Using CATA tests to capture consumers' mental representations elicited by images of pulse-based food products with different levels of processing.

Consumption of pulses plays a key role in achieving a healthier and more sustainable diet. Despite the increased availability of pulse-based foods on the French market, pulse consumption in France remains below recommended levels. The objective of this study was to capture French consumers' mental representations of various pulse-based foods with different levels of processing, using a Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) questionnaire with food images. We used CATA questionnaires, in two separate studies, to capture two aspects: consumers' beliefs about the products presented in the study, and the characteristics of those products, according to consumers. In Study 1, twelve images of pulses were presented (unprocessed, processed, and ready-to-eat) to investigate whether and how consumers differentiate between pulse-based products with different recipes and levels of processing. In Study 2, parallel CATA questionnaires were used: one with images of pulse-based products, and one with images of vegetables. We wanted to discover whether the factors underlying different representations for pulse-based products were specific to pulses, or were also observed with another family of food products. Results showed that products were differentiated more by their level of processing than by their main ingredient. Participants had more positive attitudes toward pulse products that were unprocessed, processed, or "new ready-to-eat", than toward other ready-to-eat pulse products (whether canned or frozen). Our results also highlighted that, in consumers' mental representations of pulse-based products, packaging format is a negligible factor in comparison with the nature of the product itself.

How has COVID-19, lockdown and social distancing changed alcohol drinking patterns? A cross-cultural perspective between britons and spaniards.

During the early months of 2020, the world experienced a novel, violent, and relentless pandemic era. By the end of the year more than seventy-seven million cases of COVID-19 had been reported around the globe. Due to it being a highly contagious disease, the recommended measures adopted by most nations to prevent infection include social distancing and quarantine. How did these measures affect people's relationship with alcohol consumption in cultures where alcohol plays an important social role? A questionnaire-based study, designed to follow the drinking behaviour of people before and during lockdown was applied to two different cultural groups impacted by the pandemic during the strict phase of lockdown. These are the British and Spanish populations (179 participants from each country were interviewed). Considering the frequency of consumption of the alcoholic beverages evaluated (wine, beer, cider, whisky and spirits), the results showed that a significant lockdown*country interaction was observed. Overall, Spanish participants consumed alcoholic beverages less frequently during lockdown than before, while British participants reported no change in their consumption habits. Spaniards' decrease in alcohol consumption is related to the absence of a social contexts while Britons seems to have adapted their consumption to the modified context. Results suggest that, alcohol consumption is a central core of the British culture, while for the Spanish, socialization is more a cultural characteristic than the alcohol itself.

To fear the unknown: Covid-19 confinement, fear, and food choice.

The coronavirus outbreak in December 2019 completely changed the dynamic of consumption in different sectors of industry. The food and beverage industries have been profoundly affected, from production, to modifications in consumers' choices. Among the different reasons behind those modifications is confinement, which forces consumers to stay at home for an extended period and just go out to perform essential tasks, such as going to the supermarket. We hypothesized that this new dynamic of consumption could create a situation of fear that changes food choice. To test this hypothesis, two studies were conducted in three countries with a different degree of confinement: Mexico (flexible), Spain (strict), and Peru (hard). Study one consisted of a free association task with 60 participants in each country with the inductor word "coronavirus and food". The different associations served as the basis to build a structured questionnaire, which was used in the second study focused on fear and food choice. The second study was applied to 450 participants in the same three countries. Results showed that fear can be separated into nine dimensions: social, emotional, food supply, government, basic needs, food-delivery, overeating, immunity, and family conflicts. The participants could also be clustered into four different groups that differ in their country of origin and sex, but also in their food choice. Overall, the results showed that fear influenced consumer's food choices during a confinement period.

Understanding Brazilian consumer sensory and hedonic perception for salty snacks.

