Aroma–taste interactions between a model cheese aroma and five basic tastes in solution

The flavour perception of cheese results from complex sensory interactions between tastes and aromas. Using a model cheese solution, this study investigated perceived interactions between each of five basic tastes and a cheese aroma mixture containing ten volatile compounds commonly found in cheese. The five tastes – sucrose (sweetness), sodium chloride (NaCl) (saltiness), monosodium glutamate (MSG) (umami), lactic acid (sourness), and caffeine (bitterness) – were individually mixed with cheese aroma in water using a 5 taste level (0.2 log series) by 3 aroma level (0.5 log series) design. Aroma controls with no added taste were also included. This resulted in 18 samples for each single taste–aroma combination. An additional 18 samples were produced using a mixture of all 5 tastes with the 3 aroma levels. A panel of trained assessors (n = 10) evaluated cheese flavour intensity and taste intensity using 100 point line scales. Evaluation was carried out in duplicate, with samples grouped by taste type; 1 evaluation session per taste per replicate. Within type, order of presentation was balanced, and taste type order was randomised between replicates. Cheese flavour intensity was enhanced by sucrose and NaCl, while being suppressed by lactic acid. NaCl enhanced cheese flavour intensity the most at high aroma level, while lactic acid suppressed the most at low aroma level. When MSG level was increased, cheese flavour intensity was enhanced at both low and medium aroma levels, but was suppressed at the high aroma level. The greatest enhancement of cheese flavour intensity was found with the mixture of 5 tastes. Aroma significantly enhanced umami and bitterness, but did not enhance sweetness, saltiness, or sourness. This study showed that the perceived interaction between taste and cheese aroma depended on taste type and on the concentration levels of both taste type and aroma. The mixture of tastes was more effective at enhancing cheese flavour intensity than single tastes. This study provides knowledge that will underpin further study of taste–aroma interactions in a model cheese that aims to optimise cheese flavour intensity and character.     

EFFECT OF HYDROCOLLOIDS ON ORAL VISCOSITY AND BASIC TASTE INTENSITIES *

Abstract. This study determined the effects of low concentrations of five food hydrocolloids on the taste intensities of aqueous solutions of sucrose, citric acid, sodium chloride, saccharin, and caffeine. The effects of the taste compounds on both oral and Brookfield viscosities were also measured. In general, sourness of citric acid and bitterness of caffeine were suppressed, while sweetness of saccharin was enhanced. Among the basic tastes, sourness was affected the most and saltiness the least. Except for sucrose, modification of taste intensity was independent of viscosity, and appeared to be related to the physicochemical properties of the hydrocolloid and the taste compound. About 16 cps were needed to reduce significantly the sweetness of sucrose. The taste compounds altered oral and physical viscosities differentially depending on the specific gum/taste combination. Generally, viscosity was reduced by the addition of all taste compounds except sucrose which increased the physical viscosity.     

Compositional variations and sensory acceptability of apple juice drink

Apple juice drinks containing 60% of Granny Smith or Jonathan juice, 8–14% soluble solids and Brix: acids ratios of 15:1 to 30:1 were assessed by a panel of twenty-five tasters. Sweetness and sourness increased with increasing levels of soluble solids and acidity respectively. Sourness showed little change with soluble solids at constant Brix: acid ratio but sweetness changed significantly. Intensity of flavour increased with soluble solids but the changes differed in the two types of drinks. Drinks having different soluble solids or Brix:acid ratios sometimes had similar flavour acceptabilities. Sweetness or lack of sourness, and intensity of flavour appeared to account for much of the flavour acceptability of the drinks. Equations for predicting flavour acceptance, based on Brix and Brix:acid ratios, were also developed.     

Taste interaction of ethyl alcohol with sweet, salty, sour and bitter compounds

The influence of ethyl alcohol in concentrations ranging from 4 to 24%, on the perceived taste intensities of sucrose, citric acid, quinine, and sodium chloride was determined by 24 subjects. A paired comparison method was used in which subjects selected the sample with the greater taste intensity (sweetness, sourness, bitterness or saltiness) as well as rating the intensity on a 13-point scale. The alcohol generally enhanced the sweetness of sucrose, with results varying slightly according to the subjects' task. The sourness of citric acid, and the saltiness of sodium chloride at all but the lowest concentration, were depressed by increasing additions of alcohol. Alcohol significantly enhanced the bitterness of quinine at all four concentrations. Although these results disagree with previously reported electrophysiological measurements on alcohol-quinine mixtures, they were internally consistent, and meaningful in terms of alcoholic beverage consumption behaviour.     

