/18 - Aceptado: 2015/05/27)Se evaluaron tres niveles consistentes en 10 %, 15 % y 20 % de pasta de Plukenetia volubilis (Sacha Inchi) para sustituir al porcentaje en peso de grasa de cerdo utilizada convencionalmente a fin de mejorar la calidad nutricional de la hamburguesa común, comparada con un grupo de referencia. Las unidades experimentales fueron de 10 hamburguesas, con un peso de 100 g cada una y un total de 120. Se analizaron en un diseño completamente al azar, con tres repeticiones. La investigación se llevó a cabo en la Universidad Estatal Amazónica y los análisis bromatológicos y microbiológicos para determinar la calidad de la materia prima y los productos se realizaron en el laboratorio de la Facultad de Ciencias Químicas de la Universidad Central del Ecuador. Como complementos se realizaron pruebas sensoriales y estudios de Beneficio/Costo. Los resultados muestran a la variante de 10 % de pasta de Sacha Inchi como la más recomendable para el uso a nivel industrial.

We investigated the effects of natural antioxidants and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the quality and shelf-life of Coryphaena hippurus (common dolphinfish) fillets. Fillets of the control group (CO) were simply placed on trays and not sealed. Fillets of the second group (MAP) were preserved in modified atmosphere (45% CO2, 50% N2, 5% O2), and fillets of the third group (MAP-AOX) were preserved by combining natural antioxidants from halophytes with modified atmosphere. All samples were stored in a refrigerator at 1 ± 0.5 C for 18 days. Analyses were conducted at T0 and after 3, 6, 12, 15 and 18 days of storage. According to sensory tests and colour analyses, the fillets in the MAP and MAP-AOX groups maintained the best appearance. In the CO group, we observed a significant decrease of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (FAs) (P < 0.05), which indicates the oxidation of these FAs. FAs in the MAP and MAP-AOX groups were protected against oxidation. Further, lower peroxide value (PV) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were observed in the MAP and MAP-AOX groups compared to the CO group. The sensory properties of the fillets were correlated with changes in FA content, PV and MDA content.

BACKGROUND The present study aimed to compare the sensory and nutritional attributes of ‘Wonderful’ pomegranate juices extracted from separated arils with those from pressed whole fruits. RESULTS Five different sensory tests were conducted to evaluate the flavor quality of ‘Wonderful’ pomegranate juices. Consumer acceptance tests revealed that juice from separated arils achieved significantly higher likability scores than that from whole pressed fruits. Furthermore, preference tests revealed that 84% of the tasters preferred the juice extracted from separated arils whereas only 16% preferred the juice from whole pressed fruits. Sensory discrimination tests (triangle tests) revealed that tasters significantly distinguished between the two juices at P ≤ 0.01. Descriptive tests by a trained panel and sensory analysis with an electronic tongue demonstrated that juice from whole pressed fruits was more astringent and had a stronger aftertaste than juice from separated arils. Juice from pressed whole fruits contained significantly higher levels of phenols and hydrolysable tannins, which led to higher astringency. CONCLUSIONS Pomegranate juice extracted from separated arils was less astringent and more preferred by tasters than juice from whole pressed fruits. Nonetheless, juice from separated arils has lower nutritional benefits. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry

Thermal pasteurization of bottled beer is used to extend its shelf life. However, the thermal process negatively affects the beer sensory. In this research, beer was processed using Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF), a non-thermal continuous preservation technology that has the potential to be implemented at a commercial scale by the brewing industry. The main goal of this work was to investigate the feasibility of PEF for yeast inactivation and its impact on beer sensory. First, the effect of a PEF process (temperature below 43 °C, 45 kV/cm electrical field intensity, 46 pulses, 70 μs) on Saccharomyces cerevisiae ascospores inactivation in nine different beers comprising ale, lager, dark, low alcohol, and no alcohol, was investigated. Log reductions of 0.2 and 2.2 were registered for 0 and 7% alc/vol beers, respectively, which indicated that the alcohol content is the major beer constituent driving the microbial inactivation. Then, 0, 4, and 7% alc/vol beers containing S. cerevisiae ascospores were submitted to PEF combined with thermal processing up to 53 °C. An increase in the PEF treatment temperature from 43 to 53 °C caused at least an additional 0.7, 2.1 and 1.8 log reductions in the yeast spore population for 0, 4, and 7% alc/vol beers, respectively. Results of another experiment carried out with 4 and 7% alc/vol beers, showed the huge advantage of using PEF compared with thermal processing. Additionally, lightstruck attribute sensory tests revealed six (aroma) and three (flavour) PEF beers did not develop the lightstruck character, being acceptable in terms of sensory. The results of this study can be helpful for designing appropriate PEF conditions to pasteurize beers with different alcohol contents.