Due to their practicality and convenience, consumption of snack foods has grown among the Brazilian population. At the same time, the demand for healthier products continues to grow, as today's consumers are increasingly concerned about their health and well-being. To meet this demand, traditional products have been reformulated to achieve a healthier nutritional profile. In this context, the aim of this study was to understand the sensory and hedonic perception of Brazilian consumers toward salty snacks. Sixty-one consumers answered a Check-all-that-apply (CATA) questionnaire, followed by an acceptance test and an attitudinal questionnaire. Four traditional salty snacks and one fit snack were sampled. The results showed that both the fit snack and the traditional snacks were well accepted by consumers. According to CATA questionnaire, the samples presented a completely different sensory profile, describing their ideal snack as: crispy, homogeneous, little cheese aroma, corn flavor, sweet residual taste and little salty taste. In addition, the attitudinal questionnaire indicated that consumers want products that bring health benefits, while maintaining their pleasant flavor and affordable price. These findings highlight that understanding consumers' desires can help new products succeed in the marketplace and also aid in marketing strategies to be used.

Sensory and hedonic impact of the replacement of synthetic antioxidant for pink pepper residue extract in chicken burger.

This study aimed to evaluate the sensory and hedonic perceptions of chicken burger manufactured with pink pepper residue extract (PPE) added to the meat and to the chitosan film. Five samples were manufactured: CT: control, without antioxidant; DP and FP: addition of PPE to the meat batter and to the film, respectively; C1 and C2: commercial brands of chicken burgers. Consumers characterized the samples using the overall liking test and Check-all-that-apply questions. The samples showed a medium-high level of acceptance and no significant differences were found between them. DP was the farthest sample from the ideal and FP showed positive results, since its characteristics were like the commercial samples. The direct extract application may lead to a reduction in the liking of chicken burgers, demonstrating that the technology of active films is a viable alternative to the use of natural antioxidant extracts in meat products.

Optimization of lipid profile and hardness of low-fat mortadella following a sequential strategy of experimental design.

This study aims to optimize simultaneously the lipid profile and instrumental hardness of low-fat mortadella. For lipid mixture optimization, the overlapping of surface boundaries was used to select the quantities of canola, olive, and fish oils, in order to maximize PUFAs, specifically the long-chain n-3 fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic-EPA, docosahexaenoic acids-DHA) using the minimum content of fish oil. Increased quantities of canola oil were associated with higher PUFA/SFA ratios. The presence of fish oil, even in small amounts, was effective in improving the nutritional quality of the mixture, showing lower n-6/n-3 ratios and significant levels of EPA and DHA. Thus, the optimal lipid mixture comprised of 20, 30 and 50% fish, olive and canola oils, respectively, which present PUFA/SFA (2.28) and n-6/n-3 (2.30) ratios within the recommendations of a healthy diet. Once the lipid mixture was optimized, components of the pre-emulsion used as fat replacer in the mortadella, such as lipid mixture (LM), sodium alginate (SA), and milk protein concentrate (PC), were studied to optimize hardness and springiness to target ranges of 13-16 N and 0.86-0.87, respectively. Results showed that springiness was not significantly affected by these variables. However, as the concentration of the three components increased, hardness decreased. Through the desirability function, the optimal proportions were 30% LM, 0.5% SA, and 0.5% PC. This study showed that the pre-emulsion decreases hardness of mortadella. In addition, response surface methodology was efficient to model lipid mixture and hardness, resulting in a product with improved texture and lipid quality.

Amazon Fruits as Healthy Ingredients in Muscle Food Products: A Review.

When looking for new ingredients to process red meat, poultry, and fish products, it is essential to consider using vegetable resources that can replace traditional ingredients such as animal fat and synthetic antioxidants that may harm health. The Amazon, home to hundreds of edible fruit species, can be a viable alternative for new ingredients in processing muscle food products. These fruits have gained interest for their use as natural antioxidants, fat replacers, colorants, and extenders. Some of the fruits that have been tested include açai, guarana, annatto, cocoa bean shell, sacha inchi oil, and peach palm. Studies have shown that these fruits can be used as dehydrated products or as liquid or powder extracts in doses between 250 and 500 mg/kg as antioxidants. Fat replacers can be added directly as flour or used to prepare emulsion gels, reducing up to 50% of animal fat without any detrimental effects. However, oxidation problems of the gels suggest that further investigation is needed by incorporating adequate antioxidant levels. In low doses, Amazon fruit byproducts such as colorants and extenders have been shown to have positive technological and sensory effects on muscle food products. While evidence suggests that these fruits have beneficial health effects, their in vitro and in vivo nutritional effects should be evaluated in muscle food products containing these fruits. This evaluation needs to be intended to identify safe doses, delay the formation of key oxidation compounds that directly affect health, and investigate other factors related to health.

