Effects of Germination on Protein, γ-Aminobutyric Acid, Phenolic Acids, and Antioxidant Capacity in Wheat.

Germinated wheat is a food material with potential health benefits due to its high phenolic and antioxidant content, but the reason why germination increases this content is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between protein changes (determined by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE)), phenolics, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels, and antioxidant capacity of wheat germinated for various periods (24, 48, 72, and 96 h) compared to control. Each phenolic acid tended to increase with increasing germination time. The GABA content was highest (39.98 mg/100 g dwb) after 96 h of germination. The total oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) was 1.97 times higher after 96 h than in ungerminated seeds. Fifteen proteins, among 82 proteins separated by 2-DE, were highly related with ORAC and were identified by peptide mass fingerprinting (PMS). The PMS revealed strong expression of granule bound starch synthase (GBSS) and glutathione S-transferase (GSTF) after 96 h of germination. Overall, the ORAC at 96 h exhibited a close relationship with the levels of phenolic acids, GABA, and proteins such as GBSS and GSTF. In conclusion, these findings add to the existing knowledge of wheat protein changes and their relationship to the antioxidant properties of germinating wheat seeds.

Validation of Optimization Methods for Sensory Characteristics Using Rate-All-That-Apply and Intensity Scales: A Case Study of Apple Juice.

Preference mapping (PM), which integrates consumer and descriptive analysis (DA) data to identify attributes that drive consumer liking, is widely employed for product optimization. However, a limited group of trained panelists cannot fully represent the diverse consumer population or reliably predict market acceptance. Consequently, numerous studies have explored consumer-based methodologies as potential replacements for DA; however, their efficacy for product optimization remains limited. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore the potential of optimizing products using two consumer-based profiling techniques as alternatives to DA in external preference mapping (EPM). Overall, 8 trained panelists profiled 12 sensory attributes of 7 commercial apple juices, whereas 160 consumers assessed the same attributes using a 5-point rate-all-that-apply (RATA) scale and a 10 cm intensity scale (IS). Danzart's response surface ideal modeling was employed to identify optimal products using DA, RATA, and IS through barycenter calculations, focusing on three products from the original consumer test located around the group ideal point. Overall, the ideal products of the group and their sensory characteristics were successfully identified using DA, RATA, and IS. Regarding sensory intensities, high concordance was observed between DA and RATA (Rv = 0.92) and between DA and IS (Rv = 0.91). Overall liking and preference scores for products mixed at the optimal ratio for each method showed no significant differences in preference among the ideal products identified using DA, RATA, and IS. This study suggests that both RATA and IS are viable alternatives to DA in EPM for identifying ideal sensory profiles.

Online consumer testing beyond central location tests: A case study for brewed coffee.

Due to the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic, conducting sensory evaluations requiring direct interactions became challenging. In response, researchers have been motivated to devise non-face-to-face testing methods as alternatives. This study aimed to compare two non-face-to-face home-use tests (HUT) with the traditional face-to-face central location test (CLT). Both HUTs involved online recruitment and sample delivery to participants' homes. One HUT provided a written protocol with no direct interaction (contactless HUT; C-HUT), whereas the other included an online meeting with a researcher for live guidance (online HUT; O-HUT). Four coffee samples were evaluated on the basis of liking and sensory and emotional attributes. The comparison between CLT and O-HUT showed RV coefficients of 0.92, 0.93, and 0.98 (P < 0.05) for liking and sensory and emotional attributes, respectively. In addition, based on the RV coefficient, the CLT results showed a significantly greater similarity to those of O-HUT compared to those of C-HUT. The O-HUT also outperformed the C-HUT in its ability to significantly discriminate between samples. Hence, real-time interactions between researchers and participants, as facilitated by O-HUT, may be more suitable in certain scenarios compared to C-HUT, which relies solely on a written protocol. Overall, these findings suggest that C-HUT and O-HUT are suitable methods for collecting sensory data and overcoming geographic and face-to-face contact limitations, providing greater flexibility, and reducing the time and cost associated with traditional sensory evaluations.

