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Purpose: This research aims to investigate the feasibility of imperfect produce use in the on-site foodservice management industry. Design/methodology/approach: Study 1 explored experts' perspectives via expert interviews on the use of imperfect produce in on-site foodservice operations, acceptability, and willingness to choose imperfect produce. Study 2, a sensory discrimination test, was performed with 100 consumers. Findings: Study 1 yielded seven themes with managerial recommendations: appearance perception, customer value perception, operational difficulties, concerns for the world, food safety concerns, corporate advantages, and implementation. Study 2 found that participants were willing to choose menu items prepared with imperfect produce over those prepared with perfect produce. The ability to taste differences depended on the type of produce; participants could not taste differences between tangerines but could taste differences between apples and pears. Research limitations/implications: The findings of this study suggested that the psychological barriers of imperfect produce impact managers' perceptions and decision-making processes. It is recommended that operators communicate with consumers about imperfect produce, its waste reduction benefits, and its quality. Originality/value: This study shows that taste perception could be influenced by how imperfectness is described. Thus, appropriate marketing strategies could improve consumer acceptance of imperfect produce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding human oral/taste sensitivity to long-chain non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) with varying physicochemical properties is essential to reducing the intake of fats and altering the intake composition. This study investigated the differences in human taste sensitivity to two NEFA: oleic acid and linoleic acid. Twenty-four female subjects were divided into two equal sensitivity groups, and they performed discrimination tests for both fatty acids against bottled water using either the triangle or the DR A-Not A test. To achieve an accurate measurement of NEFA sensitivity, the stimulus was carefully prepared, avoiding additives that could interfere with the binding of fatty acids to receptors. Stimuli concentrations were selected to be within the lowest range (9.9 to 177.3 μM) evaluated in previous research. Through a systematic stimulus control process, this study confirmed that greater sensitivity was exhibited to linoleic acid than oleic acid, resulting in better discrimination than previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The odor of infant formula changes due to alterations in its volatile composition during the shelf life. However, there is currently a lack of research on whether the odor changes in infant formula during the secondary shelf life, which refers to the period of repeated opening and usage in daily life. This study used headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-electrostatic orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC-Orbitrap-MS) to investigate the volatile composition changes in one-stage and three-stage infant formulas during different stages (0 day, 3 days, and 7 days during the secondary shelf-life, i.e. simulated daily use). A total of 32 volatiles were identified, including nine aldehydes, seven ketones, four alcohols, three furans, two sulfur compounds, two esters, and five terpenoids. Of these, 16 compounds changed significantly in one-stage samples and 23 compounds in three-stage samples within 7 days of the secondary shelf-life. Further the odor of the three-stage infant formula samples was found changed substantially after 3 days of simulated use by using the triangle test. This study highlighted the considerable alterations in volatile compound composition and sensory changes during the simulated daily use and provided valuable insights for consumers in selecting and using infant formula products, as well as a new perspective for enterprises to improve the sensory quality of their products.

Aromatic white wines contain monoterpenes that can alter aroma qualities based on their concentration and enantiomeric ratios. Limonene has been identified as a monoterpene that is used to differentiate monovarietal white wines. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of limonene on aroma perception at different enantiomeric ratios. Its interaction with linalool and α-terpineol compounds was also investigated. Eighteen model wines were created with different ratios and/or concentrations of limonene and diverse concentrations of linalool and α-terpineol. Triangle tests, check-all-that-apply (CATA) and descriptive analysis were used to evaluate the aroma of the wines. Results show that different limonene ratios had no influence on wine aroma. Descriptive analysis showed that the addition of only limonene influenced citrus characteristics depending on the concentration. Linalool addition did not alter aroma quality when the limonene was at low concentrations, but it did change aroma perception at high limonene levels. α-Terpineol only altered the aroma of the wine at medium and high concentrations. At high concentrations, linalool and α-terpineol presented tropical aromas with some floral notes, irrespective of limonene levels. Depending on the desired aroma qualities of the wine, altering the monoterpene content resulted in very different aromatic wines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we performed an analytical and sensorial comparison between sparkling wines produced by the Traditional and Charmat methods using the same base wine, yeast strain, inoculum, and aged on the lees during the same periods. The absence of evident differences in the results of the analyses of physicochemical and volatile compounds was confirmed by the sensory analysis. In general, during the tests, more evaluators could identify differences in the first stages in which sensory analyses were performed. As the ageing time on the lees increase, fewer evaluators could differentiate between the sparkling wines. It was observed that more than half of the evaluators could not differentiate the samples in all stages. Based on our data, we conclude that the method used for the second fermentation is not the determinant of the eventual differences currently associated with sparkling wine produced by the Traditional and Charmat methods.

