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This study examines the impact of both natural and ethylene-induced ripening methods on the aroma and taste of popular mango cultivars using Electronic Nose (E-nose) and Electronic Tongue (E-tongue). Five Indian mango varieties Badami, Banganapalli, Malgoa, Totapuri, and Mallika were selected for this study. Physicochemical parameters showed a decrease in acidity during ripening, accompanied by increase in pH and total soluble solids (TSS). Color changes from greenish to reddish-yellow were indicated by a reduction in L* values and an increase in both a* and b* values. E-tongue data revealed a reduction in sourness, corresponding with measured acidity. Principal component analysis (PCA) accounted for over 90% of the variance in taste and aroma across different ripening stages and varieties. Major aromatic compounds identified were limonene, β-ocimene, myrcene, β-pinene, β-caryophyllene, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, ethyl butanoate, and γ-terpinene. Variable Importance in Projection (VIP) scores highlighted metabolic differences among ripening stages and mango varieties. Cross-validation tests confirmed significant differences in the composition and intensity of aroma compounds during ripening. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) demonstrated good fitness (R² > 0.95) of model in analysing aroma compounds. Ethylene-induced ripening accelerated the production of aromatic compounds but resulted in flavor loss during storage. Natural ripening was identified as the optimal method for preserving the aroma and taste of mangoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Chinese Institute of Food Science & Technology / Zhongguo Shipin Xuebao is the property of Journal of Chinese Institute of Food Science & Technology Periodical Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The contents of organic acids (OAs) in tea beverage and their relationship with taste intensity have not been fully understood. In this work, a rapid (10 min for a single run) and sensitive (limits of quantification: 0.0044–0.4486 µg/mL) method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of 17 OAs in four types of tea, based on liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry with multiple reaction monitoring mode. The contents of 17 OAs in 96 tea samples were measured at levels between 0.01 and 11.80 g/kg (dried weight). Quinic acid, citric acid, and malic acid were determined as the major OAs in green, black, and raw pu‐erh teas, while oxalic acid and tartaric acid exhibited the highest contents in ripe pu‐erh tea. Taking the OAs composition as input features, a partial least squares regression model was proposed to predict the sourness intensity of tea beverages. The model achieved a root‐mean‐square error of 0.58 and a coefficient of determination of 0.84 for the testing set. The proposed model provides a theoretical way to evaluate the sensory quality of tea infusion based on its chemical composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine the extent of variations in the ratio of major free sugars to total sugars and major organic acids to total organic acids in strawberry juice with cultivar and harvest season and investigate whether these differences affect the perceived intensity of sweetness and sourness. Eight Japanese strawberry cultivars were simultaneously grown and harvested in different seasons for sugar and organic acid content analyses. In addition, simulated strawberry juices, containing equal total amounts of sugars and organic acids but in different ratios, were prepared based on their analytical values. The perceived intensities of sweetness and sourness of the juices were subjected to sensory evaluation. The results showed a wide range of sucrose compositions, ranging from almost zero to the highest ratio of 36.7% to total sugar. Glucose and fructose were present in approximately equal amounts, with a slight inclination toward more fructose. For organic acids, the highest ratio of citric acid was 87.6%, the lowest was approximately 60.1%, and the remainder comprised malic acid. The results of the sensory evaluation using simulated strawberry juice indicated that sweetness and sourness were significantly more pronounced as the ratio of sucrose to total sugar and the ratio of malic acid to total organic acid increased, respectively. These results suggest that it is essential to consider not only total soluble solids and titratable acidity but also the composition of the sugars and organic acids comprising them when evaluating strawberry taste. Practical Application: Total soluble solids and titratable acidity have been used to evaluate strawberry taste; however, how the composition and ratios of the sugars and organic acids that comprise them affect the taste is unclear. This study revealed that, for sugars, an increase in the proportion of sucrose resulted in a stronger perception of sweetness, and for organic acids, an increase in the proportion of malic acid resulted in a stronger perception of sourness. These findings are expected to be useful in future studies evaluating strawberry taste and palatability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to determine whether lactic acid content is associated