Effects of Simulated Airplane Cabin Noise on In-Flight Meal Perception in the Brain Using Electroencephalography.

Auditory distractions can impair the sensory evaluation of food; however, the specific impact of airplane cabin noise on the sensory perception of in-flight meals remains poorly studied. Here, we investigated the effects of airplane cabin noise on the visual processing of in-flight meal stimuli using electroencephalography (EEG) in twenty healthy male subjects. Resting-state EEG and event-related potential (ERP) responses to in-flight meal images were acquired during quiet and simulated cabin noise conditions. Participants reported mild discomfort and some loss of appetite when exposed to airplane cabin noise. The analysis of resting-state EEG showed an increase in the absolute power of theta and beta frequency bands in the left superior parietal and left frontal/right central regions under simulated cabin noise conditions, compared to quiet conditions. The ERP results showed that the amplitude of responses evoked by visual meal images in the superior parietal area was reduced in the noise condition compared to the quiet condition. Our findings suggest that airplane cabin noise disrupts the visual perception and attentional processing of in-flight food stimuli. These neural changes imply an impact on integrating sensory information, resulting in altered sensory evaluations of food during in-flight dining experiences.

Effects of Test Location and Sample Number on the Liking Ratings of Almond Beverage and Vegan Ramen Products.

The present study investigated the effects of the evaluation environment and sample number on liking ratings within the same testing session. It comprised two experiments that determined consumer taste ratings of the following food products: (1) almond beverage and (2) vegan ramen, as rated by 322 and 287 Korean consumers, respectively. Consumers tasted each food product under either laboratory or home-used test conditions. Additionally, three levels of sample numbers were established for evaluation (almond beverage test: 1, 2, and 4; vegan ramen test: 1, 3, and 5) in each test condition. A target sample was selected for each of the two food products to directly ascertain the effects of the evaluation environment and sample number on the liking ratings. The results revealed that during the same evaluation session, the sample number affected the liking ratings of the target sample more than the testing location. Moreover, the sample number effect was product item dependent, that is, no significant change was noted in the liking ratings of the target almond beverage sample according to sample number, whereas significant differences were observed in the liking ratings of the target vegan ramen sample. Furthermore, the sample number effect was more prominent under laboratory test conditions than under home-used test conditions probably due to the serving order effect driven by hedonic contrast, carry over effect, and sensory specific satiety. The findings demonstrate that home-used tests should be recommended over laboratory tests when measuring the liking of a small number of multiple sample food items with high flavor complexity.

Comparison of Sensory Profiling by Descriptive Analysis, Free-Choice Profiling, and Polarized Sensory Positioning on Bottled Water.

Consumer-oriented rapid profiling methodologies, including free-choice profiling (FCP) and polarized sensory positioning (PSP), have been studied in recent decades, highlighting alternative aspects of conventional descriptive analysis (DA). In the present study, water samples were evaluated using DA, FCP, and PSP with open-ended questions to compare the sensory profiles. Ten bottled water samples and one filtered water sample were evaluated by a trained panel for DA (n = 11), a semi-trained panel for FCP (n = 16), and naïve consumers for PSP (n = 63). The results were analyzed using principal component analysis for DA and multiple factor analysis for FCP and PSP data. The water samples were discriminated by their total mineral content, which was mainly associated with heavy mouthfeel. The overall discrimination patterns for the samples were similar between FCP and PSP, whereas DA showed different patterns. Sample discrimination through confidence ellipses from DA, FCP, and PSP showed that two consumer-oriented methodologies distinguished samples more clearly than DA. Throughout this study, consumer-oriented profiling methodologies were able to be used to investigate sensory profiles and provide rich information on consumer-derived sensory attributes even for subtly different samples.

Neuroimaging Approach: Effects of Hot and Cold Germinated Wheat Beverages on Electroencephalographic (EEG) Activity of the Human Brain.

