Physicochemical, Microbiological, and Toxicological Characterization of Pâté Prepared from the Meat and Liver of Bullfrog (Aquarana catesbeiana) Carcasses.

The development of balanced, healthy, ready-to-consume, and easy-to-prepare products has led to the development of new food technologies. Despite their high commercial value, bullfrog (Aquarana catesbeiana) carcasses result in low yields, with the thighs being the most marketed in comparison to other carcass portions. In this sense, liver pâté is a traditional food consumed worldwide, mainly in European countries, and may be prepared by incorporating bullfrog meat by-products and certain viscera. In this context, the aim of the present study was to develop a pâté product based on a mixture comprising 50% grounded bullfrog torso meat and 50% liver paste, with each treatment incorporating 10% liver paste increments, totaling five final mixtures. The nutritional compositions and physicochemical, microbiological, and toxicological characteristics of each mixture were assessed. The dry matter percentage of the prepared product was determined to be 27.00%, while mineral content was 1.45%, lipid content was 4.00%, and total protein content was 20.00%. Finally, microbiological counts were in agreement with current food safety regulations. The developed pâté serves as a standard, recycling underused industrial materials, adding value to the production chain at low operational costs, creating a more accessible market, and promoting the popularization of this type of meat.

Influence of dietary inclusion of tannin extracts from mimosa, chestnut and tara on volatile compounds and flavour in lamb meat.

Tannins are compounds able to form complexes with proteins limiting their ruminal degradation and thus the synthesis of some odour-active compounds may be inhibited. Tannins are broadly divided in condensed tannins (CT) and hydrolysable tannins (HT). The study aimed to assess the influence of dietary inclusion of three commercial tannin extracts, namely mimosa (Acacia mearnsii; CT), chestnut (Castanea sativa; HT) or tara (Caesalpinia spinosa; HT) on volatile profile and flavour of meat and kidney fat from lambs. Comisana male lambs were divided into four groups (n = 9 each) and fed for 75 days with a concentrate-based diet (CON) or CON supplemented with 4% of one of the tannin extracts. Tannins reduced "pastoral" odour in perirenal fat of lambs the meat of which was characterized by a very low perception of this attribute. It may be assumed that p-cresol and 8-methylnonanoic acid mostly contributed to "pastoral" odour expression in the diet without condensed or hydrolysable tannins.

Pungency perception and liking for pasta filata cheeses in consumers from different Italian regions.

We aimed to investigate whether the sensitivity to capsaicin had an effect on pungency perception of pasta filata cheeses. In addition, we assessed the effect of several individual variables (gender, age, consumer provenance, PROP status and personality traits) on both consumer liking and choice for pasta filata cheeses. Four pasta filata cheeses at two ripening times and 272 subjects from three different Italian locations were used. Based on sensory data, the PCA discriminated sweet (ripened at 2 months) from pungent cheeses (ripened at 12 months). Cheese pungency perception increased with increasing sensitivity to capsaicin (P < 0.001). There was no clear relationship between sensitivity to capsaicin or sensitivity to cheese pungency with cheese liking, whereas a number of other aspects, including sensory attributes and individual consumer characteristics, such as consumer provenance (P < 0.001), gender (P < 0.001) and food neophobia (P < 0.05), affected the liking for different pasta filata cheeses. Consumers who were younger (18-30 y.o.; P < 0.05), female (P < 0.001), unfamiliar with pungent foods (P < 0.0001) and consumers from Potenza (P = 0.001) more often declared to prefer sweet over pungent cheese, whereas in terms of real choice supertasters and neophobic subjects chose the sweet option more often (P = 0.01). In conclusion, sensitivity to capsaicin affected pungency perception in pasta filata cheese, whereas no clear relationship was observed between pungency perception and liking. The contribution of cheese and consumer characteristics on cheese liking and choice in addition to pungency, was confirmed by the differences in declared and real choice for sweet or pungent cheeses.

Individual Variation in PROP Status, Fungiform Papillae Density, and Responsiveness to Taste Stimuli in a Large Population Sample.

Despite considerable research investigating the role of 6-n-propylthiouracil bitterness perception and variation of fungiform papillae density in food perception, this relationship remains controversial as well as the association between the 2 phenotypes. Data from 1119 subjects (38.6% male; 18-60 years) enrolled in the Italian Taste project were analyzed. Responsiveness to the bitterness of 6-n-propylthiouracil was assessed on the general Labeled Magnitude Scale. Fungiform papillae density was determined from manual counting on digital images of the tongue. Solutions of tastes, astringent, and pungent sensations were prepared to be moderate/strong on a general Labeled Magnitude Scale. Four foods had tastants added to produce 4 variations in target sensations from weak to strong (pear juice: citric acid, sourness; chocolate pudding: sucrose, sweetness; bean purée: sodium chloride, saltiness; and tomato juice: capsaicin, pungency). Women gave ratings to 6-n-propylthiouracil and showed fungiform papillae density that was significantly higher than men. Both phenotype markers significantly decreased with age. No significant correlations were found between 6-n-propylthiouracil ratings and fungiform papillae density. Fungiform papillae density variation does not affect perceived intensity of solutions. Responsiveness to 6-n-propylthiouracil positively correlated to perceived intensity of most stimuli in solution. A significant effect of fungiform papillae density on perceived intensity of target sensation in foods was found in a few cases. Responsiveness to 6-n-propylthiouracil positively affected all taste intensities in subjects with low fungiform papillae density whereas there were no significant effects of 6-n-propylthiouracil in those with high fungiform papillae density. These data highlight a complex interplay between 6-n-propylthiouracil status and fungiform papillae density and the need of a critical reconsideration of their role in food perception and acceptability.

