THE INFLUENCE OF FAT, ACID, AND SALT ON THE TEMPORAL PERCEPTION OF FIRMNESS, SALTINESS, AND SOURNESS OF CHEESE ANALOGS

Eight cheese analogs varying in fat (10 and 25%), sodium chloride (0.5 and 2.0%), and citric acid (0.1 and 1.2%) were evaluated utilizing a time-intensity (T-I) procedure. Raising the salt content increased all T-I parameters for saltiness and resulted in higher maximum intensity (MAX), longer total duration (DUR) and larger area under the T-I curve (AREA) for sourness and firmness. Raising the acid content increased all T-I parameters for sourness and MAX and AREA for firmness. A higher fat content resulted in softer but more sour cheese analog (by all T-I parameters). For samples with low levels of acid or salt, sourness and saltiness MAX was reached during the 20s mastication interval. In contrast, for samples with high levels of salt or acid, MAX was attained after 20 s, but before expectoration at 30 s. As fat content increased from 10 to 25%, the cheese analogs were broken down more readily, the firmness duration decreased from 24 to 18 s.