While there is a growing need to increase farm fish production to meet food security needs of a growing population, humane slaughter treatments are not well understood. Use of sedative agents prior to slaughter can facilitate a more rapid and humane slaughter process. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of implementing preslaughter electrosedation on the quality and consumer acceptance of farmed rainbow trout. A consumer sensory panel (n = 65) was conducted comparing rainbow trout slaughtered according to two methods: (1) immersion in an ice-water slurry (Control) or (2) immersion in an ice-water slurry immediately preceded by electrosedation (Electrosedation). Results from a sensory triangle test determined that there was no significant difference between the two fish harvested by different methods. These results suggest that electrosedation does not impact the sensory quality of farmed rainbow trout. This demonstrates that preslaughter electrosedation effectively aligns interests regarding animal welfare, efficiency, and product quality in the production of farm rainbow trout. This is an important finding as the results could provide insights for treating fish humanely without sacrificing the quality while meeting the demands of a highly regulated industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Speed-strength performance is important during human movements such as jumping, sprinting, and change of direction (COD) tasks, which are a substantial part of sports practice. Sex and age seem to influence performance output in young persons; however, few studies have focused on the influence of sex and age measured via standard protocols of performance diagnostics.Method: Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the influence of age and sex on linear sprint (LS), COD sprint, countermovement jump (CMJ) height, squat-jump (SJ) height, and drop-jump (DJ) height performance in untrained children and adolescents via a cross-sectional analysis. This study comprised 141 untrained male and female participants 10–14 years of age.Results: The results showed the influence of age in male participants on speed-strength performance, while in female participants, age did not significantly influence performance parameters. Moderate to high correlations between sprint and jump performance (r = 0.69–0.72), sprint and COD sprint performance (r = 0.58–0.72), and jump and COD sprint performance (r = 0.56–0.58) were found.Discussion: Based on the data from this study, it appears that the growth phase of age 10–14 does not necessarily lead to improvements in athletic performance. To ensure holistic motor development, female subjects in particular should be provided with specific training interventions with a focus on strength and power.

Aromatic white wines contain monoterpenes that can alter aroma qualities based on their concentration and enantiomeric ratios. Limonene has been identified as a monoterpene that is used to differentiate monovarietal white wines. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of limonene on aroma perception at different enantiomeric ratios. Its interaction with linalool and α-terpineol compounds was also investigated. Eighteen model wines were created with different ratios and/or concentrations of limonene and diverse concentrations of linalool and α-terpineol. Triangle tests, check-all-that-apply (CATA) and descriptive analysis were used to evaluate the aroma of the wines. Results show that different limonene ratios had no influence on wine aroma. Descriptive analysis showed that the addition of only limonene influenced citrus characteristics depending on the concentration. Linalool addition did not alter aroma quality when the limonene was at low concentrations, but it did change aroma perception at high limonene levels. α-Terpineol only altered the aroma of the wine at medium and high concentrations. At high concentrations, linalool and α-terpineol presented tropical aromas with some floral notes, irrespective of limonene levels. Depending on the desired aroma qualities of the wine, altering the monoterpene content resulted in very different aromatic wines.