Optimising acceptability of new prebiotic low-fat milk beverages

The purpose of this work was to optimise the acceptability of two low-fat milk beverages with different types of inulin (CLR and TEX!) using Response Surface Methodology. Sixteen formulations of beverage with each inulin type were prepared, varying inulin concentration (3–8%), and sucrose concentration (0–8%). A group of 50 consumers evaluated the acceptability of the samples and tested the appropriateness of some sensory attributes intensity (colour, vanilla flavour, sweetness and thickness) using just about right scales. Response surface plots showed that formulations containing 5–8% CLR and 4–6.5% sucrose and formulations containing 4–6.5% for both TEX! inulin and sucrose were located in the optimum region. The sweetness and the thickness were the attributes that most affected the acceptability of the samples. The two low-fat samples (one for each inulin type) selected as the optimum showed no differences in acceptability (α = 0.05) between them neither when compared with a full fat control sample.     

荔枝果汁饮料碳酸化处理的工艺参数优化

采用Box-Behnken试验设计,对果汁糖浆用量比例（20％-40％,V／V）、碳酸化时间（5-15min）及碳酸化压力（0．5-0．23MPa）三个因素对含汽荔枝果汁饮料的感官属性指标进行响应面分析,并建立相应的二次多项式响应曲面模型。结果表明,样品的甜度巧、酸度Y2、刹口感Y3、风味Y4以及总体接受度b的响应曲面模型的决定系数彤分别为0．970、0．855、0．977、0．949和0．899,较好地拟合了碳酸化处理参数对感官属性指标的响应值。利用期望函数途径对响应曲面模型Y1～Y5进行模拟计算,获得碳酸化处理参数优化的工艺条件：果汁糖浆用量28％-30％、碳酸化时间12～15min;碳酸化压力0．21-0.23MPa,样品各感官属性指标预测值同时接近或达到目标值,验证试验实测样品的甜度值为3．1、酸度值为3．0、刹口感为3．5、风味为4．0,总体可接受度为4．0,与预测值相符。     

毛酸浆山楂复合果汁饮料的研制

以毛酸浆果、山楂为主要原料,以毛酸浆果汁（原果汁与水比例1：1）与山楂果汁（原果汁与水比例1：4）配比、稀释比、加糖量、加酸量为单因素,设计正交试验,优化出的饮料最佳配方为：果汁配比1：3、稀释比8：2、加糠量14%、柠檬酸加量0．15％。制备的复合果汁饮料色泽深黄,具有协调的香味;酸味柔和,酸甜适口,具有毛酸浆与山楂的典型风格。     

Formulation and shelf-life of a bottled pawpaw juice beverage

A simple procedure was developed for production of bottled pawpaw beverage juice by peeling and macerating peeled tissue in 25% water, straining through a 0.8-mm sieve, adjustment of juice pH with citric acid and flavour adjustment with sucrose. Fresh juice was optimized for acceptability at pH 3.9 and 10% (w/w) sucrose. Heating for 6 min at 72.2°C was required to achieve commercial pasteurization. Samples of juice were prepared with no preservative, and containing sodium benzoate (125mg/100ml), sodium metabisulphite (50mg/100ml) and sodium metabisulphite/sodium benzoate combination (25mg and 60mg/100ml) for trials in which acceptability, pH, specific gravity, brix, total acidity, vitamin C and biomass concentrations were measured over 90 weeks storage at 10°C and 30.2°C. Sodium benzoate alone extended the shelf-life at 30°C up to 80 weeks but the other preservatives were not effective after 20 weeks. The control juice was already deteriorating by 10 weeks at 30°C. At 10°C all preserved samples were stable up to 80 weeks, although the control deteriorated rapidly after 20 weeks.     

果葡糖浆在果汁饮料中的应用研究

对使用蔗糖与果葡糖浆生产的果汁饮料的成分进行了分析，比较了两类产品的糖成分和感官差异。结果表明：使用蔗糖生产的果汁饮料与使用果葡糖浆生产的果汁饮料比较，果葡糖浆对产品色泽的影响与蔗糖没有明显区别；但在产品风味方面，后者甜味消失快，果香味与酸味变浓；在果汁生产过程中，采用果葡糖浆部分替代蔗糖的产品风味不受影响．     

Dietary habits and the perception and liking of sweetness among Australian and Malaysian students: A cross-cultural study

This study examined whether the perception of, and preference for, varying levels of sucrose in water, orange juice, custard and biscuit were related to dietary intakes of sugar and sweet foods in 69 Caucasian Australian and 63 Malaysian university students living in Australia. The two ethnic groups were equally able to discriminate the relative differences in sucrose concentration among the test samples, and a similar percentage of each group were sweetness likers or dislikers. Some significant differences between the ethnic groups' sweetness intensity and preference ratings were observed, but the differences were food-specific and were not always apparent for the same sucrose level in the different test foods. Within each ethnic group, more subjects had greater difficulty discriminating different sucrose levels in a solid, high fat biscuit. The Australian group had higher mean liking ratings than the Malaysian group for the orange juice and biscuit samples. However, both groups preferred similar levels of sucrose in the juice, custard and biscuit, which were similar to the amounts of sucrose present in current commercial products. The hedonic response pattern to the sucrose solution was not a good predictor of the hedonic responses to the other test stimuli, which indicates that preferred levels of sweetness are food-specific. Sweetness intensity ratings were not significantly associated with any of the dietary intake variables or bitterness ratings to 6-n-propylthiouracil. However, subjects who preferred higher levels of sucrose in the test stimuli tended to have higher dietary intakes of sugar and sweet foods.     