with the intensity of the sour taste of Choshu-Kurokashiwa broth. Chicken broth was prepared using breast (pectoralis major) and leg (thigh + drumstick) meat of male and female Choshu-Kurokashiwa and broilers. These broths were assessed by a screened and trained panel and analyzed for sour taste substances (lactic, citric, pyruvic, malic, succinic, acetic, phosphoric, aspartic, and glutamic acids) and pH. The sensory sour taste was significantly higher in the Choshu-Kurokashiwa breast broth than in the broiler breast broth (P0.05). Choshu-Kurokashiwa breast broth had a significantly higher lactic acid content than broiler breast broth (P0.1). No other organic acids were detected. Phosphoric acid and glutamic acid contents were higher in broiler broth than in Choshu-Kurokashiwa broth for both breast and leg meat (P0.1), and in the leg broth, it was higher in broiler and female Choshu-Kurokashiwa broth than in male Choshu-Kurokashiwa broth (P

The decision to consume or reject a food based on the degree of acidity is critical for animal survival. However, the gustatory receptors that detect sour compounds and influence feeding behavior have been elusive. Here, using the fly, Drosophila melanogaster, we reveal that a member of the ionotropic receptor family, IR7a, is essential for rejecting foods laced with high levels of acetic acid. IR7a is dispensable for repulsion of other acidic compounds, indicating that the gustatory sensation of acids occurs through a repertoire rather than a single receptor. The fly's main taste organ, the labellum, is decorated with bristles that house dendrites of gustatory receptor neurons (GRNs). IR7a is expressed in a subset of bitter GRNs rather than GRNs dedicated to sour taste. Our findings indicate that flies taste acids through a repertoire of receptors, enabling them to discriminate foods on the basis of acid composition rather than just pH.

The aim of this research was to clarify the effects of organic acid content on the taste and palatability of strawberry jam. Prepared jam samples with different organic acid contents (0.8–2.0%) were assessed for color and texture, and then subjected to sensory evaluation of sweetness, sourness and preference attributes. For the sensory evaluation, assessors evaluated the sweetness intensity of the jam as decreasing with increasing organic acid content. In contrast, the sourness intensity increased as the organic acid content increased. Palatability did not change with the content of organic acids when the jam was evaluated alone. However, a difference was observed when eating jam in combination with yogurt or bread; moderately sour jam was preferred over those at either extreme of the sourness scale. Assessors who commonly consume jam with yogurt showed a preference when evaluating jam with yogurt, but no differences were observed when evaluating jam with bread. By contrast, assessors who commonly consume jam with bread did not show a preference when evaluating jam with yogurt, but showed a preference when evaluating jam with bread. Assessors who typically consume jam with yogurt or bread did not show any differences in preference when evaluating jam alone. These results indicate the importance of considering the eating habits of assessors when investigating the palatability of foods, such as jam, that are not eaten alone. Because the preference of them may change depending on their eating habits.

Taste has strong evolutionary basis in the sense of survival by influencing our behavior to obtain food/medicine or avoid poisoning. It is a complex trait and varies among individuals and distinct populations. We aimed to investigate the association between known genetic factors (673 SNPs) and taste preference in the Lithuanian population, as well as to determine a reasonable method for qualitative evaluation of a specific taste phenotype for further genetic analysis. Study group included individuals representing six ethnolinguistic regions of Lithuania. Case and control groups for each taste were determined according to the answers selected to the taste‐specific and frequency of specific food consumption questions. Sample sizes (case/control) for each taste are as follows: sweetness (55/179), bitterness (82/208), sourness (32/259), saltiness (42/249), and umami (96/190). Genotypes were extracted from the Illumina HumanOmniExpress‐12v1.1 arrays' genotyping data. Analysis was performed using PLINK v1.9. We found associations between the main known genetic factors and four taste preferences in the Lithuanian population: sweetness—genes TAS1R3, TAS1R2, and GNAT3 (three SNPs); bitterness—genes CA6 and TAS2R38 (six SNPs); sourness—genes PKD2L1, ACCN2, PKD1L3, and ACCN1 (48 SNPs); and saltiness—genes SCNN1B and TRPV1 (five SNPs). We found our questionnaire as a beneficial aid for qualitative evaluation of taste preference. This was the first initiative to analyze genetic factors related to taste preference in the Lithuanian population. Besides, this study reproduces, supports, and complements results of previous limited taste genetic studies or ones that lack comprehensive results concerning distinct (ethnic) human populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Shipin Kexue/ Food Science is the property of Food Science Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Efforts