The purpose of this study was to elaborate prebiotic yoghurt using ovine milk and different inulin concentrations (0, 2 and 6%). Samples were submitted to laboratory analysis and two sensory tests with 100 consumers. The results of apparent viscosity and firmness determined by instrumental analysis of each yoghurt and control differed significantly. Just-About-Right showed consistency as the main attribute that varied in treatments. According to penalty analysis, prebiotic yoghurt containing 6% inulin had minor penalties, which indicates its advantage in the quest to better consumer demands. Hence, this treatment demonstrated better results as well as the many prebiotic benefits associated with an adequate fibre amount.

The recent finding that grape tannin may contain significant amount of S-glutathionylated (GSH-3MH) and S-cysteinylated (Cys-3MH) precursors of the varietal thiols 3-mercapto-1-hexanol and 3-mercaptohexyl acetate, characteristic of Sauvignon blanc wines, offers new opportunities for enhancing the tropical aroma in fermented beverages. In this study this new hypothesis was investigated: Muller Thurgau (17 samples) and Sauvignon blanc (15 samples) grapes were fermented with and without addition of a selected grape tannin. As expected, the tannin-added juices were higher in precursors, and they produced wines with increased free thiols. Preliminary informal sensory tests confirmed that in particular the Sauvignon wines produced with the tannin addition were often richer with increased “fruity/green” notes than the corresponding reference wines. This outcome confirms that grape tannin addition prior to fermentation can fortify the level of these compounds.

SUMMARY Port wine is a fortified wine. After the grape spirit addition the fermentation stops and the wine retains some of the natural sweetness of the grape. Port wine exhibits a variety of different styles, each with its own characteristic flavours: White Ports, Ruby Ports and Tawny Ports. Information about the wines sensory characteristics is critical for the successful development and marketing of each new wine brand. This type of information can be obtained using descriptive sensory tests with trained panels that can recognize different sensory descriptors in wines. Given that the collected variables are measured on an ordinal scale a Categorical Principal Component Analysis (CATPCA) can be performed. However, for many years, multivariate analysis has been used for wine characteristic evaluation and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) has long been applied to sensory data treatment. The two main purposes of this study were to describe a specific sensory method, used by a trained sensory panel including chemical compounds reference development, to establish the most important descriptive and discriminative sensory attributes of different Port wine styles and brands and to compare the results of PCA with the results of CATPCA, in order to assess the feasibility of both techniques. At the end of the work we have demonstrated that the CATPCA data analysis seems to be more robust and explained 15% more of the total amount of initial variance than PCA. Moreover, the CATPCA model did not highlight differences among wines from winery brands while, in PCA, Port Wines are grouped according to wine style and there are some discrimination between brands. RESUMO O vinho do Porto e um vinho fortificado. Apos a adicao de aguardente ao mosto/vinho a fermentar, a fermentacao termina e o vinho resultante apresentara um pouco da docura natural da uva. O Vinho do Porto ostenta uma variedade de estilos, cada um com os seus sabores e aromas caracteristicos: Portos Brancos, Portos Ruby e Tawnies. Uma boa caracterizacao sensorial e fundamental para o desenvolvimento e comercializacao de cada nova marca de Vinho do Porto. Esta caracterizacao pode ser obtida por meio de testes sensoriais descritivos com paineis de provadores treinados que podem reconhecer diferentes descritores sensoriais. Dado que as variaveis recolhidas sao medidos numa escala ordinal uma Analise em Componentes Principais Categorica (ACPCAT) pode ser realizada. No entanto, ha muitos anos que a analise estatistica multivariada e utilizada para tratamentos de dados sensoriais, nomeadamente a Analise em Componentes Principais (ACP). Os dois principais objetivos deste estudo foram descrever um metodo sensorial especifico, usada por um painel de provadores treinados, incluindo o desenvolvimento de compostos quimicos de referencia, para os atributos sensoriais descritivos e discriminativos mais importantes nos diferentes estilos e marcas de vinho do Porto e comparar os resultados da ACP com os resultados da ACPCAT, a fim de avaliar a viabilidade de ambas as tecnicas. No final do trabalho demonstramos que a analise dos dados ACPCAT parece ser mais robusta e explica mais de 15% da variacao inicial do que a analise ACP. Alem disso, o modelo ACPCAT nao destaca as diferencas entre os vinhos do mesmo estilo mas de marcas diferentes, enquanto, na analise ACP, os Vinhos do Porto sao agrupados de acordo com o estilo de vinho e ha alguma discriminacao entre as marcas.