Neuroimaging studies using electroencephalography (EEG) have been crucial in uncovering brain activity in sensory perception, emotion regulation, and decision-making. Despite tea's global popularity, its temperature-related neural basis remains underexplored. This study investigated the effect of hot and cold germinated wheat beverages (HB and CB) in changes of brain waves using EEG. Four distinct approaches and topographical assessments were performed to gain deeper insights into the impact of EEG signals in the human brain. The four approaches showed different impacts of HB and CB intake, as all EEG spectral powers increased after drinking HB and decreased after consumption of CB. Significant increases in delta and theta waves were observed as a result of drinking HB, but significant decreases in alpha and beta waves were observed after drinking CB. The topographic maps illustrate the significant effects of HB more prominently than those of CB, displaying greater changes in delta, theta, and beta. These findings suggest the intake of HB is probably related to relaxation, calmness, mindfulness and concentration, while the intake of CB is related to alertness, attention, and working memory. Ultimately, the neuroscientific approaches provided in this study could advance consumer-based research on beverage consumption.

Robot versus human barista: Comparison of volatile compounds and consumers' acceptance, sensory profile, and emotional response of brewed coffee.

The increasing trend of integrating robots into the food industry has sparked debates regarding their potential influence on consumer attitudes toward food technology. This study investigated volatile compound profiles via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), consumer acceptability, sensory profiling, and emotional responses of consumers toward coffee samples brewed by robot and human baristas. Moreover, the effect of the robot experience on food technology neophobia (FTN) was investigated. The principal component analysis of the volatile compound profiles revealed that the samples by the robot barista exhibited a higher degree of similarity compared to those prepared by the human barista. The range of relative standard deviations of volatile compounds from the robot barista brewed coffee was 1.4-83.1% and the variation was smaller than that of the human barista, which was 5.0-118.3%. Participants had a significant decrease in FTN scores after evaluating the robot-brewed coffee (p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in FTN scores before and after evaluating the coffee brewed by the human barista (p > 0.05). Sensory evaluation studies revealed no significant differences in acceptability ratings and purchase intentions between the two groups (p > 0.05). However, emotional responses to the coffee samples significantly varied, with the robot-brewed coffee inducing more dynamic and positive emotions and the human-brewed coffee inducing more static and positive emotions (p < 0.05). Overall, this study provides valuable insights into consumer attitudes toward food robot service to humans and indicates that consumer's experience with food robots may significantly reduce FTN (p < 0.001).

Effect of Monosodium Glutamate on Salt and Sugar Content Reduction in Cooked Foods for the Sensory Characteristics and Consumer Acceptability.

Three different types of typical Korean foods were studied to investigate the effect of monosodium glutamate (MSG) on the sensory characteristics and hedonic perception of sodium- or sugar-reduced samples. The first consumer test (n = 300) was conducted to evaluate the overall liking (OL) of the samples containing four different levels of salt and sugar contents without added MSG, while the second consumer test (n = 300) was designed to examine the effects of MSG on the samples containing reduced salt and sugar contents with the lowest observed OL in the first consumer test. The results showed that the intensity of the umami taste and saltiness of the samples increased, whereas sourness and bitterness were suppressed with added MSG. The samples with the lowest salt contents were observed to be acceptable to consumers after MSG addition, indicating a 23% reduction in sodium intake. Bitterness was partially masked, while sweetness, umami taste, and saltiness were the main factors affecting the OL after MSG addition. However, no consistent results of added MSG on the sensory attributes of samples with reduced sugar contents were observed, possibly indicating that the effect of umami taste on sweetness depends on the MSG concentration used or the type of food studied. This study could be beneficial to researchers who want to know the optimal level of MSG required to reduce the sodium or sugar contents in cooked food.

Protective Effect of Chrysanthemum boreale Flower Extracts against A2E-Induced Retinal Damage in ARPE-19 Cell.