continue to understand the underlying mechanism of weight loss after bariatric surgery. Taste perception has shown to be a contributing factor. However, the alteration pattern in different taste domains and among bariatric procedures has not been sufficiently investigated. Objectives: To study the alteration pattern in the perception of four taste domains after different bariatric procedures. Settings: Private Research Institute, USA. Methods: A systematic review was conducted to pool available data in the literature on post-operative changes in the perception of sensitivity to four taste domains after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), and adjustable gastric banding (AGB). Results: Our study showed that bariatric surgery is associated with significant change in sensitivity to all four taste domains especially salt taste, sweetness, and sourness. LSG patients showed an increased sensitivity to all four taste domains. However, RYGB patients had a variable alteration pattern of taste perception but more commonly a decreased sensitivity to sweetness and an increased sensitivity to salt taste and sourness. Additionally, AGB patients had a decreased sensitivity to sweetness, salt taste, and sourness. Conclusion: Bariatric surgery is associated with taste change in a way which results in less preference for high-calorie food and possibly reduced calorie intake. This may explain one of the mechanisms by which bariatric surgery produces weight loss. However, data are heterogeneous, the potential effect dilutes over time, and the alteration varies significantly between different procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For children it is important to consume enough vegetables to establish healthy dietary patterns. Taste acceptance is an important factor contributing to food choice and consumption. Sweetness and sourness enhancement can increase acceptance of specific foods in children. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of sweetness and sourness enhancement on acceptance of cucumber and green capsicum purees in 5-6-year-old children. Three concentrations of sucrose (2, 5 and 10%) and citric acid (0.05, 0.08 and 0.15%) were added to cucumber and green capsicum purees. Children (n = 70, 5.7 ± 0.5 yrs) assessed acceptance of the vegetable purees using a 5-point hedonic facial scale. Sweetness enhancement significantly increased acceptance of cucumber purees (5 and 10% sucrose) and green capsicum purees (2 and 10% sucrose) compared to unmodified purees. Sourness enhancement (0.05, 0.08 and 0.15% citric acid) did not significantly influence acceptance of cucumber and green capsicum purees compared to unmodified purees. Children differed in acceptance of vegetable purees with added sucrose and citric acid. Sweetness likers (cucumber 77.1%, green capsicum 58.6%) accepted sucrose concentrations better than sweetness non-likers in both vegetables. Sourness likers (cucumber 50.0%, green capsicum 44.3%) accepted medium and high concentrations of citric acid better than sourness non-likers in cucumber and all citric acid concentrations in green capsicum. We conclude that enhancement of sweetness increases acceptance of cucumber and green capsicum purees in most children whereas enhancement of sourness is better accepted by only a few children. This study highlights the challenge to get children to better accept vegetables, since only sweetness enhancement improved acceptance while addition of sucrose is undesirable. For a small subset of children enhancing sourness might be an alternative strategy to increase acceptance of vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although icing treatment has been well accepted as aftercare in sports fields, the detailed mechanisms o f the treatment is not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the effect o f icing treatment on the recovery process o f rat plantaris muscles with artificially induced muscle damage. Sixty male Wistar rats (8-weeks-old) were randomly assigned to three groups; control (CTL), bupivacaine-injected (BPVC), and icing treatment after BPVC (ICE). Icing treatment was applied for 20 min immediately after BPVC, and the treatment was used once per day for 3 days. The plantaris muscles were removed at 3, 7,15, and 28 days after the muscle damage, then immunohistochemical and real time RT-PCR analysis were performed. In histochemical analysis, although significant changes were found in the relative muscle weight, cross-sectional area o f muscle fiber, percentage o f muscle fiber with central nuclei, and expressed immature myosin heavy chain isoforms after muscle damage, as compared to the CTL group, no differences were found between BPVC and ICE groups. In mRNA expression analysis, the ICE group had a significantly lower value o f MyoD than the BPVC group at 3 days after the damage. Expression o f IL-6 mRNA, which relates to muscle inflammation, indicated significantly higher value in BPVC, but not in ICE, than CTL groups at 7days after the damage. Furthermore, BKB2 receptor, which relates to acute muscle soreness, indicated a significantly higher expression in BPVC than ICE groups at 3 days after the damage. These results suggest that icing treatment is effective to suppress muscle inflammation and soreness