An emotional approach to beef evaluation.

The emotions associated with beef consumption, the influence of breeding system information on emotions ("Conventional" - C vs "Only from the Italian Simmental" - OIS label) and their relationship with liking were evaluated by 93 meat consumers. Respondents were asked to evaluate the same samples of Italian Simmental meat provided with the two different labels. Liking scores were obtained using a 9-point scale and the emotions from the EsSense25 list were scored on 5-point scale (1="not at all", 5="extremely"). A positive and significant effect of OIS information was highlighted on liking scores. Moreover, the breeding system information significantly affected 22 out of the 25 emotions. OIS label elicited higher positive and lower negative feelings about the meat than did the C label. Providing the same beef with different breeding information led to different emotions being evoked in consumers, and these differences in emotions were associated with different levels of liking for beef.

Eating quality prediction of beef from Italian Simmental cattle based on experts' steak assessment.

The experiment aimed at defining a grading scheme for Italian Simmental (IS) beef linked to objective measure of eating quality. Four experts developed a meat quality grid based on the assessment of the steak between the 8th and 9th ribs (reference steak). The grid was tested on the reference steak of 29 IS young-bulls. Rib-eye dimension, meat colour, marbling, meat firmness and fat cover highly contributed to overall quality. Two classes of IS beef quality were identified: standard and high. The results were associated with the sensory profile of Longissimus thoracis muscle from the reference steaks performed by a trained panel. The differences in quality highlighted by experts in raw steak accounted for most of the relevant information regarding the sensory properties of cooked beef. The accuracy of predictive model was 96.6%. The developed scheme is a helpful tool for valuing the eating quality of beef.

Montasio cheese liking as affected by information about cows breed and rearing system.

European consumers are more and more aware of the credence attributes of foods, particularly of those of animal origin. The aim of the paper was to assess whether the information about production system may modify the consumer liking of cheese. Montasio PDO cheese (MC), usually made by milk from indoor reared cows of different breeds, was processed from pure milk of Italian Simmental (IS) cows (ISMC) or of IS cows grazing on mountain pasture (ALP-ISMC). A consumer test was carried out in two sessions on 60-d ripened cheeses. In the first, both cheeses were tasted by Montasio consumers in blind condition (Perceived liking, PL). Then the respondents were asked to read information about the breed and the rearing system and to give their Expected liking (EL). Two weeks after, in the second session, the same consumers tasted the two cheeses with the linked information (Actual liking, AL). Despite the similar PL average score (ISMC: 21±2·3 vs. ALP-ISMC: 23±2·2 points on Labelled Affective Magnitude scale, P>0·05), it was possible to identifying consumers' clusters with differential liking for the two types of Montasio PDO, that were characterised by different physico-chemical properties. Consumers express a high EL for ISMC (38±2·6 points) and even more for ALP-ISMC (61±2·5 points). The AL of ISMC (35±2·1 points) was similar and statistically not different from the EL (complete assimilation of information about breed). For ALP-ISMC the assimilation was complete for consumers (29%) who have expressed a positive PL for it, at least twice as much than ISMC. For the rest of consumers, both information and intrinsic properties play a significant role in the AL of the pasture-derived cheese.

Cheese liking and consumer willingness to pay as affected by information about organic production.

The present study aimed to assess the effect of information about organic production on Pecorino cheese liking and consumer willingness to pay. Mean scores of perceived liking were similar for organic cheese (OC) and conventional cheese (CC). Expected liking scores were higher for OC than for CC (P<0.001). For OC the expected liking was significantly higher (P<0.001) than the perceived liking expressed in blind conditions (negative disconfirmation), whereas for CC the expected liking was significantly lower (P<0.001) than the perceived liking expressed in blind conditions (positive disconfirmation). Consumers assimilated their liking for OC in the direction of expectations, as the difference actual vs. perceived liking was significant (P<0.001). However the assimilation was not complete, as also the difference actual liking vs. expected liking was significant (P<0.001). Consumers showed a willingness to pay OC (mean+/-se=4.20+/-0.13 euro/100 g) higher than the local retail price for conventional (1.90 euro/100 g) and even organic cheese (3.00 euro/100 g). We conclude that the information about organic farming can be a major determinant of cheese liking and consumer willingness to pay, thus providing a potential tool for product differentiation, particularly for small scale and traditional farms.