In age-related macular degeneration, N-retinylidene-N-retinylethanolamine (A2E) accumulates in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells and generates oxidative stress, which further induces cell death. Polyphenols are well known for their antioxidant and beneficial effects on vision. Chrysanthemum boreale Makino (CB) flowers, which contain flavonoids, have antioxidant activity. We hypothesized that polyphenols in ethanolic extracts of CB (CBE) and its fractions suppressed A2E-mediated ARPE-19 cell damage, a human RPE cell line. CBE is rich in polyphenols, shows antioxidant activity, and suppresses intracellular accumulation of A2E and cell death induced by A2E. Among the five fractions, the polyphenol content and antioxidant effect were in the order of the ethyl acetate fraction (EtOAc) > butanol fraction (BuOH) > hexane fraction (Hex) > dichloromethane fraction (CH2Cl2) > water fraction (H2O). In contrast, the inhibitory ability of A2E accumulation and A2E-induced cell death was highest in H2O, followed by BuOH. In the correlation analysis, polyphenols in the H2O and BuOH fractions had a significant positive correlation with antioxidant effects, but no significant correlation with cell damage caused by A2E. Our findings suggest that substances other than polyphenols present in CBE can suppress the effects of A2E, and further research is needed.

Metabolite profile and antioxidant potential of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) during malting.

In addition to barley, wheat malt is considered an important beer material because of the recent popularity of wheat beer in the global market. The changes in metabolite profiles and antioxidant potential of wheat samples collected every 24 h during malting were investigated. Dynamic metabolite changes through 1H NMR-based metabolomics approaches, quantitative individual phenolic acids by high-performance liquid chromatography and antioxidant potential by colorimetric methods were assessed. Orthogonal projection to latent structure with discriminant analysis showed that metabolites were responsible for discrimination of each malting stage for wheat. Phenolic acids, whose main component was ferulic acid, increased with time during wheat malting. Much higher phenolic acid contents were found in rootlets/acrospires than in the bodies of dried wheat malt. The overall results of this study provide novel information on changes in dynamic metabolites during wheat malting.

Combination of the Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) Method and Just-About-Right (JAR) Scale to Evaluate Korean Traditional Rice Wine (Yakju).

This study aimed to compare a variant of the check-all-that-apply (CATA) method, CATA with just-about-right (JAR) scales (CATA-JAR), with the CATA and rate-all-that-apply (RATA) methods for evaluating 12 Korean traditional rice wines (yakju). All consumers (n = 312) assessed each sample on a 9-point hedonic scale and were asked to fill out the CATA, RATA, or CATA-JAR questionnaire using a 5-point JAR scale. The frequency and percentage of terms with significant differences among CATA-JAR samples were significantly higher than those for the CATA method. The regression vector (RV) between the sample and term configurations of the three methods were all over 0.84, indicating that all methods were similar in terms of product and term usage. Regarding the stability of the sample configurations, CATA-JAR could derive a stable value with the lowest number of consumers (n = 25). For the CATA-JAR method, significant penalties for each attribute and product were successfully calculated using the t-test and bootstrapping technique, to identify any attribute detrimental to liking for each product. Overall, considering its better performance in discriminating products and stability, the CATA-JAR method may be used when comparing samples with subtle differences in attributes.

Effect of Filter Types on Physicochemical Properties, Volatile Compounds, and Sensory Evaluations of Purified Water by Point-of-Use Water Treatment.

This study investigated purified water from four different filter types for removing minerals, anions, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and affecting sensory perception and consumer acceptability. Ultrafiltration (UF), CSM-ultrafiltration (CU), alumina nanofiber (AN), and reverse osmosis (RO) filters were used for a point-of-use water treatment system with a pre-carbon filter (PR) and post-carbon filter (PO). Filters efficiently removed VOCs, which could negatively affect the sensory perception of water. The total VOC concentration of tap water (TW) (14.97 µg/Kg) was reduced by 70% by the PR, 75.3-88.7% by the PR-main filter, and >97% by the PR-RO-PR. Using the polarized sensory position test, the subjects clearly discriminated TW from the samples; however, most of the purified water was not. The difference in the mean ratings of consumer acceptability among the purified samples was <1 except for PR-RO-PO in consumer testing. These results suggested that although there are differences in the capability of different filter types to eliminate minerals, anions, and VOCs, overall consumers did not identify sensory differences among them, and demonstrated similar consumer acceptability of the purified water produced. Simply applying a pre-carbon filter for TW treatment is enough to minimize VOCs, which negatively influence consumer acceptability.

