Consumer perception of salt-reduced bread with the addition of brown seaweed evaluated under blinded and informed conditions.

BACKGROUND: Many consumers have a high salt intake and bread is a primary source because of its high rate of consumption. The inclusion of seaweeds has been proposed as an ingredient that could help reduce the salt content of food products. As such, the present study aimed to evaluate whether the amount of salt in bread could be reduced and the change in sensory properties be mitigated by the inclusion of brown seaweed. There were two different sensory trials conducted. In the first trial, participants (n = 102) evaluated bread made with brown seaweed (4% substitution for flour) with reduced amounts of salt (10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50%). The second trial asked participants (n = 98) to evaluate the control bread and the 20% salt-reduced bread in blinded and informed conditions. In both sensory trials, the breads samples were assessed using hedonic scales, just-about-right scales, and check-all-that-apply. RESULTS: The results showed that the 10% and 20% salt-reduced breads were acceptable and associated with being soft, chewy and having no aftertaste. The other breads were associated with a dense, dry and strong aftertaste, along with not being salty enough for the consumers. When the breads were evaluated in informed conditions, the salt reduction label had a negative impact on the consumers' liking. CONCLUSION: The research emphasizes that salt-reduced labels influence consumers' sensory perception. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Identification of sensory properties driving consumers' liking of commercially available kale and arugula.

BACKGROUND: Kale and arugula are leafy green vegetables whose sensory properties have not been extensively explored. The objective was to assess the sensory properties and consumer acceptability of commercially available kale and arugula while also discovering drivers of consumer liking and barriers to consumer acceptance. Descriptive analysis and consumer testing were completed. The trained panellists (n = 11) were trained for 15 h to evaluate 11 sensory properties relating to the aroma, taste and texture of the kale and arugula. The consumer testing (n = 108) evaluated the leafy greens for overall liking and their liking of taste, aroma, texture and appearance. RESULTS: Results were analyzed using ANOVA, Tukey's HSD and external preference mapping. Approximately half of the attributes for the kale samples were found to be significantly different. Similarly, significant differences in sensory properties were found in most of the arugula samples. Consumers liked the kale and arugula varieties that were sweet and nutty. Also, they preferred arugula that was described as spicy. CONCLUSION: The majority of consumers preferred sweet and nutty leafy greens. Organic growing methods did not affect consumer liking; however, organic labels do positively affect hedonic ratings of a consumer's overall liking of the product. This study also identified that 'Baby' leafy greens are well liked by consumers, and this area of produce should be expanded. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Glycaemic response of proso millet-based (Panicum miliaceum) products.

The glycaemic response of millet foods and the effect of processing are not known. Therefore, decorticated proso millet was used to produce four types of common food products (biscuits, couscous, porridge and an extruded snack). Postprandial blood glucose response of these products (all containing 50 g of total starch) was compared to the same foods produced with refined corn, in a crossover human study with 12 healthy male participants (age 26.3 ± 3.8 yr; BMI 23.3 ± 2.8 kg/m2). Capillary blood samples were collected and glycaemic response was determined; differences were assessed using repeat measures ANOVA. Overall, the mean (±SEM) incremental area under the blood glucose response curve (mmol min/l) of the proso millet products was different from the corn products, but individual products (couscous = 66.7 ± 11.6, biscuit = 82.6 ± 13.7, extrudate = 198.7 ± 20.9, porridge = 40.1 ± 5.8) were not significantly lower (couscous = 43.5 ± 5.8, biscuit = 102.0 ± 10.3, extrudate = 198.7 ± 20.9, porridge = 52.2 ± 8.1) (p > .05). Glycaemic response of the products was not dependent on the grain type, but rather product matrix.

Atlantic Canadians' Sensory Perception of Couscous Made with Sugar Kelp (Saccharina latissma).

Sugar kelp (Saccharina latissma) has many nutritional benefits and has been identified as a rich source of fibre, vitamins, and antioxidants. However, it is not regularly consumed in the Western world, and the sensory perception of foods containing sugar kelp must be investigated to increase acceptance in North America. This study evaluated consumers' (n = 99) sensory perception of couscous with increasing amounts of sugar kelp (0% (control), 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% wt/wt). Furthermore, consumers' purchase intent, liking, and emotional response to couscous with added sugar kelp was evaluated with and without nutritional information. Sugar kelp at 6% incorporation did not impact the consumers' liking scores ("Like Slightly" on the hedonic scale), but at 8% the consumers' liking significantly decreased ("Neither Like nor Dislike"). The 8% and 10% levels of sugar kelp addition led to astringency, bitter, hard, brackish, fishy, and chewy attributes being perceived by the consumers. The consumers identified they preferred samples that had soft, savoury, salty, and bland flavours and disliked samples that were brackish and gritty. The nutritional information did not increase overall liking scores, purchase intent, or emotional response. However, the inclusion of sugar kelp in the couscous did lead to an increased selection of positive emotions like happy, joyful, pleasant, and enthusiastic. Overall, the consumers were interested in foods containing seaweed and believed they were nutritious. The results indicated that sugar kelp could be added to couscous up to 6% wt/wt without impacting overall liking.