Assessment of beef sensory attributes and physicochemical characteristics: A comparative study of intermediate versus normal ultimate pH striploin cuts.

The quality of beef, defined by key attributes such as the intrinsic sensory qualities texture, flavour, and juiciness, is shaped by various intrinsic and extrinsic factors. This study conducted a detailed examination of Nellore beef, focusing on two categories based on ultimate pH (pHu) levels: intermediate (pHu ≥ 5.8) and normal (pHu < 5.6) beef. A comprehensive approach was taken, involving twenty trained assessors who applied the Optimised Descriptive Profile (ODP) method to evaluate grilled striploin steak samples. In parallel, consumer preferences were measured through a hedonic test and a Check-all-that-apply (CATA) task, involving 135 participants. The ODP results revealed that the intermediate pHu samples were juicier (P < 0.05) compared to the normal pHu group. The CATA analysis highlighted differences in both intermediate and normal pHu beef, especially in juiciness, a crucial factor for consumer satisfaction. Notably, variations in deoxymyoglobin content linked to ageing were observed, with higher levels at the 3rd day compared to the 28th day, especially in the intermediate pHu samples (P < 0.05). Moreover, colour-related aspects such as L*, b*, chroma (C*), and oxymyoglobin were significantly influenced (P < 0.05) by both the pHu category and ageing time. Regarding consumer acceptance, the study found no significant difference in perception between the intermediate and normal pHu groups (P > 0.05). These findings revealed the complex interactions between pHu levels, sensory characteristics, and consumer preferences in beef quality, offering valuable insights for both the industry and research community.

Fish Burgers Fortified with Microencapsulated Sacha Inchi Oil: Effects on Technological and Sensory Properties.

The long-chain omega-3 fatty acids alpha linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have proven health benefits, but it is not common to find them together in a processed food product. This could lead to healthier and more functional food products, which may have positive implications for consumer health and well-being. This work aimed to fortify a model burger manufactured with fillets of an Amazonian fish (boquichico, Prochilodus nigricans) by adding microencapsulated sacha inchi oil (Plukenetia volubilis, rich in ALA) (MSIO) produced by spray-drying. MSIO was incorporated into the burgers at different levels (0, 3, 4, 5, and 6%). The burgers were characterized by their proximal composition, cooking losses, texture profile, lipid oxidation, sensory profile, overall liking, and fatty acid profile. The results showed that adding MSIO up to concentrations of 5% or 6% increased the instrumental hardness, chewiness, and lipid oxidation in the burgers. However, fortifying the burgers with 3% MSIO was possible without affecting the burgers' sensory properties and overall liking. Regarding the fatty acid profile, the burgers with 3% MSIO had a higher content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, with the ALA, EPA, and DHA types of fatty acids. Therefore, we recommend using this fortification concentration, but future studies should be carried out to improve the oxidative stability of MSIO and the burgers.

Exploring Pijuayo (Bactris gasipaes) Pulp and Peel Flours as Fat Replacers in Burgers: A Multivariate Study on Physicochemical and Sensory Traits.