Production of entire male pigs could be a future strategy for organic pig production. However, production of entire males leads to increased risk of carcasses with elevated boar taint levels. It is hypothesized that skatole levels in pig meat are affected by faecal soiling and that organic housing facilities can increase the risk of pigs being heavily soiled. Therefore, the overall aim of this study was to investigate if increased pig and pen soiling increases skatole concentration in entire male pigs. In five herds, 1174 organic entire male pigs were reared in four batches across two seasons, summer and winter. Measurements of pig and pen soiling, as well as fat skatole and androstenone concentration and human nose sensory tests of fat odour, were performed. Skatole and androstenone concentrations varied greatly within and between herds with a 10% and 90% percentile for the overall population of 0.02 and 2.25 µg/g for skatole and 0.53 and 4.84 µg/g for androstenone. Human nose positive tests averaged 18.3% with great variation between herds and seasons. Pen soiling had significant effects on pig soiling. Moreover, outdoor pen soiling significantly affected skatole concentration in interactions with herd and season (P

The measurement of ethylene concentration in the apple core is considered a good method of determining OHD, but requires high accuracy and expensive equipment. The measurement of ethylene production seems to be a technologically easier method. During research conducted in the years 2003-2008, measurements of ethylene production were evaluated as a method for determining the harvest maturity of ‘Jonagored’ apples intended for storage. Measurements were carried out every 4-5 days starting a few weeks before the estimated harvest date. Apples were picked on four dates and after five months the loss of mass, firmness, TSS and TA was measured, the incidence of physiological disorders and fungal diseases was assessed and sensory tests were conducted to evaluate storability. Based on this evaluation it was determined which of those dates was OHD. After a period of low ethylene production, the production accelerated rapidly to reach an average level between 10.0 and 12.5 ppm kg-1 hr-1 on the OHD. Later, ethylene production rose still more sharply and quickly reached several dozens of ppm kg-1 hr-1. The accuracy of the new method was compared with other methods used to determine the maturity stage. The results obtained through the measurement of ethylene production showed the least deviation from the six-year average and only the results obtained using the Streif index method, which may be unreliable for some cultivars according to the literature, had a comparable margin of error.

A new packaging system to extend the shelf life of fresh produce in a cold chain with changing temperatures has been developed. This new packaging system allows rapid increase of the CO2 concentration (while reducing the O2 concentration) when stored at low temperature, and an immediate adjustment to temperature rises in the cold chain in order to maintain optimal gas compositions. The storage stability of fresh cherries, both stem-on and stem-free, was monitored under domestic (road transport) and international (ocean transport) supply chain conditions. The predominant retail package for fresh cherries, flexible, macroperforated polyethylene bags, was used as controls. Package headspace gas composition, fungal growth, weight loss, color, texture, pH, and titratable acidity were monitored for up to 17 and 27 days for domestic and international supply chain conditions, respectively. Consumer acceptance sensory tests were conducted after 14 and 27 days of storage (N > 70). The beneficial effects of the use of this new packaging system included the reduction of fungal growth (P ≤ 0.05) and the maintenance of firmness and red color (P ≤ 0.05). The specific package design also allowed minimization of weight loss due to transpiration. Consumers demonstrated a significant purchasing preference for the new package versus the control (P ≤ 0.05) and rated cherries stored in these packages significantly higher than those stored in the controls using a 9-point hedonic scale. Significantly higher consumer acceptance was found for appearance under simulated domestic supply chain conditions and aroma and flavor under simulated international supply chain conditions.

The aim of this work was to assess to what extent rheological properties can explain the sensory texture in soy based desserts containing different amounts of water soluble soy extract, modified starch and guava pulp, as well as to correlate the sensory and instrumental color. Seventeen creamy soy based desserts were studied. Sensory ranking tests were performed by Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA) and affective sensory tests. Correlations between sensory and instrumental data were determined using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results showed a moderate positive correlation between sensory color and a* , and significant negative correlations with L* and h ab . Loss modulus at 1 and 10 rad s -1 and the parameters n ” were the rheological parameters better correlated with the sensory attributes related to consistency and creaminess. Moreover, the results found in the affective tests can be explained by those verified in QDA

U radu su prikazani rezultati istraživanja provedenogna uzorku od 136 ispitanika s ciljem da se ispita utjecaj informacije o načinu hranjenja turopoljske svinje (svinje klasično hranjene, u odnosu na svinje hranjene žirom), na potrošačku prihvatljivost kobasicama izrađene od takvih svinja. Rezultati preferencije i vjerojatnosti kupnje dvaju uzoraka kobasice su dobiveni u slijepim i informiranim testovima kušanja. Isto tako, ispitanici su ocijenili svoja očekivanja (bez kušanja) prema kobasici od turopoljske svinje hranjene žirom i klasično hranjene. U testu na slijepo veći udio ispitanika je preferirao kobasicu od svinje klasično hranjene u odnosu na kobasicu od turopoljske svinje hranjene žirom. Test očekivanja pokazao je bolju percepciju kobasice od svinje hranjene žirom u odnosu na kobasicu od klasično hranjene svinje. Dodavanje informacija o načinu hranjenju svinja utjecalo je pozitivno na preferencije prema kobasici od svinje hranjene žirom i negativno prema kobasici od klasično hranjene svinje. Međutim, informacija nije jedina koja je imala utjecaj na preferencije ispitanika. Naime, kobasica od svinje hranjene žirom dobila je manje ocjene u informiranom testu nego u testu očekivanja što potvrđuje važnost i senzornih svojstva i informacije o kobasici. This paper presents the results of a study conducted on a sample of 136 respondents with the aim to examine the influence of information about the feeding of pigs from Turopolje (pigs classically fed, compared to pigs fed with acorns), on consumer acceptability of sausages made from such pigs. The results of the preference and likelihood of buying two sausage samples were obtained in the blind and informed tests of tasting. Likewise, the respondents evaluated their expectations (without tasting) of sausages from Turopolje pigs fed by acorns and classically fed. In the blind test, the majority of respondents preferred sausages of the pigs classically fed compared to the sausages from pigs fed by acorns. The expectation test showed a better perception of sausages than the pigs fed by acorns compared to the classically fed pig sausage. Adding information of the feeding pattern of pigs has had a positive effect on the preference for sausages from pigs fed by acorns and negative to sausages from classically fed pigs. However, information is not the only one that has had an impact on the preferences of the respondents. Namely, sausages from pigs fed by acorns was less rated in the information test than in the test of expectations, which confirms the importance of sensory properties and information of sausages.

