Effect of ethylene and temperature conditioning on sensory attributes and chemical composition of 'Comice' pears.

'Comice' is among the pear varieties most difficult to ripen after harvest. Ethylene, cold temperature, and intermediate (10 °C) temperature conditioning have been successfully used to stimulate the ability of 'Comice' pears to ripen. However, the sensory quality of pears stimulated to ripen by different conditioning treatments has not been evaluated. In this study, a descriptive sensory analysis of 'Comice' pears conditioned to soften to 27, 18, and 9 N firmness with ethylene exposure for 3 or 1 days, storage at 0 °C for 25 or 15 days, or storage at 10 °C for 10 days was performed. Sensory attributes were then related to changes in chemical composition, including volatile components, water-soluble polyuronides, soluble solids content (SSC), and titratable acidity (TA). The sensory profile of fruit conditioned with ethylene was predominant in fibrous texture and low in fruity and pear aroma. Fruit conditioned at 0 °C was described as crunchy at 27 and 18 N firmness and became juicy at 9 N firmness. Fruit conditioned at 0 °C produced the highest quantity of alcohols and fewer esters than fruit conditioned at 10 °C, and they had higher fruity and pear aroma than fruit conditioned with ethylene, but lower than fruit conditioned at 10 °C. Fruit held at 10 °C were predominant in fruity and pear aroma and had the highest concentration of esters. Water-soluble polyuronides were strongly, positively correlated (r > 0.9) with sensory attributes generally associated with ripeness, including juiciness, butteriness, and sweetness and negatively correlated (r > -0.9) with sensory attributes generally associated with the unripe stage, such as firmness and crunchiness. However, water-soluble polyuronides were not significantly different among conditioning treatments. Sensory sweetness was not significantly correlated with SSC, but TA and SSC/TA were significantly correlated with sensory tartness. However, there were no significant differences among the conditioning treatments in sweet or sour taste perception when the fruit fully softened. The results indicate that the various methods of conditioning 'Comice' pear fruits for ripening had different effects on their sensory and chemical properties that may influence their sensory quality.

Effectiveness of calcium chloride and calcium lactate on maintenance of textural and sensory qualities of fresh-cut mangos.

UNLABELLED: The effects of calcium chloride (CaCl2 ) and calcium lactate on maintaining textural and sensory quality of fresh-cut "Kent" and "Tommy Atkins" mangos and determination of treatments preferred by consumers were investigated. Mango cubes (1.5 × 1.5 × 1.5 cm) were subjected to different CaCl2 and calcium lactate concentrations (0 M, 0.068 M, 0.136 M, 0.204 M) and dip times (0, 1, 2.5, 5 min). Instrumental quality parameters (firmness, color, soluble solids, titratable acidity) were analyzed periodically during 9 d of storage at 5 °C. Tommy Atkins mango cubes became more orange, but also had more browning than Kent mango cubes during storage at 5 °C. Firmness retention during storage was greater with mangos cubes treated with CaCl2 than with calcium lactate, therefore we focused our instrumental analysis only on CaCl2 -treated cubes. The firmness of Tommy Atkins mango cubes was higher than Kent. Soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), and SSC/TA were higher in fresh-cut Kent mango cubes. Mangos treated with CaCl2 showed retarded softening during storage, and the retardation was greater at higher calcium concentrations. A consumer test was conducted to cluster consumers based on mango preference in order to correlate consumer liking and calcium treatments, as well as to uncover consumer intentions for in-store fresh-cut mango purchases. Treatment at 10 °C with 0.136 M CaCl2 for 2.5 min for Tommy Atkins mangos and 1 min for Kent mangos was effective in retaining firmness during storage at 5 °C and was also not disliked by consumers. A cluster analysis divided consumers into 2 preference groups, with Kent mangos significantly preferred over Tommy Atkins. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Fresh-cut mangos often develop tissue softening and discoloration during storage. Short dips (1 to 3 min) in either CaCl2 or calcium lactate effectively improve fresh-cut mango firmness and color retention after cutting. Mango samples treated with CaCl2 had higher liking scores compared to those treated with calcium lactate. "Kent" mango variety is more suitable than "Tommy Atkins" for fresh-cut processing in terms of less tissue browning and higher consumer liking.