Meat products are known for their lipid profile rich in saturated fats and cholesterol, and also for the formation of oxidation compounds; therefore, a reduction in animal fat may result in a product less harmful to health. Pijuayo is an Amazon fruit known for its nutritional properties, such as its fiber and lipid content. For these reasons, it is an attractive fruit to replace animal fat in meat products. The present work used pijuayo pulp and peel flours to partially replace animal fat in beef-based burgers at 25% and 50% levels, considering sensory and physicochemical outcomes evaluated by Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Correspondence Analysis (CA) and Multiple Factor Analysis (MFA). Pijuayo flour affected the physicochemical characteristics evaluated by PCA, where the samples with greater fat replacement were characterized by a high carbohydrate content and instrumental yellowness. The minimal fat replacement did not abruptly affect the PCA's instrumental texture and color, proximal composition, yield properties, and lipid oxidation. The overall liking was greater in the 25% fat reduction treatments, even greater than the control, in which positive sensory attributes for liking were highlighted for those treatments. A small segment of consumers (11% of total consumers) preferred the treatment with greater replacement of fat with pijuayo peel flour, which these consumers tended to characterize as seasoned. However, this treatment had the lowest liking. The MFA showed that the sensory characteristics tender and tasty were strongly correlated with overall liking and were highlighted in the samples of 25% fat reduction, suggesting that the pijuayo improves the tenderness and flavor of reduced-fat burgers. Other inclusion levels between 25% and 50% of fat replacement could be explored, and optimization studies are needed. In addition, the sensory characteristics and flavor-enhancing compounds of the fruit, as well as the nutritional aspects of the inclusion of pijuayo, should be studied, such as the fatty acid profile. These characteristics will be informative to explore pijuayo as a fat replacer at a pilot scale and industrial scale.

A Comparative Study of Freshwater Fish Burgers Made from Three Amazonian Species: Omega 3 Fortification and Sodium Reduction.

This study aimed to formulate burgers made from three Amazonian fish species: pacu (Pyaractus brachypomus), boquichico (Prochilodus nigricans), and bujurqui (Chaetobranchus flavescens), focusing on sodium reduction and fortification with fish oil microparticles (FOM) rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The proximal composition, sodium and calcium content, instrumental texture profile, fatty acid profile, sensory profile, and overall liking were evaluated. Differences in proximal composition and fatty acid profiles between the fillets were reflected in the burgers. Fortification with FOM increased EPA and DHA in the burgers; thus, they can be considered "high in omega-3 fatty acids" and reduced the n-6/n-3 ratio below 4. There were sensory attributes that could be related to lipid oxidation but reduced overall liking for less than 10% of consumers. Nevertheless, certain sensory attributes (grilled, characteristic, aromatic, tasty, tender, and juicy) had a positive impact on the overall liking of more than 20% of consumers, yielding adequate scores (between 5.60 and 5.71) on the 9-point hedonic scale. The production process must be optimized by knowing the fish fillet quality in depth, improving the FOM and burgers' oxidative stability, and achieving an adequate sensory and hedonic profile by employing consumers' vocabulary to characterize new products.

Impact of Micronized Salt in Reducing the Sodium Content in Fresh Sausages.

This study aimed to investigate the incorporation of micronized salt (MS) to reduce sodium content in fresh sausages while preserving technological, chemical, textural, and sensory characteristics. Four treatments were prepared: control (C) with 2.0% regular salt; M2.0% with 2.0% micronized salt; M1.5% with 1.5% micronized salt; and M1.0% with 1.0% micronized salt, containing 1004, 1133, 860, and 525 mg of sodium/100 g of product, respectively. To characterize the samples, analyses of sodium content, cooking loss, relative myoglobin content, and instrumental color were carried out. The sensory analysis was performed using the Temporal-Check-All-That-Apply (TCATA) method. Half of the micronized salt treatment was mixed with the fat during the processing of the fresh sausages. It was possible to achieve a 50% reduction in sodium (M1.0%) in the fresh sausages without negative effects on most technological, chemical, and textural parameters, which did not differ from the control treatment (C). Conversely, "chewiness" decreased in M2.0% compared to the control (C) due to mixing micronized salt with the fat. The sodium reduction did not impact the temporal sensory profile and overall liking. Therefore, using micronized salt in fresh sausages reduces sodium content without affecting sensory traits and product stability.