A consumer evaluation of salt-reduced tomato soup and vegetable juice made with grape pomace.

Obesity and obesity-related illness have become an increasingly prevalent problem and there is a critical need to combat this by reducing sugar, salt, and fat consumption. Due to this concern, the food industry has been developing salt-reduced foods, however, these products need to maintain their sensory appeal and flavors, which has proven to be a challenge. Grape pomace (GP), the solids left after pressing grapes for winemaking and consisting of grape seeds and skins, has been proposed as an environmentally friendly solution that can enhance the acceptability of salt-reduced food products. However, GP is associated with a large number of flavor compounds. As such, the objective of this research is to investigate the acceptability of GP addition in salt-reduced foods. Two trials were conducted using hedonic scales and temporal check-all-that-apply (TCATA) to evaluate tomato soup (n = 88) and vegetable juice (n = 99). Each trial included a control and sample containing grape pomace. The addition of the GP decreased the consumers' overall liking and the liking of the flavor, as well as increasing consumers' perception of saltiness intensity. The samples made with GP were associated with bitterness, sourness, and wine flavor during the TCATA evaluations. The study identified that GP increased saltiness perception, however, it also adds other flavors to the food product, which decreased the acceptability of the food items. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: There is a consumer demand to create salt-reduced foods that do not have altered sensory properties. Furthermore, consumers are interested in sustainable and environmentally friendly ingredients. Grape pomace is a byproduct of the wine industry and has been proposed as an ingredient that can increase the saltiness perception of food products. Grape pomace was added to tomato soup and vegetable juice to evaluate its effect on consumer acceptability and saltiness perception. The grape pomace did increase saltiness perception, but also added bitterness, sourness, and wine flavor to the food products.

Investigation into the Sensory Properties of Plant-Based Eggs, as Well as Acceptance, Emotional Response, and Use.

Consumers have become interested in plant-based alternatives to animal-based products. One of the under-studied alternatives is plant-based eggs (PBEs). This research investigated PBEs relative to conventional eggs and tofu scramble-another plant-based alternative. Firstly, participants (n = 93) completed a word association task asking them about PBEs. Participants then evaluated the different food samples using hedonic scales, check-all-that-apply (CATA), and temporal check-all-that-apply (TCATA), as well as identified their emotional response and proposed use for PBEs. Participants were interested in plant-based alternatives, including PBEs, but they were concerned about the sensory properties. When they evaluated the different samples, the flavour and texture of the PBEs were disliked in comparison to the eggs. This result may be due to the beany, bitterness, and off-flavour attributes associated with the PBEs. Participants also associated the PBEs with negative emotions. The liking of tofu scramble was not significantly different from the eggs, and the eggs and tofu scramble were mainly associated with positive emotions. During the TCATA evaluation, the participants focused on the flavour attributes of PBEs, while their evaluation of the eggs was dominated by the textural attributes. Whether following a plant-based diet or not, consumers are interested in PBEs, but the sensory properties of PBEs need to be improved before they are willing to adopt them into their diet. This study is one of the first to evaluate the sensory properties of PBEs, as well as consumers' emotional response to them and their attitudes about PBEs.

An investigation into the sensory properties of luffa (Luffa cylindrica (L.)) seeds and a comparison to other seeds (flax, sunflower, chia, and hemp).

Consumers are interested in new sustainable ingredients but are unwilling to accept undesirable sensory properties in their food products. Luffa (Luffa cylindrica) is mainly harvested and processed for its fibrous network, which is used as an exfoliator, while its seeds are usually discarded. However, the seeds have been found to have various nutritional benefits. As such, this study investigated the sensory properties of luffa seed powder added to yogurt and compared it to other seed powder (flax, sunflower, chia, and hemp). Consumers (n = 107) evaluated their liking of the different seeds added to yogurt using hedonic scales and the sensory properties using check-all-that-apply (CATA). The luffa seeds when mixed with yogurt were associated with off-colour, off-flavour, metallic, strong flavour, bitter, salty, earthy and decreased consumer liking. The flax and sunflower seeds were found to be sweet, nutty, cooked, mild flavour, and to have a smooth texture. The overall liking scores for the flax and sunflower seed samples were significantly higher than the luffa and hemp samples. Future studies should investigate different drying and roasting treatments to improve the sensory properties of the luffa seeds.