An integrated approach for flavour quality evaluation in muskmelon (Cucumis melo L. reticulatus group) during ripening.

Numerous and diverse physiological changes occur during fruit ripening and maturity at harvest is one of the key factors influencing the flavour quality of fruits. The effect of ripening on chemical composition, physical parameters and sensory perception of three muskmelon (Cucumis melo L. reticulatus group) cultivars was evaluated. Significant correlations emerging from this extensive data set are discussed in the context of identifying potential targets for melon sensory quality improvement. A portable ultra-fast gas-chromatograph coupled with a surface acoustic wave sensor (UFGC-SAW) was also used to monitor aroma volatile concentrations during fruit ripening and evaluated for its ability to predict the sensory perception of melon flavour. UFGC-SAW analysis allowed the discrimination of melon maturity stage based on six measured peaks, whose abundance was positively correlated to maturity-specific sensory attributes. Our findings suggest that this technology shows promise for future applications in rapid flavour quality evaluation.

Dental erosive wear and salivary flow rate in physically active young adults.

BACKGROUND: Little attention has been directed towards identifying the relationship between physical exercise, dental erosive wear and salivary secretion. The study aimed i) to describe the prevalence and severity of dental erosive wear among a group of physically active young adults, ii) to describe the patterns of dietary consumption and lifestyle among these individuals and iii) to study possible effect of exercise on salivary flow rate. METHODS: Young members (age range 18-32 years) of a fitness-centre were invited to participate in the study. Inclusion criteria were healthy young adults training hard at least twice a week. A non-exercising comparison group was selected from an ongoing study among 18-year-olds. Two hundred and twenty participants accepted an intraoral examination and completed a questionnaire. Seventy of the exercising participants provided saliva samples. The examination was performed at the fitness-centre or at a dental clinic (comparison group), using tested erosive wear system (VEDE). Saliva sampling (unstimulated and stimulated) was performed before and after exercise. Occlusal surfaces of the first molars in both jaws and the labial and palatal surfaces of the upper incisors and canines were selected as index teeth. RESULTS: Dental erosive wear was registered in 64% of the exercising participants, more often in the older age group, and in 20% of the comparison group. Enamel lesions were most observed in the upper central incisors (33%); dentine lesions in lower first molar (27%). One fourth of the participants had erosive wear into dentine, significantly more in males than in females (p = 0.047). More participants with erosive wear had decreased salivary flow during exercise compared with the non-erosion group (p < 0.01). The stimulated salivary flow rate was in the lower rage (≤ 1 ml/min) among more than one third of the participants, and more erosive lesions were registered than in subjects with higher flow rates (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The study showed that a high proportion of physically active young adults have erosive lesions and indicate that hard exercise and decreased stimulated salivary flow rate may be associated with such wear.

Development of satiating and palatable high-protein meat products by using experimental design in food technology.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Foods high in protein are known to satiate more fully than foods high in other constituents. One challenge with these types of food is the degree of palatability. This study was aimed at developing the frankfurter style of sausages that would regulate food intake as well as being the preferred food choice of the consumer. DESIGN AND MEASURES: 16 sausage varieties with commercial (PE% 20) or higher amount of protein (PE% 40), being modified with vegetable fat (3% of rapeseed oil), and smoked or not, underwent a sensory descriptive analysis, in which the information was used to choose a subsample of four sausages for a satiety test. Twenty-seven subjects were recruited based on liking and frequency of sausage consumption. The participants ranged in age from 20 to 28, and in body mass index (BMI) between 19.6 and 30.9. The students were served a sausage meal for five consecutive days and then filled out a questionnaire to describe their feelings of hunger, satiety, fullness, desire to eat an their prospective consumption on a visual analogue scale (VAS) starting from right before, right after the meal, every half hour for 4 h until the next meal was served, and right after the second meal. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The higher protein sausages were less juicy, oily, fatty, adhesive, but harder and more granular than with lower amount of protein. The high-protein sausages were perceived as more satiating the first 90 min after the first meal. Some indication of satiety effect of added oil versus meat fat. No significant differences in liking among the four sausage varieties.