Effect of ultimate pH on quality of aged Longissimus dorsi muscle of Zebu Nellore (Bos indicus) during long-term frozen storage.

Despite the relatively high occurrence of bovine meat with intermediate to high ultimate pH (pHu), there is a lack of studies focused on the effects of long-term conventional air-blasting freezing storage on quality parameters of commercial beefs of Zebu Nellore (Bos indicus) with varying pHu ranges. The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of pHu ranges [normal (≤5.79), intermediate (5.80 to 6.19), and high (≥6.20)] and long-term frozen storage on quality parameters of aged Longissimus dorsi beefs of Zebu Nellore (Bos indicus). The aging conditions were set at 2 °C for 14 days, while the freezing conditions were set at - 20 °C, and samples were collected after 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of storage. The results indicated that the pHu influenced meat quality parameters, as well as the chemical forms of myoglobin, which changed throughout the frozen storage, leading to a brighter red color, especially for the normal pHu beef samples, likely due to increased oxymyoglobin content. Frozen storage improved tenderness, with high pHu beef samples being the more tender after 12 months, potentially due to lower protein oxidation, as measured by the carbonyl content. Increased drip loss was observed over freezing time, with a concomitant decrease in protein solubility, especially for myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic proteins, which differed among the pHu ranges. These findings are valuable for determining freezing time as a preservation strategy to maintain beef quality within different pHu ranges.

Consumer's perception and expected liking of labels of burgers with sodium reduction and addition of mushroom flavor enhancer.

This study investigated consumers' perception of labels of burgers with sodium reduction and/or addition of mushroom flavor enhancer. Six visual stimuli were created using a factorial design with sodium content (regular, sodium-reduced, and sodium-reduced plus health claim) and flavor enhancer (monosodium glutamate (MSG) and mushroom extract) as factors. Consumers answered an attitudinal questionnaire and evaluated the stimuli through expected liking and check-all-that-apply (CATA) questions. Three consumers' clusters were identified, which associated positive attributes to labels of burgers with mushroom flavor enhancer and negative attributes to labels of MSG-burgers, regardless of sodium content. The main positive drivers of liking were "I would buy", "attractive", "innovative", "tasty", and "contain fewer additives", which were associated with burgers with mushroom flavor enhancer, while "contain additives", "processed", "artificial", "unhealthy", and "not attractive" were the negative drivers of liking that should be modified in a reformulation to increase liking. This study provides valuable information for the development of healthier burgers and their positioning in the market.

Modification of NaCl structure as a sodium reduction strategy in meat products: An overview.

Sodium chloride (NaCl) is an indispensable ingredient in meat products, but the consumption of high doses of sodium contained in their formulations may bring about negative health implications. The replacement of NaCl by other salts in meat products has been a technological challenge. Accordingly, this review highlights the importance of NaCl over other sodium and non­sodium salts in the saltiness perception and proposes the use of reduced-size and shapes of NaCl to maximize saltiness perception, while using less NaCl dosages in meat products. However, the effect of matrix components (water, proteins and fats) on the final salty taste is of special consideration. To counteract the effect of the matrix components, two main routes of incorporation of different NaCl types in meat products are discussed: encapsulation and protection of NaCl by the hydrophobic component of the meat product. Given the limited number of publications using this potential strategy, more studies on the application of these technological strategies are required.

Enrichment of NaCl-reduced burger with long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids: Effects on physicochemical, technological, nutritional, and sensory characteristics.

This study aimed to determine the effect of NaCl reduction and addition of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on the quality traits of burgers. Fish oil was either directly incorporated or added as encapsulated by freeze-dried microparticles (complex coacervates) composed of soy protein isolate and inulin. Despite the differences in some parameters associated with NaCl reduction (e.g., instrumental hardness), the quality of the burgers was mainly affected by the microparticles. Thus, a decrease in pH and increase in hardness and chewiness were observed, and a higher exposure of fish oil to oxidation was observed thus increasing volatile oxidation compounds and negatively impacting on the sensory profile and overall liking of the burgers. However, the encapsulation of the fish oil helped to retain EPA and DHA after cooking. The results of the NaCl-reduced burger with unencapsulated fish oil suggest the possibility of incorporating PUFAs, but only containing EPA after cooking.