The effect of various salinity levels on metabolomic profiles, antioxidant capacities and sensory attributes of doenjang, a fermented soybean paste.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of salinity on the antioxidant properties, sensory attributes, and metabolite profiles of doenjang prepared with different brine concentrations (8, 12, 16, and 20%). The oxygen radical absorbance capacity (0.49 mM/g dry weight basis, dwb) and the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (0.46 mM/g dwb) were the highest for the doenjang samples with the lowest salinity. The consumer acceptability and intensity of sensory characteristics were evaluated by consumers (n = 147). The doenjang with the lowest salinity tended to have an increased bitterness and reduced umami taste, resulting in decreased consumer acceptance. Additionally, 39 and 24 metabolites were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Overall, the correlation between sensory attributes and metabolite profiles of doenjang showed that bitter taste was closely related to tyrosine and phenylalanine, while umami was highly related to glutamic and aspartic acids.

Characteristics of Bread Made of Various Substitution Ratios of Bran Pulverized by Hammer Mill or Jet Mill.

The physicochemical and antioxidant properties of dough and bread were measured in wheat flours substituted with two types of bran (HMB: bran pulverized by a hammer mill and JMB: bran pulverized by a jet mill) at various ratios (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25%) of substitution. The particle size of hammer mill bran (HMB) (119.71 µm) was larger than that of jet mill bran (JMB) (25.78 µm). Wheat flours substituted with HMB contained more total dietary fiber than those with JMB. A significant increase of water absorption and dough development time in Mixolab® analysis was observed depending on the level of HMB or JMB substitution. The breads made with HMB or JMB (5% or 10%) showed a higher specific volume and lower crumb hardness than the control bread. However, breads made with ≥15% HMB or JMB had a decreased specific volume and increased crumb hardness. Overall, breads made with wheat flour substituted with 5%-10% HMB or JMB were of a higher bread quality and had more antioxidant properties.

Comparison of Physicochemical Properties and Metabolite Profiling Using 1H NMR Spectroscopy of Korean Wheat Malt.

The objective of this study was to compare the physicochemical, enzymatic, and metabolic properties of two control wheat malts imported from Germany and the US to those of malts made from three Korean wheat varieties: Triticumaestivum L., var. Anzunbaengi, Jokyung, and Keumkang. The qualities and enzyme activities of the Korean wheat malts were generally similar to those of the control wheat malts. The Korean wheat malts had slightly lower diastatic power and enzyme activities related to saccharification. The analysis of metabolites in the wheat malt samples was performed using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics, which identified 32 metabolites that differed significantly among the samples. Most amino acids and lipids were more abundant in the Korean wheat malts than in the control wheat malts. These differences among malts could influence the quality and flavor of wheat beers. Further brewing studies are necessary to identify the association between beer quality and individual malt metabolites.

Major Sensory Attributes and Volatile Compounds of Korean Rice Liquor (yakju) Affecting Overall Acceptance by Young Consumers.

The sensory characteristics and volatile compounds that affect consumers' acceptance of rice liquors were investigated. A total of 80 consumers evaluated 12 yakju samples and descriptive analysis by 11 trained panelists was conducted. Solvent-assisted flavor evaporation-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis also was conducted revealing 120 volatile compounds in the yakju samples. Sensory attributes (n = 31) except appearance attributes were used for principal component analysis (PCA). As results, fruit odor (apple, hawthorn, omija, and pineapple odor) and flower odor (chrysanthemum, pine, and peppermint odor) were placed on the positive side of PC1 whereas persimmon vinegar odor, bitter taste, alcohol flavor, stinging and coating mouthfeel were located on the negative side of PC1. The yakju samples were mainly characterized by their alcohol content and supplementary ingredients. Sensory descriptors (n = 31; except appearance attributes and p > 0.05) and volatile compounds (n = 30; p > 0.5 correlation coefficient with overall acceptance) were chosen for multiple factor analysis (MFA). The MFA correlation map showed that ethyl propanoate, ethyl-2-hydroxy-2-methylbutanoate, methyl 2-furoate, γ-butyrolactone, 4-ethoxycarbonyl-γ-butyrolactone, hawthorn odor, apple flavor, grape flavor, and sweet taste were positively correlated with young consumers' overall acceptance. Additionally, negative correlation with overall acceptance was found in 1,3-butanediol, 2,3-butanediol, and 1,1-diethoxy-3-methylbutane.