High pressure processing (HPP) can be applied as an alternative thermal treatment of milk to maintain its natural and original sensory quality. Milk was processed at 600 MPa for 10 min or given thermal treatment at 125 °C for 4 s. Sensory evaluation of treated milk samples was conducted using the triangle and the acceptance and preference tests. The triangle test was used as a discriminative test to check whether there was a noticeable difference between both treated milk samples. The acceptance and preference test determined attributes of milk including colour, milkiness, creaminess, mouthfeel, and aftertaste based on the 5-point just-about-right (JAR) scale. In the triangle test, 89.5% of panellists were able to identify the odd sample and differentiate milk processed using high pressure from heat treatment. For the acceptance and preference test, 61% of panellists gave higher overall preference for the high pressure processed milk over heat-treated milk. The JAR evaluation showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) in all evaluated milk attributes which included milkiness, creaminess, mouthfeel, and aftertaste, with the exception of colour. Overall, high pressure processed milk scored better in terms of organoleptic properties as the penalty value for most attributes including colour, milkiness, mouthfeel, and aftertaste were lower than the penalty of heat-treated milk, except for creaminess. Therefore, to improve the acceptance and preference of high pressure processed milk, future development needs to focus on increasing creaminess of high pressure processed milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the relation between rind colour and the internal physicochemical and sensory qualities of 'Sanguinelli' blood oranges, one of the main blood orange cultivars grown in the Mediterranean region. To this end, 400 fruits were harvested in three different orchards and classified according to rind pigmentation intensity (slight, medium, intense, very intense). All fruits were individually evaluated by determining rind and pulp colour, total soluble solids, acidity, maturity index, juice yield, firmness, and size. Moreover, 71 consumers performed a triangle test to evaluate if fruit sensory properties depended on rind pigmentation. Our results revealed (for the first time) that pulp pigmentation and total soluble solid (TSS) content strongly depend on rind colouration. Among the fruit from the same orchard, the redder the pigmented fruit was (externally) the deeper the red pulp, and the higher the TSS became. This pattern was corroborated in the three orchards under study. Other characteristics, such as acidity, juice yield, firmness, and fruit size, did not depend on external pigmentation. Sensory studies showed that the more coloured the fruit, the higher the accumulated sugar content; consumers perceive these fruits as being sweeter than slightly pigmented ones. This information can be very useful for the citrus industry as external colour may become a quality index for blood oranges, as well as for consumers to make purchase decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, there is an increasing interest to valorise agri-food waste containing bioactive compounds with potential health benefits. In this paper, the recovery of functional molecules from apple pomace, the most abundant by-product of the apple processing industry, was carried out by ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) on fresh and freeze-dried samples. UAE extract, obtained by double extraction of freeze-dried apple pomace, was subjected to chromatographic and spectrophotometric characterization. It showed good levels of total phenol content, high antioxidant activity, and interesting antioxidant compounds (quercetin derivatives, chlorogenic acid, phloridzin). Subsequently, freeze-dried apple pomace, containing 40.19% of dietary fibre, was used as a fortifying agent for beef burgers (4% and 8%). The results concerning colour and sensory analysis of the fortified products were graded even better than the control (0%). The improved fibre and phenol content, together with the neutral flavour, represent the most interesting characteristics of fortified burgers. The results confirm that UAE was a successful technique for extracting phenol compounds and that the addition of apple pomace represents a valid approach to increase the health properties and palatability of beef burgers, including for consumers who do not like meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shift in the vegan concept into a new lifestyle trend for urban communities has led to the development of plant-based foodstuffs into several processed products. Green beans with complex nutritional content have the potential to develop into a sweet thick creamer that can be developed as a complement to bakery pastry products. The purpose of this study was to develop sweetened condensed creamer made from mung bean as an alternative to filling in milk pies, to assess whether or not there was a difference between sweet thick creamer made from mung bean and animal sweetened condensed creamer, and to assess the panelists' preference for sweetened mung bean creamer. Sweet thick creamer is made from peeled green peas with variations in the amount of added sugar as much as 35%, 40%, and 45%. The evaluation method for sweet thick creamer uses a differentiation test with the triangle test method and a preference test with the hedonic test method. The results obtained were then tested binomially with a probability of 1% for the difference test and statistically with a probability of 5% for the preference test. The results of the binomial test on the triangle test showed that the thick creamer of mung bean had different sensory attributes from the thick creamer of cow's milk. The sugar concentration which increased from 35% to 45% did not make any difference and increased the preference of the panelists on the attributes of viscosity, color, taste, aroma, and overall preference for sweet thick creamer of mung bean. The conclusion obtained is that the sweetened thick creamer of mung bean has different attributes of thickness, color, sweetness, and aroma compared to the sweetened condensed creamer of cow's milk. The use of sugar with different concentrations did not give a significant difference to the preferences of the panelists on the attributes of thickness, color, taste, aroma, and overall preference for sweetened mung bean creamer.