at an early stage o f recovery from damage, but not effective for muscle regeneration at a later stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Characterization of the sensory properties of small-molecular-weight phenolic acids such as ferulic and vanillic acids has been limited. The objectives of this study were to characterize the sensory perceptions of these acids and the effects of their repeated consumption on sourness, bitterness and astringency. This knowledge will further the understanding of the impact of these acids on the sensory characteristics of foods in which they are typically consumed. RESULTS Two time-intensity sensory evaluation experiments were conducted with nine trained panelists: a single-sip study and a sequential-sip study. Concentrations of phenolic acids typically found in whole grain bread were tested. For both experiments, vanillic acid was perceived to be significantly more sour than ferulic acid, and ferulic acid was perceived to be significantly more bitter than vanillic acid. Maximum sourness, bitterness and astringency intensities significantly increased with increasing molarity for both acids. During sequential sipping, astringency and bitterness intensity increased with each sip. Sourness, however, increased to sip 3 but did not significantly increase after that point. CONCLUSION This research demonstrates that even small quantities of phenolic acids can be perceived as increasingly bitter and astringent with repeated exposures. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper aims to extend current understanding concerning the cross-modal correspondences between sounds and tastes by introducing new research tools and experimental data to study associations and their reflections between music and taste. Design/methodology/approach – The experiment design addresses the multidisciplinary approach by using cultural, chemical and statistical analysis methods. Findings – The paper provides further evidence that exposure to the “sweet” or “sour” musical pieces influences people’s food-related thinking processes and behaviors. It also demonstrates that sweet or sour elements in the music may reflect to actual sweetness (as measured by sugar content) and sourness (as measured by organic acid content) of foods developed in association with music carrying similar taste characteristics. Research limitations/implications – The findings should be replicated and expanded using larger consumer samples and wider repertoires of “taste music” and dependent variables. Also, the level of experimental control should be improved; e.g., the “sweet” and “sour” music were produced using different instruments, which may have an influence to the results. Practical implications – Ambient “taste music” that is congruent with the basic flavors of the dishes can be played in restaurants to highlight guests’ sensory experience. Social implications – By carefully considering the symbolic meanings of the music used in different social situations, it is possible to create multimodal experiences and even subconscious expectations in people’ minds. Originality/value – Cross-modal associations are made between the tastes and music. This can influence on perception of food and provide new ways to build multimodal gastronomic experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pomegranate fruit and its products are being widely promoted to consumers as healthy alternatives for their daily diet. The aim was to study the main sensory differences among twenty pomegranate cultivars, determining which cultivars have particular flavour or texture notes that could make them more appropriate for fresh consumption or processing. Four clusters grouped all samples, two of them included sour cultivars and two of them included sweet and sweet-sour cultivars. Cluster 1 (sour) was characterized by having floral, apple, and grape flavour notes and also producing a tongue numbing sensation. Cluster 2 (sour), which included the Wonderful cultivar, had samples with wine-like attributes. Clusters 3 and 4 (sweet and sour-sweet) were characterized by having overall sweet, pear and grape notes for cluster 3, and beet, fruity-dark, fermented, musty and woody flavour for cluster 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The impact of the degree of polymerization (DP) of procyanidins and its interactions with fructose, acidity and alcohol in a model solution of cider was investigated. Four sensory characteristics (bitterness, astringency, sweetness and sourness) were studied. At 750 mg/L of procyanidins, the DP impacted astringency and bitterness but not sweetness or sourness. The medium DP (tetramer) of apple procyanidins was the most bitter and astringency increased with the DP. The impact of ethanol, fructose and acidity on the four sensory attributes was also examined. These results provide insights into how the components interact to produce the taste of cider. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Two respondent subgroups based on flavor preferences were identified. [•] One subgroup favored sour and spicy foods and responded favorably to capsaicin. [•] The same group showed less tendency for food neophobia. [•] Genetic variability partially explained the subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Miracle fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum) contains the glycoprotein miraculin which turns a sour taste into a sweet one. Chemical analyses and sensory evaluation experiments were conducted to examine the sweetening effect of miracle fruit with regard to five different commercial sour liquids which were diluted until they were subjectively equally sour. HPLC-based analyses revealed that (1) the predominating acids in two and three of the liquids were citric acid and acetic acid, respectively and (2) all five liquids contained fructose and glucose. Healthy young adults (eight males and 10 females) in the sensory evaluation experiments were asked to chew a miracle fruit and apply their saliva to the oral mucosae. They were asked to score the sweetness elicited by the five liquids relative to a sucrose standard at 0, 15, 25 and 35 min thereafter. The citric acid-based liquids were perceived as being sweeter than the acetic acid-based liquids at all timepoints. Thus, commercial sour liquids that mainly contain citric acid are more effective than acetic acid-based liquids in eliciting a perception of sweetness after the miracle fruit application, while the sugars in the liquids seemed to play a minimal role as determinants of sweetness. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Decreasing the sodium content in food products without changing consumer acceptability has become an important challenge for the food industry, and several strategies are currently under investigation to reach this goal. This study investigated the effectiveness of saltiness enhancement by an odour to maintain the perception of saltiness in reduced salt content solutions. In the first experiment, we tested the hypothesis that odour intensity drives the level of saltiness enhancement. The results showed that odour can increase the salty intensity by 25%, while no clear influence of odour intensity either in tasteless solutions or in low-salt content solutions. In a second experiment, we examined whether odour could enhance saltiness in salty solutions containing potassium chloride alone or mixed with sodium chloride and in salty-sour solutions. The results showed that a higher Odour-Induced Saltiness Enhancement occurred when the salty taste relied on potassium chloride as compared to sodium chloride. However, the highest enhancement was observed in the ternary odour–sour-salty solution. These findings suggest that cross-modal odour(s)–taste(s) interactions may be an efficient strategy, in combination with the use of salt replacers, to compensate for sodium reduction in complex food systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The roles of taste and astringent properties, food choice motives and health concerns in liking of bilberry and crowberry samples were studied using a sensory panel prescreened for the hTAS2R38 taste receptor genotype. The subjects rated the intensity of sourness, bitterness and two astringent properties (soft, velvety and rough, puckering) of all berry samples. They also scored the liking of juice fractions and completed a food choice motive and health concern questionnaire. Regression models were used to combine different data sets and to predict liking of the extracts. Sourness contributed positively to the liking of berry fractions, and bitterness and rough astringency were negative factors. The hTAS2R38 genotype affected the liking of polyphenol-rich extracts, which were significantly bitter and astringent. Based on the genotype grouping of subjects, PAV homozygotes gave lower ratings to the attributes than AVI homozygotes. In contrast, PAV homozygotes were predicted to dislike the extracts notably more than AVI homozygotes. Health concern and food choice motives related to health and weight control had significant roles in individual liking of juice fractions. Our results indicate that mood was more important to the PAV homozygotes than to the AVI homozygotes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Samples of dilute HCl intended to result in mixtures with saliva with pH levels below, near and above the level of maximum protein–polyphenol interaction were presented to panelists. Significant differences in astringency were seen, but no evidence of a decline in astringency with stronger acid. Panelists abstained from tea drinking for some time, then drank two or more cups of green tea per day for some days, and finally omitted tea drinking for a period. Salivary polyphenol levels were determined throughout the experiment. Drinking green tea resulted in a highly significant (p <0.01) increase in salivary polyphenol levels that persisted for some days. Very dilute HCl solutions (0, 0.005, 0.006 and 0.007N) were presented to panelists before, during and after the period of tea drinking and rated for astringency and sourness. Astringency and sourness intensity ratings increased significantly (p <0.01) during the period of tea drinking. It appears that there is a metabolic pool of polyphenol that is influenced by dietary habits. It appears likely that the salivary polyphenol level influences perception of astringency caused by acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potential of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in the wavelength range of 900–1700 