Food group symposium sensory aspects of food texture and their correlates

The following are summaries of papers presented at a meeting of the Sensory Panel of the Food Group held on 12 March 1980 at the Society of Chemical Industry, 14 Belgrave Square, London SW1X8PS The summaries so published are the responsibility of the authors and in no way reflect the views of the Editorial Borad of the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.     

Structure,sensory and nutritional aspects of soluble-fibre inclusion in processed food products

The food industry relies increasingly on soluble fibre to formulate products with superior structural properties, mouthfeel and potential health benefits. In this paper, we have compiled experimental data from a wide range of high-solid foodstuffs in order to demonstrate the utility of fibre inclusion in such preparations. Recent studies have mapped out the structural properties of soluble-fibre polysaccharides (e.g., κ-carrageenan, agarose and deacylated gellan) in the presence of increasing levels of co-solute with application to the confectionery and ice cream industries. One of the incentives to understand the behaviour of such systems is the prospect of providing an alternative to gelatin since the protein is increasingly falling “out of fashion” with consumers and producers alike. This rather underresearched area has other applications, for example, flavor encapsulation and preservation of bioactive molecules in glassy polysaccharide matrices.     

Not all germ cells are created equal: aspects of sexual dimorphism in mammalian meiosis

The study of mammalian meiosis is complicated by the timing of meiotic events in females and by the intermingling of meiotic sub-stages with somatic cells in the gonad of both sexes. In addition, studies of mouse mutants for different meiotic regulators have revealed significant differences in the stringency of meiotic events in males versus females. This sexual dimorphism implies that the processes of recombination and homologous chromosome pairing, while being controlled by similar genetic pathways, are subject to different levels of checkpoint control in males and females. This review is focused on the emerging picture of sexual dimorphism exhibited by mammalian germ cells using evidence from the broad range of meiotic mutants now available in the mouse. Many of these mouse mutants display distinct differences in meiotic progression and/or dysfunction in males versus females, and their continued study will allow us to understand the molecular basis for the sex-specific differences observed during prophase I progression.     

Identification of Albizia gum exudates which are not permitted food additives

Trees of the genus Albizia have frequently been confused with Acacia species. The genus Albizia has been recommended for more extensive arid zone development; its species are sources of tannins and gum exudates, which are not included in any of the regulatory lists of permitted food additives. Analytical data permitting their identification are therefore required to allow food law compliance to be monitored. This paper presents data which serve to characterize the gums from seven Albizia species, making a total of eleven Albizia species for which data are available. The presence of tannins, and high proportions of aluminium and heavy metals, indicates that gum importers and food processors must be vigilant to ensure that Albizia gums do not enter human food chains as adulterants or contaminants.     

The identification of Combretum gums which are not permitted food additives, II

Combretum gums, readily available at low prices in East and West Africa, may be offered for sale as 'gum arabic'. Vigilance is necessary to detect such misrepresentations because Combretum gums differ greatly from gum arabic (Acacia senegal (L.) Willd.) in terms of quality, solution properties and value. Moreover, because there is no toxicological evidence for their safety in use, Combretum gums are not included in any of the international lists of permitted food additives. Food manufacturers and regulatory authorities therefore require data that characterize Combretum gums so that their use in foodstuffs can be prevented. This paper presents such data for the gums from a further six Combretum species. All of these have negative optical rotations similar to that of food grade gum arabic. It is no longer sufficient, therefore, to rely solely on an optical rotation measurement to confirm the identity of gum arabic. The additional analyses necessary to differentiate between Combretum gums and gum arabic are discussed.     

Neuroimmune aspects of food intake

There is increasing evidence that diet and the nutrients it contains, may affect the function of the enteric nervous and immune systems, which in turn may alter bacterial diversity and function, intestinal motility and physiology, regulation of inflammation and also affect cognitive brain functions such as memory and even some behaviours.     

Toxicological aspects of food safety

The safety-in-use of a food chemical in terms of human exposure is based on relevant information on the chemistry of the material and its biological effects in experimental animals. In the UK the information required is contained in the MAFF memorandum of 1965 on the procedure for submissions on food additives and methods of toxicity testing. The submission should provide, in addition to particulars of the composition, purity and commercial usage of a compound, toxicity data obtained from animal studies. Details of these investigations in animal models which include acute, short-term and chronic studies will be described. More recently the DHSS has set guide lines for the mutagenicity testing of food chemicals. In the USA further refinements have been incorporated into safety evaluation studies. These include exposure in utero of animals to test compounds, multigeneration studies, extension of long-term studies to 20% survival of animals and compliance with Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) requirement. Thus, the investigative work required by regulatory authorities for the clearance of a food chemical can take up to three years at a cost in excess of £300 000 at present value. Clearly, in the present economic climate the high and escalating cost of obtaining approval for new food chemicals is bound to discourage product development.In addition, growing concern over the chemical contaminants in the human environment, many of which have direct or indirect impact in human food supply, has generated a long life of substances on which safety evidence is insufficient.In the light of these logistic and economic constraints, alternative approaches are indicated for assessing the safety of chemicals in the human environment. Some of the alternative schemes proposed will be discussed.     