Cis-Rose oxide was found to be an important chiral compound in Gewürztraminer wine, with an enantiomeric ratio range from 76 to 58%. The enantiomeric ratio showed an important influence on white wine aroma when other monoterpenes were present. The aim of this study was to evaluate rose oxide at different ratios and changes to aroma perception, and the interaction of rose oxide with linalool and α-terpineol. A wine model was made based on Gewürztraminer wine. Twelve models were created with different ratios of rose oxide and concentrations of linalool and α-terpineol. Triangle tests, check-all-that-apply (CATA) and descriptive analysis were used to evaluate the aroma of the wines. Results show that the rose oxide ratios of 70:30 and 65:35 were statistically different. Additional descriptive analysis showed that the ratios altered aroma when linalool and α-terpineol were at low and medium concentrations. At high concentrations, linalool and α-terpineol masked any influence from rose oxide. Understanding how monoterpenes alter aroma perception of white wine when at different combinations and concentrations is important to achieving desired wine qualities and helps provide information on how flavor chemistry results can be interpreted without having to run sensory analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Food fortification is an effective strategy that has been recommended for improving population calcium inadequate intakes. Increasing calcium concentration of water has been proposed as a possible strategy to improve calcium intake. The objective of this study was to determine the sensory threshold of different calcium salts added to drinking water using survival analysis. Methods: We performed the triangle test methodology for samples of water with added calcium using three different calcium salts: calcium chloride, calcium gluconate and calcium lactate. For each salt, a panel of 54 consumers tested seven batches of three water samples. Data were adjusted for chance and sensory threshold was estimated using the survival methodology and a discrimination of 50%. Results: The threshold value estimation for calcium gluconate was 587 ± 131 mg/L of water, corresponding to 25% discrimination, for calcium lactate was 676 ± 186 mg/L, corresponding to 50% discrimination, and for calcium chloride was 291 ± 73 mg/L, corresponding to 50% discrimination. Conclusions: These results show that water with calcium added in different salts and up to a concentration of 500 mg of calcium/L of water is feasible. The calcium salt allowing the highest calcium concentration with the lowest perceived changes in taste was calcium gluconate. Future studies need to explore stability and acceptability over longer periods of time.

This study evaluated the relation between rind colour and the internal physicochemical and sensory qualities of ‘Sanguinelli’ blood oranges, one of the main blood orange cultivars grown in the Mediterranean region. To this end, 400 fruits were harvested in three different orchards and classified according to rind pigmentation intensity (slight, medium, intense, very intense). All fruits were individually evaluated by determining rind and pulp colour, total soluble solids, acidity, maturity index, juice yield, firmness, and size. Moreover, 71 consumers performed a triangle test to evaluate if fruit sensory properties depended on rind pigmentation. Our results revealed (for the first time) that pulp pigmentation and total soluble solid (TSS) content strongly depend on rind colouration. Among the fruit from the same orchard, the redder the pigmented fruit was (externally) the deeper the red pulp, and the higher the TSS became. This pattern was corroborated in the three orchards under study. Other characteristics, such as acidity, juice yield, firmness, and fruit size, did not depend on external pigmentation. Sensory studies showed that the more coloured the fruit, the higher the accumulated sugar content; consumers perceive these fruits as being sweeter than slightly pigmented ones. This information can be very useful for the citrus industry as external colour may become a quality index for blood oranges, as well as for consumers to make purchase decisions.