Sensory properties of thickened and protein-enriched plant-based frozen desserts.

The number of consumers following plant-based diets has increased and in turn, the variety of plant-based foods available on the market has also increased. Many plant-based foods aim to mimic the functionality and sensory properties of conventional dairy products; however, they may not be suitable for specific populations. Dysphagia, for example, is a swallowing condition requiring texture-modified foods that meet specific criteria. While many conventional thickened products exist that are safe for individuals with dysphagia, the growing interest in plant-based eating alongside the increasing prevalence of dysphagia prompts a need for research on the use and safety of thickened plant-based alternatives. This study investigated the sensory properties of a thickened protein-enhanced ice cream (dairy and whey) compared to thickened protein-enhanced plant-based frozen desserts (cashew and pea, and coconut and pea). The formulations were evaluated using the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization (IDDSI) Spoon Tilt Test and a sensory trial (n = 104 participants, 47 flexitarians and 57 typical consumers) using static (hedonic scales and check-all-that-apply [CATA]), and dynamic (temporal check-all-that-apply (TCATA)) methods. The dairy and whey sample consistently passed the IDDSI test, while the plant-based samples did not. TCATA identified that the plant-based samples had an increased cohesiveness and adhesiveness, and decreased slipperiness when compared to the dairy and whey sample. The differences in textural properties may explain why the plant-based samples did not pass the IDDSI test. The study identified that although plant-based foods strive to mimic conventional dairy products, they have different textural and flavor properties.

An investigation into the sensory properties of luffa [Luffa cylindrica (L.)] sap.

The seeds and sap of luffa [Luffa cylindrica (L.)] are usually discarded as waste. As such, this study aimed to identify the sensory properties of luffa sap (aqueous solution) and if it can be incorporated into a food item (orange juice) for added nutritional benefits and as an alternative sweetener. A sensory trial (n = 94) asked participants to evaluate a luffa sap sample and five different orange juice samples with increasing amounts of luffa sap (control [0%], 5%, 7.5%, 10%, 12.5%). The participants evaluated the samples using 9-point hedonic scales, check-all-that-apply, and an open-ended comment question. The luffa sap was described as having a mild flavor as well as woody, earthy, and floral attributes and an aftertaste. The liking scores for the orange juice with the 5% luffa sap did not significantly differ from the control. However, as the amount of luffa sap increased above 5%, the liking scores decreased and were significantly different from the control. The orange juice with luffa sap samples (7.5% and above) was associated with off-flavors, while the orange juice with 5% luffa sap and the control were associated with the attributes (sweet, fruity, orange, tropical, citrus) that increased the participants liking. Future studies should continue to investigate the sensory properties of luffa sap and its incorporation into different food products. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This is one of the first studies to investigate the sensory properties of luffa sap with participants residing in the Western world. The luffa sap was found to be woody, earthy, bitter, and floral. It was acceptable to add luffa sap to orange juice up to 5% by volume. However, it did not increase the sweetness perception of the orange juice. At a 7.5% luffa sap addition and higher levels, off-flavors were observed in the orange juice.

Consumers' familiarity with wine increased their acceptance of pasta sauce containing grape pomace.

Grape pomace (GP) is a waste product of the winemaking process and has been proposed as a nutritionally beneficial ingredient, as it contains phenolic compounds, dietary fiber, and antioxidant activity. It can be a polarizing ingredient due to its flavor components. Familiarity has been found to influence consumers' preferences and sensory perception of food. A sensory test was conducted to evaluate the acceptance, sensory perception, and emotional response to pasta sauces containing GP (3% [3GP], 6% [6GP], 9% [9GP] by volume and control without GP addition). The sensory trials included wine consumers (n = 44) and nonconsumers of wine (n = 58) to determine how consumers' familiarity with the flavor properties of GP influenced their perception of the pasta sauce. Overall, the addition of GP decreased the liking scores of the GP-containing sauces, but the wine consumers' hedonic scores for the control, 3GP, and 9GP were significantly higher than the nonconsumers. Both consumer groups identified that the samples with a higher amount of GP addition were associated with sour, bitter, astringency, grainy, and gritty attributes. However, the wine consumers used more positive emotions to describe their emotional response to the GP-containing samples. The study identified that GP led to off-flavors and textures in the pasta sauces. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: GP is currently a waste product, but it has many nutritional benefits. Consumers are increasingly looking for nutritional benefits from their food. When incorporated into pasta sauces, GP decreased the acceptance of the pasta sauce and negatively impacted the flavor and texture. Familiarity has been found to impact consumer acceptance, and wine consumers had a more positive emotional response and higher hedonic scores in response to the GP-containing pasta sauce than nonconsumers of wine.