The purpose of this study is to clarify key factors for evaluating comfort sensation when wearing a cosmetic face mask. As a result of sensory tests of wearing face masks, the most important factor related to comfort was facial skin contact feeling. As a result of material property tests, we extracted coefficients of dynamic friction and elasticity as comfort factors.

Objective Taste is influenced by factors from our environment, psychology, and from our own physiological state. The objective of the study was to determine whether sleep influences our sense of taste or our cravings for food. Method 57 healthy panelists, predominantly of college age, submitted to sleep tracking, and subsequently underwent a series of sensory tests, using basic prototypic tastants, as well as real foods. Panelists were also evaluated to quantify food cravings, using both the Leeds Food Preference Questionnaire, and the Control of Eating Questionnaire. Results Umami (p = 0.025, F = 5.301) and sour (p = 0.037, F = 4.591) taste were intensified in those rating sleepiness higher, while this group also reported higher implicit wanting for high fat sweet foods (p = 0.011, Wald chi-sq = 14.937). Craving for sweet or savory also associated with a number of measures of taste response to real foods. Conclusions Results imply that a lack of sleep may induce cravings for unhealthy foods, and that foods high in umami or sour taste may be experienced differently due to alterations in taste function. Results imply that feeding behavior may be influenced by a lack of sleep, acting at least partially through our sense of taste.

Assessment of pain and sensory function during regional analgesia contributes to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the action of drugs and techniques, and provides information on the effectiveness of regional analgesia in daily practice. Sensory tests only partially mimic clinical pain, mainly because they are artificial and reproduce only a part of the complex experience of pain. Therefore information gained by sensory tests should not be uncritically generalized to clinical pain conditions. Studies using experimental pain models are not in competition with studies performed under clinical conditions, but complement them. In order to mirror clinical pain, experimental models ideally stimulate muscles and viscera, induce peripheral and central sensitization, and evoke temporal and spatial summation. These methods are available, but are underused. Test modalities used in clinical practice have limited validity. In recent years almost no research has been performed to develop better test modalities that are suitable for daily practice.

Large-scale application of Quantitative Sensory Tests (QST) is impaired by lacking standardized testing protocols. One unclear methodological aspect is the number of records needed to minimize measurement error. Traditionally, measurements are repeated 3 to 5 times, and their mean value is considered. When transferring QST to a clinical setting, reducing the number of records would be desirable to meet the time constraints encountered in a routine clinical environment and to reduce the testing burden to chronic pain patients. However, there might be a trade-off between measurement error and number of records. We determined the measurement error of a single versus the mean of 3 records of pressure pain detection threshold (PPDT), electrical pain detection threshold (EPDT), and nociceptive withdrawal reflex threshold (NWRT) in 429 chronic pain patients recruited in a routine clinical setting.METHODS:We calculated intraclass correlation coefficients and performed a Bland-Altman analysis.RESULTS:Intraclass correlation coefficients were all clearly greater than 0.75, and Bland-Altman analysis showed minute systematic errors with small point estimates and narrow 95% confidence intervals. Reducing the number of records from traditionally 3 to only 1 did not lead to relevant measurement error in PPDT, EPDT, or NWRT.CONCLUSIONS:This study contributes to a standardized QST protocol, and based on the minimal measurement error of 1 single record of PPDT, EPDT, and NWRT, we submit to reduce the testing burden. This would allow saving time, resources, and patient discomfort. Fil: Müller, Monika. University of Bern; Suiza Fil: Biurrun Manresa, José Alberto. Aalborg University; Dinamarca. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Limacher, Andreas. University of Bern; Suiza Fil: Streitberger, Konrad. University of Bern; Suiza Fil: Jüni, Peter. University of Toronto; Canadá Fil: Andersen, Ole Kæseler. Aalborg University; Dinamarca Fil: Curatolo, Michele. Aalborg University; Dinamarca. University of Washington; Estados Unidos