Going beyond sensory and hedonic aspects: A Brazilian study of emotions evoked by beef in different contexts.

For deeper insight into beef consumer experiences during consumption, sensory descriptions seem to be insufficient, and exploration of emotions evoked by this product are required. In this context, the present study aimed to evaluate the emotions evoked by beef consumption in different contexts. To that end, this work was structured as follows: 1) Emotional vocabulary development; 2) Selection of beef cuts; and 3) Emotional profiling of beef cuts. The emotional vocabulary was useful for characterizing emotions evoked by two beef cuts with different sensory profiles, in different contexts, considering a within-subjects design. Rump cap samples showed the highest liking and were associated with positive emotions, while outside flat samples were less liked and characterized by negative emotions. The evoked context had no effect on hedonic and emotional intensities, but increased the number of emotions elicited by consumers. The correlation of sensory, hedonic and emotional information indicated that tenderness and internal color of beef were correlated with positive emotions and higher liking scores.

Sodium reformulation and its impact on oxidative stability and sensory quality of dry-cured rabbit legs.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the oxidative stability and sensory quality of dry-cured rabbit legs produced with a reduction or replacement of 50% of NaCl by KCl and with the addition of monosodium glutamate (MG). Oxidative stability was evaluated during 90 days of storage at 20 °C by determining pH, redox potential (Eh), and TBARS while overall liking and sensory profile were measured at the beginning of storage. The results indicated that oxidative stability of the dry-cured rabbit legs was not affected by the sodium reformulation. However, TBARS values increased about 15-fold during storage in all treatments. Dry-cured rabbit legs produced with KCl showed lower scores (P < 0.05) for the overall liking and flavor attributes as "astringent flavor", "bitter taste" and "metallic flavor". The addition of MG to products with 50% NaCl reduction provided a liking and a sensory profile similar to the product with 100% NaCl.

Low-sodium dry-cured rabbit leg: A novel meat product with healthier properties.

Dry-cured rabbit legs were produced with a 50% reduction or replacement of NaCl by KCl and with the addition of monosodium glutamate (MG). The effect of this reformulation on technological, nutritional, and sensory characteristics was evaluated. The sodium reformulation did not show a great impact on Aw, pH, weight loss, and volatile profile of the samples. The samples presented high protein (31.5 to 36.1%) and low fat contents (3.2 to 5.7%). In addition, all essential amino acids presented an amino acid score greater than 1.0. The reformulated samples showed a sodium reduction of 46.2% while the addition of KCl to the formulations provided a healthy Na/K ratio. Oleic acid was the major fatty acid (FA) (31.3% of total FA) and healthy lipid indexes were observed for all samples. Finally, the addition of MG was effective to compensate for the sensory defects caused by sodium reformulation.

Agaricus bisporus mushroom as partial fat replacer improves the sensory quality maintaining the instrumental characteristics of beef burger.

The effect of Agaricus bisporus (AB) mushroom as a fat replacer in beef burgers was evaluated. Four treatments were compared: control (0% AB, 20% fat) and 3 treatments with partial fat replacement: AB 5% (5% AB, 15% fat); AB 10% (10% AB, 10% fat); AB 15% (AB 15%, 5% fat). Mushroom addition increased moisture content and yield and decreased cooking loss and diameter reduction of the burgers. Formulations with the highest AB concentrations were lighter and redder than the control. AB incorporation affected texture, resulting in less hard and less chewy products. In general, lipid oxidation increased during the storage time, however the lowest values were observed in AB 15%, i.e. the lowest fat content and the presence of AB increased the oxidative stability. AB 10% and AB 15% had good overall liking and were sensorially characterized as juicy, tender and flavorsome burgers. The partial replacement of animal fat by AB is a promising strategy for developing a low-fat burger.