nm for determination of sweetness (total soluble solids, TSS); sourness (acidity) and their ratio for 5 cultivars of apple was studied. Partial least square and multiple linear regression (MLR) employing pre-processing techniques were carried out. MLR models were found to be the best for prediction after treating the spectral data with multiple scatter correction technique. The multiple correlation coefficients for calibration and validation were found to be 0.887, 0.745 °Brix for TSS, 0.890, 0.752 % for acidity and 0.893, 0.751 for acidity/TSS ratio, respectively. The standard errors of calibration, prediction, biases and differences in them were low, which indicated that NIRS has potential to predict internal quality of apple non-destructively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Our objective was to assess six palate cleansers and two cleansing protocols for their ability to limit buildup and enhance discrimination of tannin-containing and acidic astringent solutions. Palate cleansers included water, carboxymethylcellulose, crackers, milk, chewing wax, or nothing. Twenty-nine panelists, randomly divided into two groups, participated in a 12-session series in which they rated the astringency of either six tannin or hydrochloric acid solutions. Panelists used a single palate cleanser at each session according to one of two cleansing protocols. The palate cleansers did not differ in their ability to prevent astringency buildup from occurring. Panelists were best able to discriminate among the astringency of the tannin solutions when water or nothing was used as a palate cleanser. Water or nothing also improved discrimination among the acid samples, but only at low levels of astringency. Astringency discrimination and buildup were not affected by the cleansing protocol. Our results indicate that using water or nothing as a palate cleanser will facilitate detection of sensory differences of astringency. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The interaction between aspartame, glucose and xylitol in aqueous model systems of pH 3.00 and containing potassium sorbate was studied. Potassium sorbate degradation diminished with the increment of aspartame level from 0.050 to 0.500g/100g of system. Xylitol was the humectant that minimized aspartame degradation and non-enzymatic browning development. In general, as expected, presence of aspartame, xylitol or glucose and their mixtures increased the sweetness and they also diminished the sourness of the systems. The addition of 0.050g of aspartame/100g of system to the system containing xylitol produced a synergistic effect on sweetness intensity. Based on that trend, it could be concluded that the use of more than one sweetener might allow diminishing the amount of each one of them to assure a specific sweet level. These results stand out the advantage of the use of xylitol as well as the importance of an appropriate choice of the additives and food ingredients to use in the formulation of modified products with lower sugar content to optimize their quality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Agricultural Sciences / Zemès ukio Mokslai is the property of Lithuanian Academy of Sciences Publishers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the palatability of 15 bottled nutritive drinks, all commercially available in the Japanese market, using data from artificial taste and odor sensors. In gustatory sensation tests, well-trained healthy volunteers were asked to score the drinks in terms of palatability and of the four basic tastes. The results suggest that overall palatability is positively correlated with sourness intensity and fruitiness (R =0.82 and 0.86, respectively) and negatively correlated with bitterness intensity and the tasting of medicinal plants (R =−0.85 and −0.80, respectively). The sourness and bitterness intensity could be predicted by taste sensor and fruitiness could be predicted by odor sensor, respectively. By performing principal component analysis of the taste sensor data, the 15 drinks could be classified into four groups. The group classified as being predominantly sour had the highest palatability score, 3.8. By principal component analysis of odor sensor data, the drinks could also be classified into four groups and this time the group with a fruity flavor (smell) showed the highest palatability score, 3.4. In the combined analysis of both taste and odor data, products containing medicinal plants showed the lowest palatability. Finally, the combined usage of the taste and odor sensors gave rise to a three-group classification. Thus, not only the taste sensor but also the odor sensor may be useful in evaluating the palatability of bottled nutritive drinks. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the taste of 20 bottled nutritive drinks, all commercially available on the Japanese market, both in human gustatory sensation tests and using a multi-channel taste sensor. In the gustatory sensation tests, seven trained healthy volunteers were asked to score the drinks in terms of the intensities of four basic tastes (sweetness, saltiness, sourness, and bitterness), for overall palatability (ease of drinking), and for nine components of palatability (astringency, pungency, fruitiness, tasting of a medicinal plant, refreshing, irritating to the throat, seeming beneficial, good aftertaste, and the desire to drink again). The data were analysed to determine the critical factors for overall palatability.There was a positive linear correlation between overall palatability and ‘sourness’, ‘fruitiness’, ‘refreshing’, and ‘good aftertaste’ scores (r = 0.79, 0.85, 0.74, and 0.70, respectively). There was a negative correlation between overall palatability and ‘bitterness intensity’, ‘tasting of a medicinal plant’, ‘seeming beneficial’, and ‘pungency’ scores (r = -0.76, -0.64, -0.62, and -0.50, respectively).When evaluated using a multi-channel taste sensor, there was a positive linear correlation between the intensities of sourness and bitterness determined by the human volunteers and those predicted by the taste sensor (r = 0.85 and 0.71, respectively). The pungency intensity, as evidenced in gustatory sensation tests, could be also predicted by sensor output (r = 0.84). The taste sensor seems therefore to be a potentially useful tool in evaluating the palatability of bottled nutritive drinks. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Consumer's acceptance of tomato juice depends on its sourness to sweetness ratio and measuring this is important for quality control and marketing. Traditional methods destroy the samples, are time consuming and cannot be used in continuous packing or bottling systems. A non-destructive method of quality evaluation, using near infrared (NIR) techniques, was tested, by using a portable NIR measuring unit. Spectra of tomato juice of known acid and brix values were determined and, in the wavelength range 703–1124 nm (NIR), a calibration model for acid–brix ratio (ABR) was developed, by using unscrambler software. When used to predict ABR of tomato juice statistical analysis showed minimal standard error (0.009) and satisfactorily high correlation coefficients (0.92) over the wavelength range 1059.5–1124.8 nm, for both calibration and prediction. These values were hardly different from analytical results and the NIR model has potential for non-destructive prediction of ABR of tomato juice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of the off-flavor in Dosidicus gigas meat and the partial characterization of the responsible compound(s) is reported. Descriptive analysis of the squid flavor showed that sour and bitter tastes de- scribe the off-flavor. Water-soluble extracts from mantle were fractionated by ultrafiltration and separated by size exclusion chromatography. Sensory analyses of chromatography peaks indicated that fraction 2 was consistent in sourness and bitterness intensity. Amino phase HPLC of fraction 2 resulted in the separation of six peaks. Analysis showed that these peaks contain amino acids, thus indicating that low molecular weight water-soluble peptides are involved in the off-flavor of jumbo squid Doskficus gigas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruit were harvested at the mature green and pink stages of maturity and held for 60 days at 15°C (mature green fruit) or 13°C (pink fruit) under three different controlled atmosphere (CA) conditions: 3.2% CO2, 6.4% CO2 or 9.1% CO2, combined in all cases with 5.5% O2. Mature green fruit were then kept for additional 10 days at 20°C to simulate shelf life conditions. Different sensory tests were conducted which included analytical tests (tomato flavour and two flavour descriptors, sweetness and sourness) and affective tests (acceptability). Objective measures (total soluble solids, titratable acidity and TSS/titratable acidity ratio) were also obtained. Control tomatoes showed significantly higher flavour scores, and were sweeter and more acceptable than those exposed to long-term CA storage. Although there were no significant differences in flavour, sweetness and acceptability scores among mature green and pink fruit stored at different gaseous combinations, the acceptability levels were slightly higher in tomatoes stored in 9.1% CO2. The sourness score for tomatoes treated with 9.1% CO2 was significantly lower than that for tomatoes treated with other CO2 concentrations. Although no significant differences were found among the three CA storage treatments, TSS values and TSS/ acidity ratios in fruit treated with 9.1% CO2 plus 5.5% O2 suggested that this combination displayed a better performance for long-term storage (slightly lower ripening rate, and slightly higher tomato flavour and consumer acceptability). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between taste responsiveness and food liking in preadolescents. Model food samples of grapefruit juice (GF) and vegetable broth (VB) modified with four additions of sucrose and sodium chloride, respectively, were employed. Intensity perception for sweetness, sourness, and bitterness were measured in GF while saltiness and umami were measured in VB. The children (N = 148) also completed food choice, familiarity, stated liking and neophobia questionnaires. The test was conducted at school, with instructions provided remotely via video call. Four segments were defined differing in basic taste responsiveness. Segments and sucrose concentrations significantly affected liking for GF, while no significant effect of segments and sodium chloride concentrations occurred on