Modern concepts for the treatment of pain patients are based on the hypothesis that different clinical signs and symptoms reflect different underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of pain generation. To analyze these mechanisms, in 2006, the DFNS (German Research Network on Neuropathic Pain) developed a standardized protocol of quantitative sensory testing (QST) for a quantitative evaluation of pain generating mechanisms, creating reference values for hand, foot and face (masseter muscle) sites. However, there is a lack of orofacial reference values for the temporalis muscle and maxillary gingiva. This study aimed to determine reference values for QST protocol in the orofacial region and evaluate the effectiveness of two test stimuli during conditioned pain modulation (CPM) test. Sixty participants (30 men/30 women) were examined through the tests of mechanical detection (MDT), mechanical pain (MPT), wind-up ratio (WUR), pressure pain threshold (PPT) and conditioned pain modulation (CPM), to determine reference values in healthy subjects. Individuals were examined in a single session by a trained examiner under the protocol developed by the DFNS (2006). The CPM statistical evaluation was done by a multi-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) within the factors site (2 levels), time (2 levels), and sex (2 levels); comparing the absolute values of MPT and PPT. QST reference values comparison was made by a multi-way withinsubjects ANOVA performed considering the factors site (3 levels), side (2 levels) and sex (2 levels) (α=5%). MDT and MPT showed main effects of site (p

Chronic or episodic severe itch is recurrent in atopic dermatitis (AD). Nonhistaminergic itch pathways are suggested to dominate in AD itch, contributing to an "itch-scratch-itch cycle" that prolongs and worsens itch, pain, and skin lesions. We hypothesized that nonhistaminergic neuronal sensitization contributes to itch in AD. Hence, we compared sensitivity with thermal, mechanical, and chemical pruritic stimuli in patients with AD and controls. The study comprised 25 patients with AD with chronic itch and 25 healthy controls. Questionnaires on itch characteristics were administered, and sensory tests were conducted intralesionally, extralesionally, and in homologous areas of controls. Thermal and mechanical quantitative sensory testing (QST) as well as histamine and cowhage provocations were performed. Subsequently, hyperknesis and vasomotor reactivity were assessed. Average itch and associated pain among patients with AD were 60.7 ± 4.3 and 39.7 ± 5.2 (VAS0-100), respectively. Patients experienced significantly higher itch from cowhage both intralesionally and extralesionally compared with controls, whereas histamine-evoked itch intensity was not significantly different between groups. No group differences were found for thermal quantitative sensory testings or pain evoked by itch provocations. Patients had decreased mechanical detection thresholds intralesionally and increased mechanical pain sensitivity intralesionally and extralesionally. Lastly, patients exhibited intralesional and extralesional hyperknesis before chemical itch provocations and augmented hyperknesis after itch provocations. Increased itch in response to cowhage (but not histamine) suggests nonhistaminergic pathway-specific itch sensitization in AD, whereas increased susceptibility to mechanically evoked itch and pain, particularly intralesionally suggests sensitization of mechanosensitive circuitry not normally associated with itch. Drugs targeting the nonhistaminergic (PAR2/TRPA1) itch pathway and itch sensitization are promising for treating AD itch.

The garment pressure comfort sensation was studied in the paper. The garment pressure comfort threshold was defined and calculated according to staircase method of psychophysics. In experiment, 10 subjects were employed in sensory tests and pressure measurements. A novel stretchable compressive belt was designed and developed, which was used to control the pressure applied on separate body parts by its extension and intention, and the subjects judgment and pressure monitor were recorded in times. Finally, the comfort thresholds at 13 separate body parts were investigated. This study provided proper comfort pressure range to human body for developing compression wear.

The authors sought to explore the impact of tactile sensation on manual dexterity and the validity of the strength-dexterity test in subjects with chronic impairments after stroke in a cross-sectional study of 24 patients with impaired hand function after stroke. Dexterity was assessed by the strength-dexterity test, Box and Blocks, and Nine-Hole Peg Test, and the ABILHAND questionnaire. Sensation was measured by pinprick, cotton-wool, graphesthesia, and 2-point discrimination tests. Sensation in the paretic hand had strong association with paretic hand performance in the strength-dexterity test and Nine-Hole Peg Test and explained 13% of the variance. Sensation in the nonparetic hand was associated with the results of the ABILHAND questionnaire. Among sensory tests, 2-point discrimination had the strongest association with dexterity tests. No significant correlations between sensation, pinch force, and dexterity tests were found for the nonparetic hand. The strength-dexterity test exhibited strong correlations with the other dexterity measures and with pinch force. There is an association between tactile sensation and dexterous performance in the paretic hand; activity level performance is associated with sensation in the nonparetic hand. The study supports the validity of the strength-dexterity test when applied in subjects in the chronic stage after stroke.