Effects of salinity on bacterial communities, Maillard reactions, isoflavone composition, antioxidation and antiproliferation in Korean fermented soybean paste (doenjang).

The purpose of this study was to investigate bacterial communities and health-benefit-related parameters in doenjang prepared with various brine concentrations (8, 12, 16, and 20%). Phenolic, flavonoid, melanoidin and isoflavone contents, antioxidation, and antiproliferation of doenjang (AD8, AD12, AD16, and AD20) aged for 3 months were compared with those of initial doenjang (ID8, ID12, ID16, and ID20). The ID8 and AD8 doenjang, made with 8% brine, contained higher phenolics, melanoidins, and isoflavones than those with high salinity. As results of bacterial communities, Enterococcus was a dominant bacterium in most doenjang, while Lactobacillus was predominant in AD8. Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (32.5 µmol TE/g dwb) and DPPH radical-scavenging capacity (57 µmol TE/g dwb) values of AD8 were the highest among samples. The EC50 of HT-29 cell proliferation treated with AD8 was 0.47 mg/mL, while EC50 of AD20 was 1.07 mg/mL, indicating stronger antiproliferative activity in low-salinity doenjang.

Effects of ozone treatment on physicochemical properties of Korean wheat flour.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of ozone treatment on the physicochemical properties of Korean wheat flour. Wheat flour samples were treated with ozone gas at 120 ppm for 15, 30, 45, and 60 min. Color b value, pH, and mold of flour decreased as exposure time to ozone increased. The water absorption index, peak viscosity, and final viscosity of flour increased by ozone treatment. Photomicrographs of flour suspensions under polarized light showed granules tended to lose birefringence owing to ozone during swelling. The result of SDS-PAGE showed that the intensity of protein bands at low molecular weights slightly increased in ozone-treated flours compared to the intensity in the control flour. The results of this study showed ozone gas affected the starch and protein of wheat flour, suggesting a need for further investigation on structural changes in starch and protein by ozone.

Microbial communities related to sensory attributes in Korean fermented soy bean paste (doenjang).

Various microbial communities play a role in generating the distinctive sensory characteristics of the traditional Korean soybean paste, doenjang. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between sensory characteristics and microbial communities in traditional doenjang. The results of the descriptive analysis revealed that some traditional doenjang (T1-T11) exhibited distinctive characteristics, such as fish sauce flavor, meju, bitterness, sourness, and saltiness, whereas the modified samples (M1-M3) demonstrated sweetness, umami, and an alcohol odor. According to the metagenomic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing, the phylum Firmicutes was the dominant bacterium in most doenjang. At the genus level, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were frequently found in most doenjang. Among these LAB, the major genera of bacteria were Tetragenococcus in M2 (60.30%), T3 (91.20%), T8 (48.60%), and T9 (60.90%); Enterococcus in T1 (29.40%), T4 (34.10%), and T10 (50.50%); Leuconostoc in T7 (89.10%); and Lactobacillus in T9 (38.3%). The most frequently occurring non-LAB was Bacillus in M3 (50.10%), T5 (46.50%), and T6 (20.50%), and M1 and T2 contained Staphylococcus and Ochrobactrum as their major non-LAB, respectively. The results of a correlation analysis between the sensory attributes from the descriptive analysis and the microbial communities from 454 pyrosequencing provided an overview for the relationship between sensory characteristics and microbial communities. Ochrobactrum, Stenotrophomonas, Rhodobacteraceae, Proteus, and Luteimonas were found in samples that had a strong fish sauce characteristic. The presence of LAB-Tetragenococcus, Enterococcus, Pediococcus, Carnobacterium, and Weissella-was related to sourness. Enterococcus and Enterobacter were found in samples with a matured flavor and a soft mouthfeel, respectively. The overall results of the study demonstrate that microbial communities found in doenjang were closely related to distinct sensory attributes.