High pressure processing (HPP) can be applied as an alternative thermal treatment of milk to maintain its natural and original sensory quality. Milk was processed at 600 MPa for 10 min or given thermal treatment at 125 °C for 4 s. Sensory evaluation of treated milk samples was conducted using the triangle and the acceptance and preference tests. The triangle test was used as a discriminative test to check whether there was a noticeable difference between both treated milk samples. The acceptance and preference test determined attributes of milk including colour, milkiness, creaminess, mouthfeel, and aftertaste based on the 5-point just-about-right (JAR) scale. In the triangle test, 89.5% of panellists were able to identify the odd sample and differentiate milk processed using high pressure from heat treatment. For the acceptance and preference test, 61% of panellists gave higher overall preference for the high pressure processed milk over heat-treated milk. The JAR evaluation showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) in all evaluated milk attributes which included milkiness, creaminess, mouthfeel, and aftertaste, with the exception of colour. Overall, high pressure processed milk scored better in terms of organoleptic properties as the penalty value for most attributes including colour, milkiness, mouthfeel, and aftertaste were lower than the penalty of heat-treated milk, except for creaminess. Therefore, to improve the acceptance and preference of high pressure processed milk, future development needs to focus on increasing creaminess of high pressure processed milk.

The present study assessed the sensory impact of potatoes biofortification with iodine and the stability of iodine during six months of storage. Four biofortified cultivars (Cupido, Marabel, Orchestra and Universa) and their controls (non-biofortified) were evaluated. Descriptive analysis was applied with a panel to describe the sensory properties, and triangle tests were applied with consumers to evaluate perceivable differences between controls and respective biofortified samples at the end of shelf life. Iodine content was quantified on raw potatoes for three periods of storage. Descriptive analysis showed some differences between controls and iodine-biofortified samples, especially in texture (hardness). However, consumers did not significantly discriminate fortified from unfortified samples. Iodine was stable during storage in all varieties. Orchestra cultivar showed the highest iodine content, while Universa the lowest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cis-Rose oxide was found to be an important chiral compound in Gewürztraminer wine, with an enantiomeric ratio range from 76 to 58%. The enantiomeric ratio showed an important influence on white wine aroma when other monoterpenes were present. The aim of this study was to evaluate rose oxide at different ratios and changes to aroma perception, and the interaction of rose oxide with linalool and α-terpineol. A wine model was made based on Gewürztraminer wine. Twelve models were created with different ratios of rose oxide and concentrations of linalool and α-terpineol. Triangle tests, check-all-that-apply (CATA) and descriptive analysis were used to evaluate the aroma of the wines. Results show that the rose oxide ratios of 70:30 and 65:35 were statistically different. Additional descriptive analysis showed that the ratios altered aroma when linalool and α-terpineol were at low and medium concentrations. At high concentrations, linalool and α-terpineol masked any influence from rose oxide. Understanding how monoterpenes alter aroma perception of white wine when at different combinations and concentrations is important to achieving desired wine qualities and helps provide information on how flavor chemistry results can be interpreted without having to run sensory analysis.

