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21 pages, 2377 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Sensory Properties and Preferences of Fruit Wines Based on an Online Survey and Partial Projective Mapping

by Yuxuan Zhu, Qingyu Su, Jingfang Jiao, Niina Kelanne, Maaria Kortesniemi, Xiaoqing Xu, Baoqing Zhu and Oskar Laaksonen

Foods 2023, 12(9), 1844; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12091844 - 29 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2768

Abstract

Non-grapefruits with unique sensory properties and potential health benefits provide added value to fruit wine production. This study aimed to explore consumers’ fruit wine preferences and descriptors for the varied fruit wines. First, 234 consumers participated in an online survey concerning their preferences [...] Read more.

Non-grapefruits with unique sensory properties and potential health benefits provide added value to fruit wine production. This study aimed to explore consumers’ fruit wine preferences and descriptors for the varied fruit wines. First, 234 consumers participated in an online survey concerning their preferences for different wines (grape, blueberry, hawthorn, goji, Rosa roxburghii, and apricot). In addition, their attitudes towards general health interests, food neophobia, alcoholic drinks, and sweetness were collected. Grape wine and blueberry wine were the most favored wines, and goji wine was the least liked fruit wine sample. Moreover, 89 consumers were invited to evaluate 10 commercial fruit wines by using partial projective mapping based on appearance, aroma, and flavor (including taste and mouthfeel) to obtain a comprehensive sensory characterization. Multifactor analysis results showed that consumers could differentiate the fruit wines. Participants preferred fruit wines with “sweet”, “sour”, and “balanced fragrance”, whereas “bitter”, “astringent”, “deep appearance”, and “medicinal fragrance” were not preferred. Attitudes toward health, food neophobia, alcohol, and sweetness had less influence than taste and aroma (sensory attributes) on the preferences for fruit wine products. More frequent self-reported wine usage resulted in higher consumption frequency and liking ratings compared to non-users. Overall, the main factors influencing consumer preference for fruit wines were the sensory characteristics of the products, especially the taste. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multi-Sensory Appreciation and Evaluation toward Foods: Gustatory, Sight, Touch, Smell)

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17 pages, 6133 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Physicochemical and Sensory Properties Colored Whey Protein-Cellulose Nanocrystal Edible Films after Freeze-Thaw Treatment

by Hongbo Sun, Xinnan Liu, Yue Huang and Xiaojing Leng

Foods 2022, 11(23), 3782; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11233782 - 23 Nov 2022

Viewed by 1384

Abstract

Balancing physicochemical properties and sensory properties is one of the key points in expanding edible packaging applications. The work consisted of two parts, one was to investigate the effects of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) on the packaging-related properties of whey protein isolate films with [...] Read more.

Balancing physicochemical properties and sensory properties is one of the key points in expanding edible packaging applications. The work consisted of two parts, one was to investigate the effects of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) on the packaging-related properties of whey protein isolate films with natural colorants (curcumin, phycocyanin, and lycopene) under freeze-thaw (FT) conditions; the other was to test oral tactility and visual sensory properties of the edible films and their overall acceptability in packed ice cream. FT treatment reduced the mechanical strength and moisture content and increased the water vapor permeability of the films, as water-phase transformation not only disrupted hydrogen bonds but also the film network structure through physical stress. The oral tactility produced by CNC and the visual effect produced by colorants could affect participants’ preference for edible films. This study provides a good reference for the consumer-driven product development of packaged low-temperature products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multi-Sensory Appreciation and Evaluation toward Foods: Gustatory, Sight, Touch, Smell)

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18 pages, 3555 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Inter-Row Peanut Growing in the Vineyard on the Quality of ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ Grape Fruits and Wines in Northwest China

by Jing Peng, Wei Wei, Haocheng Lu, Wu Chen, Shude Li, Chifang Cheng, Jun Wang, Changqing Duan and Fei He

Foods 2022, 11(22), 3730; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11223730 - 20 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1419

Abstract

In order to solve the problem of premature grape ripening due to global warming, inter-row peanut growing in viticulture was applied. In this two-year (2018–2019) study, the peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) was used to cover the ground between rows in the vineyards [...] Read more.