Background: In this work different formulations of blueberry liquor were tested and characterised based on their physico-chemical and sensory characteristics.; Results: Three factors were evaluated: the distillate used to produce the liquor (wine spirit or grape marc spirit); the sweetener (white sugar or honey) and the fruit quantity (two doses). For each liquor, pH, total acidity, dry soluble solids content, dry extract, alcoholic strength, reducing sugars, colour intensity, methanol content, acetaldehyde and fusel alcohols were determined. Sensory tests were carried out with a trained panel.; Conclusion: The three factors studied significantly influenced the physico-chemical features of the liquors, being the quantity of fruit the most discriminating factor, except for the volatile compounds which were mainly influenced by the distillate. As regards the sensory analysis, it was found that the most appreciated liquor was that prepared with wine spirit, sugar and a lower dose of blueberry, and the less appreciated formulation was the one made with grape marc spirit, honey and a lower quantity of blueberry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.; © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Aims: It is necessary for medical staff to fully understand disparities in the comprehensive evaluation of enteral nutrients due to differences in their physical form. In this study, we compared the overall rating of each enteral nutrient with respect to form and examined the factors that influence their overall evaluation. Methods: Sensory tests were conducted on 261 pharmaceutical students using the Sematic Differential method. Comparison of comprehensive evaluations for each form of enteral nutrient was carried out for liquids (room temperature, warm, cold), jelly (solid), and mousse (semi-solid) forms. Additionally, factors influencing the comprehensive evaluation of enteral nutrients were investigated using covariance structure analysis. Results: Overall evaluation of each enteral nutrient form showed the jelly was rated highest (2.57 ± 1.49), followed by the warm liquid (2.53 ± 1.29), cold liquid (2.42 ± 1.20), room temperature liquid (2.26 ± 1.20), and the mousse (1.93 ± 1.07). From the result of factor analysis, four factors (flavor, richness, presence, and texture) were extracted. Covariance structure analysis of factors affecting the overall rating revealed that flavor had a significant influence (fitness index: GFI=0.908, AGFI=0.878, RMSEA=0.074, AIC=912.742). Conclusion: Differences in the form of enteral nutrients affected the overall satisfaction of patients. It is important for medical staff, including pharmacists, to deepen their understanding of factors related to the overall rating of enteral nutrients in order to meet the needs of patients.

Evaluation ofthe sensory and meat quality was performed on Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) improved chicken (KIC) fed on diets incorporated with ground Prosopis juliflora pods (GPJP. Breast and thigh samples were obtained from chicken fed on GPJPbased diets substituting whole diet at 0% (PJP-0), 10 % (PJP-10), 20% (PJP-20) and 30 % (PJP-30). Organoleptic characteristics were evaluated using questionnaires for attribute profiling and affective tests using trained and miniature consumer panels. Continuous anchored attribute scales and hedonic scale were used for sensory tests while meat quality was determined by Honikel method. Increasing the levels of GPJP had similar effect on Breast pH but PJP-20 had higher pH than cockerels offered PJP-0 and PJP-10 and pullets offered PJP-30. At 14th day, pullet meat from PJP-0 had lower water holding capacity as compared to all other samples apart from cockerel samples from the same treatment. Pullets offered PJP-0 performed better in thigh and breast. In general acceptability (GA), 6.9% and 12.33% could be attributed to the effect of GPJP in thigh and breast in pullet and cockerel samples respectively. Results indicate that cockerels’ meat had more favorable sensory effect than pullets’ meat. Inclusion of 20% of GPJP in diet could be used to feed chicken while at the same time maintaining high quality meat desired by the consumers.

Salt intake is an important concern for health reasons and saltiness is affected not only by content of food, but also by the texture. Surimi-based products, such as kamaboko, are elastic gels with approximately 2% NaCl; despite recent concerns among Japanese consumers regarding high-salt foods, little is known about the relationship between saltiness and texture in these products. This study was aimed to clarify the relationship between saltiness and texture using heat-induced surimi gels as a model of surimi-based product. Various types of heat-induced gels with different physical properties were prepared from surimi and washed surimi by two-step heating with different setting (preheating) times at 30°C. Washed surimi was prepared to remove the additives, because the additives were thought to affect the taste of surimi gel. The physical properties of heat-induced gels were characterized by puncture breaking strength and expressible water. The perceived saltiness of the heat-induced surimi gels was evaluated with fixed number of chewing. Next, to improve the demerit of this method, the perceived saltiness of the washed surimi gels was evaluated by free chewing conditions. The perceived saltiness after fixed number of chewing and the maximum saltiness intensity during free chewing was evaluated using sensory tests by comparisons with salt solutions of known concentrations. The physical properties of heat-induced gels differed considerably depending on the salt content and heating conditions. A longer setting time was associated with a higher breaking force and lower expressible water, regardless of salt content. On the other hand, perceived saltiness depended on the NaCl concentration, but not greatly influenced by the physical properties of the gels prepared from both surimi and washed surimi. The perceived saltiness of all gels tested was less than 1/3 of solution with the same NaCl concentration. The maximum saltiness intensity did not correlate with breaking force, breaking strain and expressible water of heat-induced gels. From these results, it was suggested that the difference in physical properties derived by setting did not affect the relative saltiness intensity of gels to NaCl solution during consumption of surimi gels.