感官评价在食品工业中的应用

描述感官评价的定义以及发展,展示感官评价在食品工业中的角色及作用。探讨了感官评价与由食品产品的市场研究、产品研发、生产和质量控制整个产业链之间的关系。     

食品中感官评定发展现状

食品感官评定在食品质量评估中占有重要的作用,其在食品生产与食品研究中越来越得到更多人的重视。从感官评定发展的标志性事件,及国内感官评定现状总结了感官评定的历史;由感官评定的定义出发,通过味觉、触觉、视觉、嗅觉和听觉五个方面对感官评定常用的方法手段等相应状况进行了概述;概述了感官评定人员、食品基质、食品加工处理对食品感官评定的影响。     

Safety aspects of food preservatives.

The use of food preservatives, such as benzoic acid, nitrites, and sulphites, as antimicrobials, and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), ascorbic acid and tocopherols, as antioxidants, has probably changed food production patterns and eating habits more than has the use of any other class of food additive. These food preservative chemicals confer substantial benefits on man, not only by the preservation and increased palatability of food, but also by affording protection against the pathological effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which are associated with cancer, cardiovascular disease and aging. Nevertheless, although most preservatives are now considered to be without potential adverse effects and are classified as GRAS, there have been problems concerning the safety of some of these chemicals, including the possibility of allergies from benzoic acid and sulphites, the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines from nitrites, and the possible rodent carcinogenicity of BHA and BHT. The mechanisms of this toxicity at high dosage, the roles of the cytochromes P450, and the generation and scavenging of ROS in the toxicity of these chemicals, are reviewed and discussed.     

食品感官分析的研究进展

详细地介绍了食品感官分析的基本概念、感官特性、感官分析的方法,感官分析试验设计的条件,分析了感官分析的影响因素,并对感官分析在食品中的应用进行了概括.     

感官评价在食品中的研究进展

介绍了感官评价的定义、主要方法、影响因素,并对感观评价在食品中的研究概况进行了综述,指出了未来发展方向。     

感官分析技术在食品工业中的应用

感官分析技术在食品工业中的应用非常广泛，不仅涉及新产品开发的整个领域，而且产品的质量控制也离不开感官分析相关技术。此外应用感官分析技术可以对同类相关产品进行分析比较，从而更好的了解产品间的差异，并为产品的改进提供参考依据。     

感官评价在食品中的研究进展

影响消费者购买食品意愿的最主要因素为食品的感官质量。伴随科技和经济的发展,评判感官质量的方法和技术也在不断的更新进步,其手段主要有基于人员品尝的人工感官评价、基于仪器分析的电子仿生感官评价技术和基于人因工程学的面部表情分析技术等,并且都在食品感官评价领域实现了较好地应用。本文对现有文献进行了系统整理,详细阐述了人工感官评价技术、电子舌技术和面部表情分析技术在食品科学领域的应用现状。电子舌和面部表情分技术虽然能弥补人工感官评价的不足,但这两种技术本身也存在一定的缺点,未来食品感官评价研究趋势将不局限于依赖单一技术,而是会多种技术手段的集成应用并形成测试数据模型,实现食品感官质量和风味特征的快速、智能与精准的系统评价。

     

From sensory evaluation to sensory and consumer research of food: An autobiographical perspective

During the past decades, sensory evaluation of food quality has evolved and grown into a discipline that covers sensory and consumer research of foods and beverages. The present review deals with those aspects of the development in which I have been personally involved and have considered inspiring and important subject matters in the field. They are consumer responses to (1) salt, (2) fat, and (3) unfamiliar foods; (4) food choice and socio-cognitive segmentation, (5) responses to food in the elderly and young; and (6) genetic origins of food preferences. Perspectives of the field and of these specific areas are discussed, and some “words of wisdom” are offered for the younger generation of sensory-consumer researchers.     

Physicochemical aspects of synthetic food production]

The authors discuss the general approach to the problem of the protein architecture and the working of proteins to synthetic foods. They present the main results from relevant studies on the compatibility and interactions of proteins and polysaccharides in aqueous media and deal with possibilities of influencing the structure formation and the physical properties of gels of given composition.