In order to solve the problem of premature grape ripening due to global warming, inter-row peanut growing in viticulture was applied. In this two-year (2018–2019) study, the peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) was used to cover the ground between rows in the vineyards located in the semi-arid Northwest China, Xinjiang. The results showed that reflected solar radiation and temperature around the fruit zone with the peanuts growing were decreased. Compared with clean tillage, the grapes with covering peanuts had lower total soluble solids (TSS) and higher titratable acidity (TA) in the berries. Lower alcohol content and higher total acid (TA) was also found in their corresponding wines. Inter-row peanut growing treatment significantly decreased the contents of flavonols in the grapes and their wines in the two consecutive years, but no significant effect on flavanols was observed in the resulting wines. Norisoprenoids and esters in the grapes and the wines were increased with the peanut growing treatment, respectively. Additionally, compared to clean tillage, the peanut covering significantly improved the sensory value of the wines, especially the aroma complexity of the wines. This study helps us to better understand the feasibility of applying inter-row peanut growing in the viticulture of ground management in the semi-arid climate of Northwest China. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multi-Sensory Appreciation and Evaluation toward Foods: Gustatory, Sight, Touch, Smell)

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15 pages, 2424 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Exploration of Pepino (Solanum muricatum) Flavor Compounds Using Machine Learning Combined with Metabolomics and Sensory Evaluation

by Zhu Sun, Wenwen Zhao, Yaping Li, Cheng Si, Xuemei Sun, Qiwen Zhong and Shipeng Yang

Foods 2022, 11(20), 3248; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11203248 - 18 Oct 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2242

Abstract

Flavor is one of the most important characteristics that directly determines the popularity of a food. Moreover, the flavor of fruits is determined by the interaction of multiple metabolic components. Pepino, an emerging horticultural crop, is popular for its unique melon-like flavor. We [...] Read more.

Flavor is one of the most important characteristics that directly determines the popularity of a food. Moreover, the flavor of fruits is determined by the interaction of multiple metabolic components. Pepino, an emerging horticultural crop, is popular for its unique melon-like flavor. We analyzed metabolomics data from three different pepino growing regions in Haidong, Wuwei, and Jiuquan and counted the status of sweetness, acidity, flavor, and overall liking ratings of pepino fruit in these three regions by sensory panels. The metabolomics and flavor ratings were also integrated and analyzed using statistical and machine learning models, which in turn predicted the sensory panel ratings of consumers based on the chemical composition of the fruit. The results showed that pepino fruit produced in the Jiuquan region received the highest ratings in sweetness, flavor intensity, and liking, and the results with the highest contribution based on sensory evaluation showed that nucleotides and derivatives, phenolic acids, amino acids and derivatives, saccharides, and alcohols were rated in sweetness (74.40%), acidity (51.57%), flavor (56.41%), and likability (33.73%) dominated. We employed 14 machine learning strategies trained on the discovery samples to accurately predict the outcome of sweetness, sourness, flavor, and liking in the replication samples. The Radial Sigma SVM model predicted with better accuracy than the other machine learning models. Then we used the machine learning models to determine which metabolites influenced both pepino flavor and consumer preference. A total of 27 metabolites most important for pepino flavor attributes to distinguish pepino originating from three regions were screened. Substances such as N-acetylhistamine, arginine, and caffeic acid can enhance pepino‘s flavor intensity, and metabolites such as glycerol 3-phosphate, aconitic acid, and sucrose all acted as important variables in explaining the liking preference. While glycolic acid and orthophosphate inhibit sweetness and enhance sourness, sucrose has the opposite effect. Machine learning can identify the types of metabolites that influence fruit flavor by linking metabolomics of fruit with sensory evaluation among consumers, which conduces breeders to incorporate fruit flavor as a trait earlier in the breeding process, making it possible to select and release fruit with more flavor. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multi-Sensory Appreciation and Evaluation toward Foods: Gustatory, Sight, Touch, Smell)