Consumer Age Affects Response to Sensory Characteristics of a Cherry Flavored Beverage

The sensory responses of a young adult population were compared to one over age 60. Using a central composite design, sweetness and flavor intensity, flavor quality, overall acceptability, perceived thirst quenching and flavor identification were evaluated using an artificially flavored cherry beverage varying in sucrose, flavor, and color. The mean data were modeled to a response surface as a function of sucrose, color, and flavor. In both populations the measures were responsive to factors manipulated in the design. Color had specific unique effects on overall acceptance, flavor quality, and intensity in each of the populations. The older population was more sensitive to visual cues and less sensitive to changes in flavor concentration.     

Sugars and sweetness in buttercup squash

Sweetness is an important attribute in the flavour, acceptability, and perceived quality of winter squash. Glucose, fructose and sucrose contributed differently to the perceived sweetness of eight winter squash cultivars (Cucurbita maxima) rated by a trained sensory panel. Sucrose was the most important sugar in predicting sweetness, but better predictions were obtained using additional combinations of glucose and fructose content. Sugar content and relative proportions of glucose, fructose and sucrose changed during storage. Starch content decreased for all cultivars during storage, and was an important predictor of sweetness for high starch cultivars only. When data for sweetness were regressed against sugar concentrations, adjusted R² values in the range of 0.68–0.89 were obtained for seven of the cultivars. Including starch in the regression models unproved the adjusted R² values to 0.77–0.94.     

Slight Fermentation with Lactobacillus fermentium Improves the Taste (Sugar:Acid Ratio) of Citrus (Citrus reticulata cv. chachiensis) Juice

The aim of this study was to evaluate the hypothesis that fermentation with Lactobacillus fermentium, which can metabolize citric acid, could be applied in improving the taste (sugar:acid ratio) of citrus juice. During fermentation, the strain of L. fermentium can preferentially utilize citric acid of citrus (Citrus reticulata cv. Chachiensis) juice to support the growth without the consumption of sugar. After 6 h of fermentation with L. fermentium at 30 °C, the sugar:acid ratio of citrus juice increased to 22:1 from 12:1, which resulted in that the hedonic scores of sweetness, acidity and overall acceptability of fermented‐pasteurized citrus juice were higher than the unfermented‐pasteurized citrus juice. Compared with unfermented‐pasteurized citrus juice, the ORAC value and total amino acid showed a reduction, and no significant change (P > 0.05) in the L*, a*, b*, total soluble phenolics and ascorbic acid (Vc) content in the fermented‐pasteurized citrus juice was observed as compared with unfermented‐pasteurized citrus juice. Hence, slight fermentation with L. fermentium can be used for improving the taste (sugar:acid ratio) of citrus juice with the well retaining of quality.     

Does it burn? The effect of guar gum addition on ginger beer's sensory properties

Consumer demand for ginger beer has grown within the last few years due to health benefits associated with ginger consumption identified in recent studies and its low-calorie content. However, non-alcoholic ginger beer, like other non-alcoholic beverages, does not possess the same mouthfeel as its alcoholic counterparts. As such, the aim of this study was to evaluate how the addition of guar gum impacted the sensory perception, spiciness, and consumer acceptability of non-alcoholic ginger beer. Two different formulations of ginger beer were created, one without the addition of guar gum (control) and the other with 1.9 g/L guar gum added. Samples, along with carbonated water, were presented in pairs with a 20-s wait and no-rinse in between to observe sensitisation and desensitisation. The participants (n = 103) evaluated each sample for spiciness, burning or stinging sensation, along with bitterness, sweetness, sourness, overall flavour intensity, liking of flavour and mouthfeel, and overall liking. The addition of guar gum significantly impacted the perception of spiciness, burning, and stinging sensation in addition to the overall flavour intensity. The guar gum addition also negatively impacted the acceptability of the ginger beer.     

