Off-flavors generated during long-term ambient storage of pasteurized drinking yogurt from skim milk.

Few studies have examined sensory quality changes during the storage of pasteurized drinking yogurt (PDY), and the cause of off-flavor development is unclear. Off-flavors generated during 90-d ambient storage (25 °C) of PDY from reconstituted skim milk were investigated by sensory evaluation, volatile component analysis with gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy, and gas chromatography-olfactometry. Rancid off-flavor was induced by increased fatty acid concentration due to fat decomposition by heat-stable lipase. Masking of off-flavors was inhibited by degradation of diacetyl, which originally contributed to yogurt-like flavors. Maillard reaction particular to ambient storage of PDY resulted in changes in the furaneol and sotolon levels, which may be involved in enhancement of off-flavors. Finally, our findings indicated that production of 4-vinylguaiacol may be involved in off-flavor development. The results of this study will contribute to the development of PDY with a longer shelf life and superior flavor.

Effects of Manufacturing Processing Conditions on Retronasal-Aroma Odorants from a Milk Coffee Drink.

To develop a ready-to-drink (RTD) milk coffee that retains the original coffee flavor, the effects of manufacturing processing conditions on retronasal-aroma (RA) odorants were investigated by gas chromatography-olfactometry (CharmAnalysis™) using an RA simulator (RAS). Twenty-nine of 33 odorants detected in the RAS effluent (RAS odorants) were identified. The detected odorants were classified into 19 odor-description groups. The total odor intensity (charm value, CMV) of all coffee RAS odorants decreased approximately 68% following pH adjustment, whereas the total CMV increased 6% to 7% following ultra-high-temperature sterilization. The total CMV ratio (about 83%) of the milk coffee produced using a new blending-after-sterilization (BAS) process without pH adjustment of the coffee was greater than that (approximately 56%) prepared using a conventional blending-before-sterilization (BBS) process with pH adjustment. In BAS-processed milk coffees, the total CMV ratio (91%) with infusion (INF)-sterilized reconstituted milk (r-milk) was greater than that (83%) of plate (PLT)-sterilized r-milk. Principal component analysis of odor-description CMVs indicated that the effect of coffee pH adjustment on odor characteristics was greater than that of sterilization, that BAS and BBS samples differed, and that BAS milk coffee prepared using INF sterilization was more similar to homemade milk coffee (blending unsterilized coffee without pH adjustment with PLT-sterilized milk) than milk coffee prepared using PLT sterilization. In conclusion, the BAS process using INF sterilization is superior for manufacturing RTD milk coffee that retains odor characteristics similar to targeted homemade milk coffee. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Ready-to-drink milk coffee beverages produced using conventional blending-before-sterilization methods do not retain their original coffee flavor following adjustment of the pH of the coffee during manufacturing. The use of newly developed blending-after-sterilization methods, by contrast, produces ready-to-drink milk coffee with an aroma more similar to that of homemade milk coffee, as demonstrated using an analytical system for characterizing food product aromas. The blending-after-sterilization process is now being used in Japan to produce ready-to-drink milk coffee beverages.

Effects of Processing Conditions During Manufacture on Retronasal-Aroma Compounds from a Milk Coffee Drink.

To develop a ready-to-drink (RTD) milk coffee retaining the original coffee flavor, the effects of processing conditions during manufacture on retronasal-arma (RA) compounds from the milk coffee were investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry using an RA simulator (RAS). Thirteen of 46 detected compounds in the RAS effluent (RAS compounds) decreased significantly following pH adjustment of coffee (from pH 5.1 to 6.8) and 5 compounds increased. RAS compounds from coffee tended to decrease through the pH adjustment and subsequent sterilization. Significantly higher amounts of 13 RAS compounds were released from the milk coffee produced using a blending-after-sterilization (BAS) process without the pH adjustment than from that using a blending-before-sterilization (BBS) process with the pH adjustment. In BAS-processed milk coffee, significantly lower amounts of 8 high-volatility compounds and 1H-pyrrole were released from coffee containing infusion-sterilized (INF) milk than from coffee containing plate-sterilized (PLT) milk, whereas 3 low-volatility compounds were released significantly more from coffee using PLT milk. Principal component analysis revealed that the effect of the manufacturing process (BAS, BBS, or homemade (blending unsterilized coffee without pH adjustment with sterilized milk)) on milk coffee volatiles was larger than that of the sterilization method (INF or PLT) for milk, and that the sterilization method could result in different RAS volatile characteristics in BAS and homemade processes. In conclusion, a BAS process was found to be superior to a BBS process for the manufacture of an RTD milk coffee that retains volatile characteristics similar to that of a homemade milk coffee. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Ready-to-drink (RTD) milk coffee manufactured using the conventional blending-before-sterilization process does not retain its original coffee flavor due to pH adjustment of the coffee during the process. The new blending-after-sterilization (BAS) process enabled the production of RTD milk coffee whose volatiles are closer to that of homemade milk coffee, as demonstrated by the results of RAS-GC-MS analysis. The BAS process has already been applied to the manufacture of RTD milk coffees in Japan.

Kinetic changes in glucosinolate-derived volatiles by heat-treatment and myrosinase activity in nakajimana (Brassica rapa L. cv. nakajimana).

Nakajimana (Brassica rapa L. cv. nakajimana), of the family Brassicaceae, is a traditional vegetable in Japan. Three isothiocyanates and five cyanides in the leaves of nakajimana were identified by gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and their kinetic changes using heat-treatment (temperature and time) were investigated. In addition, myrosinase activity of extracts prepared from fresh nakajimana leaf was determined. In crushed heat-treated leaves of nakajimana (70 °C for 30 s), formation of isothiocyanates and myrosinase activity increased, whereas formation of 1-cyano-3,4-epithiobutane and 1-cyano-4,5-epithiopentane decreased. Heat-treatment can significantly alter the content of potentially beneficial compounds in nakajimana, and ingestion of suitable isothiocyanates for human health may be better facilitated by mild boiling.