Discrimination testing forms an important first step to many other sensory tests in the food industry. In some instances, it is the test on which important go/no-go decisions are based on. With the plethora of discrimination test methods available to the sensory practitioner, it is limiting that in most businesses only one or two tests are used due to company tradition or individual preference. There is a need to appreciate the applications and limitations of discrimination tests in general but more specifically, a need to know the correct applications and limitations for the commonly used discrimination tests. In the sections that follow the applications and limitations of discrimination tests are discussed. First a holistic view of the applications and limitations for discrimination tests will be made; followed by a discussion of the applications and limitations of commonly used discrimination test methods.

[EN] The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of wheat flour substitution with toasted corn, quinoa, and sorghum flours on the overall perception and texture of typical Spanish small cakes named madeleine. In order to evaluate these characteristics, a texture profile analysis (TPA) and a sensory analysis were carried out. TPA showed that the replacement of wheat flour by sorghum flour did not affect significantly texture parameters of cakes. Hedonic sensory tests were also conducted revealing that the cake prepared with sorghum flour was highly appreciated by the consumers as it got scores similar to traditional cakes made with wheat flour.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the quality characteristics of steamed bread using mixed flour containing bamboo leaf and lotus leaf powders. Properties of the steamed breads were tested by colorimeter, water activity, rheometer, SEM, and sensory tests. The L values and a values were higher in steamed bread with bamboo leaf powder. On the other hand, the b values of streamed bread with bamboo leaf powder were lower than lotus leaf powder. During storage, the hardness of steamed bread with bamboo leaf and lotus leaf powders increased control. Furthermore, steamed bread with lotus leaf powder showed hardness than bamboo leaf powder. The springiness of all steamed breads decreased with storage, and steamed breads with bamboo leaf powder showed lower values than lotus leaf powder. The cohesiveness of the control was the highest, and all samples showed significant differences each other. The gumminess of the control was higher than steamed bread with bamboo leaf and lotus leaf powders. Moreover, longer storage time yielded higher gumminess. control relatively smoother surface than that of 1% bamboo leaf powder. The steamed bread with lotus leaf powder had a rougher surface than bamboo leaf powder. sensory characteristics of steamed bread, green color of the samples with bamboo leaf powder was darker than lotus leaf powder. Leaf odor was similar throughout. Freshness of steamed bread containing 1% bamboo leaf powder the highest. The overall acceptability of consumer acceptance was the control, followed by steamed bread containing 1% lotus leaf powder.

This study focused on the effects of the dose of rosemary extract ( Rosmarinus officinalis ) on the quality of gilthead seabream. A control diet (basal diet) and four experimental diets (R600, R1200, R1800 and R2400) with 600, 1200, 1800 and 2400 mg kg − 1 of rosemary extract were administered, respectively. The fish were sacrificed and stored on ice at 4 °C for 0, 7, 14 and 21 days. Physical–chemical, microbiological and sensory tests were conducted at each sampling point to determine the degree of deterioration suffered by the gilthead seabream. The differences in water-holding capacity (WHC) and the trends in TBARS, TVBN and TMA observed suggest better preservation with the 600 mg kg − 1 dose. In addition, the Quality Index showed greater freshness in fish fed diets containing rosemary extract, regardless of the dose; shelf-life also increased by one day with all tested doses, as compared to the control group.

Taste evaluation technology has been developed by several methods, such as sensory tests, electronic tongues and a taste sensor based on lipid/polymer membranes. In particular, the taste sensor can individually quantify five basic tastes without multivariate analysis. However, it has proven difficult to develop a sweetness sensor, because sweeteners are classified into three types according to the electric charges in an aqueous solution; that is, no charge, negative charge and positive charge. Using membrane potential measurements, the taste-sensing system needs three types of sensor membrane for each electric charge type of sweetener. Since the commercially available sweetness sensor was only intended for uncharged sweeteners, a sweetness sensor for positively charged high-potency sweeteners such as aspartame was developed in this study. Using a lipid and plasticizers, we fabricated various lipid/polymer membranes for the sweetness sensor to identify the suitable components of the sensor membranes. As a result, one of the developed sensors showed responses of more than 20 mV to 10 mM aspartame and less than 5 mV to any other taste. The responses of the sensor depended on the concentration of aspartame. These results suggested that the developed sweetness sensor had high sensitivity to and high selectivity for aspartame.