Anchored ratio scale values in the assessment of perceived sweetness,bitterness and chocolate flavour intensity in chocolate confetti and flakes

The sensory profile of a particular food product depends on the context of sensations of the products with which that particular product is compared. This implies that the profile obtained is only valid for the period of time during which the physicochemical composition of each of the investigated products remains constant. This disadvantage can be overcome by assessing the perceived intensities of the products within the context of clearly defined physicochemical stimuli which are known to elicit a constant sensory impression over a long period of time. In the present study the perceived sweetness of 16 brands of chocolate confetti and flakes was anchored and assessed within the context of different sucrose solutions by 31 subjects. The bitterness and chocolate flavour intensities were anchored and assessed within the contexts elicited by different solutions of a mixture of quinine sulphate and caffeine, and cocoa powder/sucrose solutions, respectively. The subjective intensities were assessed on a validated ratio scale by making use of a functional measurement approach. Any changes in the sweetness, bitterness or chocolate flavour intensities of these products are now detectable over a long period of time.     

Perception of taste intensity in solutions of random-coil polysaccharides above and below c

Sensory paired comparison tests were used to study differences in taste intensity in solutions of hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) at concentrations above (1.0% w/w) and below (0.2% w/w) c^*, the coil-overlap concentration (the point at which viscosity changes abruptly with increasing thickener). The sweetness intensities of aspartame (250 ppm), sucrose (5% w/w), fructose (4.5% w/w) and neohesperidin dihydrochalcone (39 ppm) and the saltiness of sodium chloride (0.35%) were all found to be significantly reduced in the more viscous HPMC solution. There was no significant effect of HPMC concentration on the acidity of citric acid (600 ppm) or the bitterness of quinine hydrochloride (26 ppm). The sweetness intensities of sucrose and aspartame were likewise investigated in two further hydrocolloid solutions, guar gum and λ-carrageenan. Experiments were designed so that the ratios of the thickener concentrations (above and below c^*) to their measured c^* values remained constant. The sweetness of sucrose was found to be significantly reduced in the more viscous guar gum solution (P<0.05) and that of aspartame was reduced in the λ-carrageenan above c^* (P<0.001). A multiple paired comparison design was used to show that the perceived sweetness of 6.5% sucrose in 1.0% HPMC did not differ significantly from that of 5% sucrose in 0.2% HPMC. The magnitude of effect with aspartame was broadly analogous.     

Taste Interrelationships. II. Suprathreshold Solutions of Sucrose and Citric Acid

The effect of citric acid on the sweetness of sucrose solutions was determined by a highly trained panel using variations of two basic methods: single stimulus and paired stimuli. In the former presentation, evaluation of samples singly or in a series of 4 did not alter responses significantly. The binary method, requiring judges to indicate the direction and the degree to which members of a pair differed in sweetness, was slightly more sensitive than the single presentation, especially when one member of the pair within a set was kept constant. The following conclusions were drawn from all methods: (a) Citric acid, at concentrations ranging from 0.007 to 0.073%, depressed the sweetness of 0.5–20.0% sucrose. (b) The masking of sweetness by acid was greater at lower than at higher sucrose concentrations.     

Instrumental based flavour characterisation of banana fruit

Different instrumental techniques are used to evaluate the integrated flavour profile, including taste and volatile components, of a common export banana cultivar (Gran Enano) during ripening. Besides standard techniques to assess fruit quality (firmness, soluble solids content), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) with headspace solid-phase micro-extraction (HS SPME) was used for the quantification of the different volatile components. The most important taste components with respect to sweetness (d-glucose, d-fructose, sucrose) and sourness (l-malic acid and citric acid) were determined using an enzymatic high-throughput (EHT) method. The different parameters were monitored during a ripening process starting from a green colour stage until fully ripened bananas. Clear differences were observed between bananas at different ripening stages with respect to the main instrumental attributes (total acid and sugar content, total volatile production, SSC, and firmness) and the individual volatile components. In addition, differences in flavour profile were observed between ethylene and non-ethylene treated bananas at the same colour stage and between bananas from different origins.     

Sweet/sour balance in champagne wine and dependence on taste/odour interactions

Effects of sucrose and tartaric acid on the sweetness, sourness and total taste intensity of champagne wine were studied through a full factorial design including 15 samples, varying in sucrose (0g/l–20.5g/l) and tartaric acid (2.50g/l–4.22g/l). Two experiments, involving 10 selected and trained subjects, were performed. Samples and procedures were the same, except that subjects had their nostrils closed with nose-clips in experiment 2. The suppressive effect of sucrose on the sourness of tartaric acid was stronger in experiment 2. The suppressive effect of tartaric acid on the sweetness of sucrose was very low in both experiments. Applying the vector addition model on total taste intensity scores indicated that sucrose and tartaric acid partially suppressed each other in both experiments. Sweetness contributed to a greater extent in the judgement of total taste intensity, particularaly in the nose-clip condition.