liking for VB. An increasing sucrose concentration was positively associated with liking for GF only in the segment with low responsiveness to bitter and sour tastes. No significant differences across segments were found for food choice, familiarity, stated liking, and neophobia. Conclusively, relationships between taste responsiveness and liking are product and basic taste-dependent in addition to being subject-dependent. Strategies to improve acceptance by using sucrose as a suppressor for warning sensations of bitterness and sourness can be more or less effective depending on individual responsiveness to the basic tastes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A strategy was outlined for the exploitation of high-quality unripe grapes. • The food composition affected both the phenol recovered and antioxidant activity. • The highest recovery of phenols was from the starch/neutral pH food model. • The highest antioxidant activity was from the carbohydrates/acidic pH food model. • The models' sensory properties are modulated by phenol content and food composition. Unripe grapes (UGs) from thinning are an unexploited source of phenols useful as functional ingredient. However, phenols may negative affect sensory quality of food. Chemical and sensory properties of UG phenols in plant-based foods were not investigated before. With this aim, an extract from UGs, obtained by a green extraction technique, was used to fortify three plant-based food models: carbohydrates/acidic pH/sweet – beetroot purée, proteins/neutral pH/sweet – pea purée and starch/neutral pH – potato purée. Functional and sensory properties of phenol-enriched foods varied as a function of their composition and original taste. The amount of UG phenols recovered from potato purée was higher than that recovered from beetroot and pea purée, while the antioxidant activity detected in beetroot purée was higher than that in potato and pea purée. Significant variations of sourness, saltiness, bitterness and astringency were induced by UG phenols added to food models. Beetroot purée resulted more appropriate to counteract the negative sensations induced by UG phenols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Odor-taste association has been successfully applied to enhance taste perception in foods with low sugar or low salt content. Nevertheless, selecting odor descriptors with a given associated taste remains a challenge. In the aim to look for odors able to enhance some specific taste, we tested different multivariate analyses to find links between taste descriptors and odor descriptors, starting from a set of data previously obtained using gas chromatography/olfactometry-associated taste: 68 odorant zones described with 41 odor descriptors and 4 taste-associated descriptors (sweetness, saltiness, bitterness, and sourness). A partial least square analysis allowed for identification of odors associated with a specific taste. For instance, odors described as either fruity, sweet, strawberry, candy, floral, or orange are associated with sweetness, while odors described as either toasted, potato, sulfur, or mushroom are associated with saltiness. A network representation allowed for visualization of the links between odor and taste descriptors. As an example, a positive association was found between butter odor and both saltiness and sweetness. Our approach provided a visualization tool of the links between odor and taste description and could be used to select odor-active molecules with a potential taste enhancement effect based on their odor descriptors.

The development of robotic sensors that mimic the human sensing capabilities is critical for the interaction and cognitive abilities of modern robots. Though robotic skin with embedded pressure or temperature sensors has received recent attention, robotic chemical sensors have long been unnoticed due to the challenges associated with realizing chemical sensing modalities on robotic platforms. For realizing such chemically sensitive robotic skin, we exploit here the recent advances in wearable chemical sensor technology and flexible electronics, and describe chemical sensing robotic fingers for rapid screening of food flavors and additives. The stretchable taste-sensing finger electrochemical devices are printed on the robotic glove, which simulates the soft skin, and are integrated with a wireless electronic board for real-time data transmission. The printed middle, index, and ring robotic fingers allow accurate discrimination between sweetness, sourness, and spiciness, via direct electrochemical detection of glucose, ascorbic acid, and capsaicin. The sweet-sensing ability has been coupled with a caffeine-sensing robotic finger for rapid screening of the presence of sugar and caffeine in common beverages. The "sense of taste" chemically sensitive robotic technology thus enables accurate discrimination between different flavors, as was illustrated in numerous tests involving a wide range of liquid and solid food samples. Such realization of advanced wearable taste-sensing systems at the robot fingertips should pave the way to automated chemical sensing machinery, facilitating robotic decision for practical food assistance applications, with broad implications to a wide range of robotic sensing applications.