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) is a non-thermal process that can effectively reduce pathogenic Escherichia coli in ground beef. This commercially-available process uses water under extreme pressure to denature proteins by breaking covalent bonds, eventually resulting in microbial death. While HHP has been successfully applied to plant based foods with limited flavor changes, little is known about the influence of HHP on the sensory properties and resultant consumer acceptability of HHP-treated beef. Accordingly, we performed blind sensory tests with 70 regular consumers of ground beef, using commercially-processed ground beef patties. Although HHP-treated patties were still acceptable (i.e. rated above neutral on a 9 point hedonic scale), they received significantly lower ratings for overall liking, texture, flavor and juiciness when compared to control patties. Also, Just-About-Right (JAR) scales indicate the HHP patties were more dry and less flavorful than the control patties. Collectively, these data suggest consumers may find HHP-treated ground beef to be less acceptable than untreated ground beef on the basis of their sensory properties. Since these data were collected blind, additional work is warranted to determine the degree to which consumers are willing to balance a loss of sensory quality against their nascent food safety concerns.

Accurate assessment of pain or sensory function in clinical practice is challenging. Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST) is a standardized approach to measuring pain and sensory thresholds or tolerances as a means of assessing the functionality of neural pathways from the receptors along the afferent fibers to the brains. This paper reviews two simple QST techniques potentially useful to clinical practice: the Cold Stress Test and Ten Test. The background, evidence for clinical measurement properties and feasibility issues are considered.

Mozambican diets are often lacking in vitamin A. Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP) are rich in beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, but are not easily introduced into the diet as the consistency of the porridge made from OFSP is unappetising. Flour made from roasted cassava (garri) produces a palatable porridge with a high energy density. We propose a simple procedure for producing an instant porridge by roasting grated OFSP with flour from shredded sun-dried cassava (G-OFSP). This is an easily adopted variant of the traditional garri-making process. The consistency of this porridge made from milled G-OFSP (G-OFSPf) was compared to the consistency of porridges made from maize flour (Mf), cassava flour (Cf), OFSP flour (OFSPf) and garri flour (Gf) at 43°C, and then correlated to the perceived characteristics assessed by a sensory panel. The dry matter concentration of the porridges was adjusted to give similar consistency, measured by the maximum force of back extrusion, using traditional maize porridge as a reference. The porridges were additionally characterized by back extrusion force relaxation time. Short relaxation times were obtained for G-OFSPf, Mf and Gf porridges and longer times for Cf and OFSPf porridges, corresponding roughly to the sensory preference. In the sensory test of consistency, G-OFSPf porridge was ranked first, followed by Mf, Gf, OFSPf and Cf. In overall sensory tests comparing G-OFSPf porridge to Gf porridge, G-OFSPf porridge was significantly preferred with regard to all sensory attributes evaluated (p < 0.01). The energy density of the G-OFSPf porridge was 5.6 kJ/ml; the highest of the three most preferred porridges with regard to texture. The preparation of flour from a mixture of grated OFSP and shredded sun-dried cassava improved the perceived porridge consistency, increased its energy density, and its high acceptability would increase the intake of betacarotene.

Ice cream is a complex food matrix that contains multiple physical phases. Removal of 1 ingredient may affect not only its physical properties but also multiple sensory characteristics that may or may not be important to consumers. Fat not only contributes to texture, mouth feel, and flavor, but also serves as a structural element. We evaluated the effect of replacing fat with maltodextrin (MD) on select physical properties of ice cream and on consumer acceptability. Vanilla ice creams were formulated to contain 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14% fat, and the difference was made up with 8, 6, 4, 2, and 0% maltodextrin, respectively, to balance the mix. Physical characterization included measurements of overrun, apparent viscosity, fat particle size, fat destabilization, hardness, and melting rate. A series of sensory tests were conducted to measure liking and the intensity of various attributes. Tests were also conducted after 19 weeks of storage at -18°C to assess changes in acceptance due to prolonged storage at unfavorable temperatures. Then, discrimination tests were performed to determine which differences in fat content were detectable by consumers. Mix viscosity decreased with increasing fat content and decreasing maltodextrin content. Fat particle size and fat destabilization significantly increased with increasing fat content. However, acceptability did not differ significantly across the samples for fresh or stored ice cream. Following storage, ice creams with 6, 12, and 14% fat did not differ in acceptability compared with fresh ice cream. However, the 8% fat, 6% MD and 10% fat, 4% MD ice creams showed a significant drop in acceptance after storage relative to fresh ice cream at the same fat content. Consumers were unable to detect a difference of 2 percentage points in fat level between 6 and 12% fat. They were able to detect a difference of 4 percentage points for ice creams with 6% versus 10%, but not for those with 8% versus 12% fat. Removing fat and replacing it with maltodextrin caused minimal changes in physical properties in ice cream and mix and did not change consumer acceptability for either fresh or stored ice cream.