Replacement of Sodium Tripolyphosphate with Iota Carrageenan in the Formulation of Restructured Ostrich Ham

The influence of iota carrageenan (iota-CGN) as a partial replacement of sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) was investigated on the physical (pH, yield, instrumental color, texture profile analysis), chemical (moisture, protein, total fat, ash, phosphate) and sensory (descriptive analysis, acceptance testing) quality of restructured ostrich ham (95% lean meat plus fat). Treatments consisted of five decreasing levels of STPP (0.70%, 0.53%, 0.35%, 0.18% and 0%) that were simultaneously substituted with five increasing levels of iota-CGN (0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3% and 0.4%). Cooked yield, hardness, cohesiveness, and gumminess of restructured ostrich ham increased (p ≤ 0.05) with decreasing levels of STPP (and increased levels of iota-CGN). No significant trend in instrumental color measurements or springiness were observed between treatments. Ostrich ham with 0.35% STPP and lower had increased ostrich meat aroma and flavor, while spicy aroma and flavor, mealiness and consumer acceptance decreased. Iota carrageenan can be substituted for STPP (up to 0.35% STPP and 0.2% iota-CGN) to produce reduced STPP ham.

Brew temperature, at fixed brew strength and extraction, has little impact on the sensory profile of drip brew coffee

The brew temperature is widely considered a key parameter affecting the final quality of coffee, with a temperature near 93 °C often described as optimal. In particular, drip brewers that do not achieve a minimum brew temperature of 92 °C within a prescribed time period fail their certification. There is little empirical evidence in terms of rigorous sensory descriptive analysis or consumer preference testing, however, to support any particular range of brew temperatures. In this study, we drip-brewed coffee to specific brew strengths, as measured by total dissolved solids (TDS), and extraction yields, as measured by percent extraction (PE), spanning the range of the classic Coffee Brewing Control Chart. Three separate brew temperatures of 87 °C, 90 °C, or 93 °C were tested, adjusting the grind size and overall brew time as necessary to achieve the target TDS and PE. Although the TDS and PE both significantly affected the sensory profile of the coffee, surprisingly the brew temperature had no appreciable impact. We conclude that brew temperature should be considered as only one of several parameters that affect the extraction dynamics, and that ultimately the sensory profile is governed by differences in TDS and PE rather than the brew temperature, at least over the range of temperatures tested.

Roasting Conditions and Coffee Flavor: A Multi-Study Empirical Investigation

This research investigates the relative importance of two roasting parameters—colour (i.e., roast degree) and time—on the sensory properties of coffee. The paper draws on data from eight studies conducted using sensory descriptive analysis with trained (in six studies) or semi-trained (in two studies) assessors, focusing on a common set of attributes. The results indicated that, while both parameters significantly affected coffee flavour, colour was the stronger predictor of the two. The effects direction for both colour and time were similar and related to the rate of non-enzymatic browning, with darker roasts/longer roasting times associated with an increase in bitterness and a decrease in acidity, fruitiness, and sweetness. With respect to roasting time, we distinguished two phases, “time to first crack”, corresponding to the time between the onset of roasting and the moment where the accumulated steam pressure causes the beans to crack, and “development time”, corresponding to the time elapsed from the first crack to the end of the roasting process. The results clearly indicated that, under the same colour, time variation also influenced flavour, and in particular, development time, rather than time to first crack, had the largest effect on coffee flavour.

Consumer acceptance of disease tolerant apple cultivars

The current study was designed to compare the consumer acceptance of the three Rvi6 scab-resistant apple cultivars ‘Rustica’, ‘Ariane’ and ‘Ladina’ with the two standard disease-susceptible cultivars ‘Braeburn’ and ‘Mariella’. A consumer test with 189 participants, using written questionnaires, was carried out alongside a sensory descriptive analysis with a trained panel. For appearance acceptance ‘Ariane’ reached the highest score. Three distinct groups of consumers with different visual preferences were found using hierarchical cluster analysis. In terms of eating quality ‘Mariella’ was liked the most. Yet again, three groups were found, with specific preferences regarding textural and taste properties. Participants also responded to questions concerning apple consumption and demographics. Significant effects of these parameters on cultivar likings were found. The study showed that there are scab resistant apples which are well accepted and therefore could be equal or superior alternatives to disease susceptible cultivars from a consumer’s point of view.

Chemical and sensory analysis of commercial Navel oranges in California

Seven lots of commercially available Navel oranges grown in California were evaluated with flavoromic, metabolomic, sensory descriptive analysis, and consumer testing techniques to identify sensory and chemical drivers of liking. Eight identified chemical clusters related to numerous sensory attributes and consumer preferences. Differences in adult and child preferences led to the discovery of six consumer clusters (four adult and two child). Sweetness, overall flavor, sourness, fruity flavor, and juiciness were identified as the main sensory drivers of liking for the consumers. Fructose, glucose, and proline were among the compounds that best explained perceived sweetness while sourness was correlated with citrate and ascorbate. Perceived fruity flavor increased with higher concentrations of ethanol. We conclude that consumers differ in their preferences for Navel oranges and desire fruit that is higher in both sweetness and sourness.

Comparison of the Aroma Profiles of Intermediate Wheatgrass and Wheat Bread Crusts

The aroma profiles of bread crusts made from intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) and whole wheat (Triticum aestivum) flours were compared. Based on gas chromatography/mass spectrometry/olfactometry analysis, twenty-four odorants were identified and further quantified. The concentrations of seventeen compounds were significantly different between intermediate wheatgrass and whole wheat bread crusts, of which sixteen compounds were higher in the whole wheat sample. The aroma profiles of the bread samples were subsequently characterized using sensory descriptive analysis (DA) and indicated that the roasted attribute was perceived at a significantly higher intensity in the whole wheat sample due to a greater amount of Maillard reaction compounds. Alternatively, bran and green notes were perceived at higher intensities in the intermediate wheatgrass sample, however they were not attributed to the presence of specific compounds but rather to a change in the aroma composition. Aroma recombination DA of the whole wheat and intermediate wheatgrass aroma models was similar to the original aroma profiles of the bread samples, demonstrating the sensory relevance of the identified odorants.