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15 pages, 3488 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Solid Fat Content in Fat Droplets on Creamy Mouthfeel of Acid Milk Gels

by Hui Zhou, Yan Zhao, Di Fan, Qingwu Shen, Chengguo Liu and Jie Luo

Foods 2022, 11(19), 2932; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11192932 - 20 Sep 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1837

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that emulsions with higher solid fat content (SFC) are related to a higher in-mouth coalescence level and fat-related perception. However, the effect of SFC in fat droplets on the fat-related attributes of emulsion-filled gels has not been fully elucidated. [...] Read more.

Previous studies have shown that emulsions with higher solid fat content (SFC) are related to a higher in-mouth coalescence level and fat-related perception. However, the effect of SFC in fat droplets on the fat-related attributes of emulsion-filled gels has not been fully elucidated. In this study, the effect of SFC on the creamy mouthfeel of acid milk gel was investigated. Five kinds of blended milk fats with SFC values ranging from 10.61% to 85.87% were prepared. All crystals in the blended milk fats were needle-like, but the onset melting temperature varied widely. Blended milk fats were then mixed with skim milk to prepare acid milk gels (EG10–EG85, fat content 3.0%). After simulated oral processing, the particle size distribution and confocal images of the gel bolus showed that the degree of droplet coalescence in descending order was EG40 > EG20 > EG60 > EG10 ≥ EG85. There was no significant difference in apparent viscosity measured at a shear rate of 50/s between bolus gels, but the friction coefficients measured at 20 mm/s by a tribological method were negatively correlated with the coalescence result. Furthermore, quantitative descriptive analysis and temporal dominance of sensations analysis showed that SFC significantly affected the ratings of melting, mouth coating, smoothness and overall creaminess, as well as the perceived sequence and the duration of melting, smoothness and mouth coating of acid milk gels. Overall, our study highlights the role of intermediate SFC in fat droplets on the creamy mouthfeel of acid milk gels, which may contribute to the development of low-fat foods with desirable sensory perception. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multi-Sensory Appreciation and Evaluation toward Foods: Gustatory, Sight, Touch, Smell)

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21 pages, 2943 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of a Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) Ballot and Machine Learning for Generation Z Consumers for Innovative Traditional Food

by Bo Wang, Che Shen, Ting Zhao, Xiuwen Zhai, Meiqi Ding, Limei Dai, Shengmei Gai and Dengyong Liu

Foods 2022, 11(16), 2409; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11162409 - 11 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1859

Abstract

Generation Z (Gen Z) consumers account for an increasing proportion of the food market. The aim of this study took lamb shashliks as an example and developed novel products from the perspective of cooking methods in order to develop a traditional food suitable [...] Read more.

Generation Z (Gen Z) consumers account for an increasing proportion of the food market. The aim of this study took lamb shashliks as an example and developed novel products from the perspective of cooking methods in order to develop a traditional food suitable for Gen Z consumers. The sensory characterization of electric heating air (EH), microwave heating (MH), air frying (AF), and control (traditional burning charcoal (BC) of lamb shashliks) was performed using the CATA methodology with 120 Gen Z consumers as assessors. A 9-point hedonic scale was used to evaluate Gen Z consumers’ preferences for the cooking method, as well as a CATA ballot with 46 attributes which described the sensory characteristics of lamb shashliks. The machine learning algorithms were used to identify consumer preferences for different cooking methods of lamb shashliks as a function of sensory attributes and assessed the relationship between products and attributes present in the perceptual map for the degree of association. Meanwhile, sensory attributes as important variables play a relatively more important role in each cooking method. The most important variables for sensory attributes of lamb shashliks using BC are char-grilled aroma and smoky flavor. Similarly, the most important variables for AF samples are butter aroma, intensity aroma, and intensity aftertaste, the most important variables for EH samples are dry texture and hard texture, and the most important variables for MH samples are light color regarding external appearance and lumpy on chewing texture. The interviews were conducted with Gen Z consumers to investigate why they prefer innovative products—AF. Grounded theory and the social network analysis (SNA) method were utilized to explore why consumers chose AF, demonstrating that Gen Z consumers who had previously tasted AF lamb shashliks could easily perceive the buttery aroma. This study provides a theoretical and practical basis for developing lamb shashliks tailored to Gen Z consumers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multi-Sensory Appreciation and Evaluation toward Foods: Gustatory, Sight, Touch, Smell)

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12 pages, 16184 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparison of Self-Report Questionnaire and Eye Tracking Method in the Visual Preference Study of a Youth–Beverage Model

by Hongbo Sun, Wanxin Wang, Xinnan Liu, Benzhong Zhu, Yue Huang, Xiaojing Leng and Lu Jia

Foods 2022, 11(4), 505; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11040505 - 10 Feb 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1826

Abstract

This study compares the characteristics of a self-report questionnaire (SRQ) and eye tracking (ET) based on a simple human–beverage visual cognition model. The young participants were mainly defined by their gender and body mass index (BMI). The beverage samples consisted of milk, coffee, [...] Read more.

This study compares the characteristics of a self-report questionnaire (SRQ) and eye tracking (ET) based on a simple human–beverage visual cognition model. The young participants were mainly defined by their gender and body mass index (BMI). The beverage samples consisted of milk, coffee, cup, and coaster. SRQs allow the participants to clearly express their overall cognition of the samples in the form of vocabulary, while ET captures their hidden thinking process. The analysis, using a random forest (RF) classifier, found that participant parameters (gender and BMI) played a more important role for SRQ, while ET was related to beverage parameters (color and shape). This work reiterates that these two methods have their advantages and complement each other in food sensory analysis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multi-Sensory Appreciation and Evaluation toward Foods: Gustatory, Sight, Touch, Smell)

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Review

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20 pages, 2656 KiB

Open AccessReview

Pungency Perception and the Interaction with Basic Taste Sensations: An Overview

by Wei He, Li Liang and Yuyu Zhang

Foods 2023, 12(12), 2317; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12122317 - 08 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3899

Abstract

The perception of pungency can be attributed to the combination of pain and heat, and it has critical impacts on food flavor and food consumption preferences. Many studies have reported a variety of pungent ingredients with different Scoville heat units (SHU), and the [...] Read more.

The perception of pungency can be attributed to the combination of pain and heat, and it has critical impacts on food flavor and food consumption preferences. Many studies have reported a variety of pungent ingredients with different Scoville heat units (SHU), and the mechanism of pungent perception was revealed in vivo and in vitro. The worldwide use of spices containing pungent ingredients has led to an increasing awareness of their effects on basic tastes. However, the interaction between basic tastes and pungency perception based on structure-activity relationship, taste perception mechanism and neurotransmission lacks review and summary, considering its brighter prospects in food flavor. Thus, in this review, common pungency substances and pungency evaluation methods, and the mechanism of pungency perception is presented, and the interaction between basic tastes and pungency perception and the possible factors of their interaction are reviewed in detail. Pungent stimuli are mainly transduced through transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and transient receptor potential fixed hormone isoform (TRPA1) activated by stimulants. Using modern detection techniques combined with sensory standards, different substances produce different degrees of pungent stimulation, ranging from 10⁴ to 10⁷ SHU/g. Pungent stimuli can affect taste receptor or channel protein conformation and regulate taste bud cell sensitivity by producing neurotransmission products. The products of neurotransmission and taste receptor cell activation in turn act on taste perception. When there are simultaneous effects of taste perception, pungency stimulation may enhance the perception of salty at a certain concentration, with a mutual inhibition effect with sour, sweet, and bitter taste, while its interaction with umami taste is not obvious. However, due to the complexity of perception and the uncertainty of many perceptual receptors or channels, the current studies of interactions are still controversial. Based on the understanding of the mechanism and influencing factors, the availability of pungency substances is proposed in the perspective of food industry in order to achieve new development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multi-Sensory Appreciation and Evaluation toward Foods: Gustatory, Sight, Touch, Smell)

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