Tempe is a fermented soybean food that is globally renowned for its high protein content. Methods of preparing tempe vary worldwide, and include soaking in vinegar before fermentation. This study aimed to determine the effects of soaking in vinegar by metabolome analysis, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, and sensory attribute evaluation. Vinegar affected metabolism during tempe fermentation, which led to altered metabolite profiles in the final product. We validated the metabolite profiles of two types of tempe using triangle tests and rate-all-that-apply (RATA) tests, which revealed that the sensory attributes of a golden-brown color, ammonia smell, pleasant smell, salty flavor, and acceptance significantly differed (p < 0.05) between the two types of tempe. A high concentration of specific amino acids in the control tempe explained a strong ammonia smell, saltiness, and darker golden-brown sensory attributes. Tempe soaked in vinegar contained high concentrations of metabolites associated with a roasted aroma and cooked meat. In conclusion, most RATA panelists who were being introduced to tempe preferred that soaked in vinegar to the control that was not.

The effect of selected high pressure processing (HPP) parameters on the sensory attributes and shelf life of jackfruit bulb packed using vacuum skin (VS) and vacuum nylon (VN) packaging was studied. The samples were stored at chilled temperature (4°C) for shelf life study. HPP significantly (p < 0.05) increased the shelf life of VS- and VP-packed jackfruit bulbs to 60 d during chilled storage. In terms of colour stability during storage, both VS- and VP-packed HP-treated jackfruit bulbs exhibited no significant differences (p > 0.05) in L*, a*, and b* values. Also, the VS- and VP-packed HP-treated samples exhibited no significant differences (p > 0.05) in terms of texture. However, the sensory evaluation carried out among 48 panellists showed that there were significant differences (p < 0.05) between the untreated and HP-treated jackfruit bulbs. The aforementioned results had proven that HPP treatment of 500 MPa for 5 min could successfully extend the shelf life and retain the physicochemical properties of jackfruit bulbs, regardless of the types of packaging used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The odor of infant formula changes due to alterations in its volatile composition during the shelf life. However, there is currently a lack of research on whether the odor changes in infant formula during the secondary shelf life, which refers to the period of repeated opening and usage in daily life. This study used headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-electrostatic orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC-Orbitrap-MS) to investigate the volatile composition changes in one-stage and three-stage infant formulas during different stages (0 day, 3 days, and 7 days during the secondary shelf-life, i.e. simulated daily use). A total of 32 volatiles were identified, including nine aldehydes, seven ketones, four alcohols, three furans, two sulfur compounds, two esters, and five terpenoids. Of these, 16 compounds changed significantly in one-stage samples and 23 compounds in three-stage samples within 7 days of the secondary shelf-life. Further the odor of the three-stage infant formula samples was found changed substantially after 3 days of simulated use by using the triangle test. This study highlighted the considerable alterations in volatile compound composition and sensory changes during the simulated daily use and provided valuable insights for consumers in selecting and using infant formula products, as well as a new perspective for enterprises to improve the sensory quality of their products., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Understanding human oral/taste sensitivity to long-chain non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) with varying physicochemical properties is essential to reducing the intake of fats and altering the intake composition. This study investigated the differences in human taste sensitivity to two NEFA: oleic acid and linoleic acid. Twenty-four female subjects were divided into two equal sensitivity groups, and they performed discrimination tests for both fatty acids against bottled water using either the triangle or the DR A-Not A test. To achieve an accurate measurement of NEFA sensitivity, the stimulus was carefully prepared, avoiding additives that could interfere with the binding of fatty acids to receptors. Stimuli concentrations were selected to be within the lowest range (9.9 to 177.3 μM) evaluated in previous research. Through a systematic stimulus control process, this study confirmed that greater sensitivity was exhibited to linoleic acid than oleic acid, resulting in better discrimination than previous studies., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare no conflict of interest., (© The Korean Society of Food Science and Technology 2023. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Highlights • Rams have superior production performance than castrates. • Small sensory differences exist between meat from rams and castrates. • Consumers prefer castrate meat but do not dislike ram meat. • More intense flavour and off-flavours are found in meat from older lambs. Abstract Meat from ram lambs is often considered inferior to meat from castrated lambs, especially in older or heavier animals. This study aimed to determine if differences exist in the sensory quality and acceptability of meat from rams and castrates, slaughtered at mean ages of 196 or 385 days. Rams had higher average daily gain, feed conversion efficiency, total weight gain and lower carcass fatness than castrates. A triangle test (n = 81 consumers) showed a difference (P < 0.05) in the sensory quality of meat from rams vs castrates. A 9-point hedonic test involving 100 consumers showed that, although meat from both rams and castrates was 'liked', meat from castrates scored higher (P < 0.05) in Overall Liking, Flavour Liking and Tenderness Liking. Meat from castrates was also rated lower (P < 0.05) in Unpleasant Taste/Off-Flavour Intensity. Flavour Intensity and Unpleasant Taste/Off-Flavour Intensity increased (P < 0.05) with age at slaughter. This consumer study revealed that while meat from castrates was higher in Overall Liking, Flavour Liking and Tenderness Liking and lower in Unpleasant Taste/Off-Flavour Intensity than meat from rams, both meats were 'liked' by consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition and the technological and sensory properties of lamb meatballs made with meat from animals fed with different levels of whole cottonseed (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40%). The meatballs prepared with lamb from animals fed on whole cottonseed presented higher (P<0.05) ash content. All the meatball formulations presented low levels of lipids (2.90%) and cholesterol (74.15 mg/100g), as well as high protein content (18.92%). The difference (P<0.05) observed in the variables of cooking characteristics did not have an effect on the texture profile, which was related to the microscopic observations of the product. In the triangle test for difference, the testers did not perceive difference between the control meatballs (0%) and those with up to 30% of whole cottonseed. However, in the acceptance test, the testers detected sensory alteration starting at a level of 12.5% of whole cottonseed. Thus, it is possible to produce meatballs with meat from lambs fed on up to 12.5% of whole cottonseed in the dry matter of their diet without altering the sensory characteristics of the product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile compounds are responsible for driving the aroma of wine. Because of their low perception thresholds, norisoprenoids may play an important role in wine aroma. Studies have shown that β-damascenone may act as an aroma enhancing compound. However, the direct impact on wine aroma is unclear. Our study examined the direct impact of β-ionone and β-damascenone on the aroma sensory perception of Pinot noir wines. Triangle tests were used to determine if assessors could distinguish between wines with varying concentrations of β-ionone and β-damascenone in three different Pinot noir wine matrixes. Descriptive analysis was performed on these treatments, perceived as different in triangle tests. Results show that β-ionone acts as a significant contributor to aromas in Pinot noir wine, as individuals could differentiate both the low and high concentration wines from the control. How β-ionone impacted wine aroma depends on the wine matrix, as different aroma descriptors were affected based on the model wine used, resulting in floral, red berry or dark berry aromas. The effect of β-damascenone on Pinot noir aroma was less clear, as perception seems to be heavily influenced by wine matrix composition. This study contributes to our understanding of the complex chemical causation of fruity aromas in Pinot noir wine.

We propose a new statistic to improve the pooled version of the triangle test used to combat the fingerprint-copy counterforensic attack against photoresponse nonuniformity based camera identification. As opposed to the original version of the test, the new statistic exploits the one-tailed nature of the test, weighting differently positive and negative deviations from the expected value of the correlation between the image under analysis and the candidate images, i.e., those image suspected to have been used during the attack. The experimental results confirm the superior performance of the new test, especially when the conditions of the test are challenging ones, that is when the number of images used for the fingerprint-copy attack is large and the size of the image under test is small. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physicochemical composition and the technological and sensory properties of hamburgers made with meat from Ile de France lambs fed on different levels (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40%) of whole cottonseed were studied. The addition of whole cottonseed to the lambs’ diets decreased the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in the lamb meat and altered the physicochemical characteristics of the hamburgers, which were characterised by low lipid (y^=4.27), cholesterol (y^=75.15) and caloric content (y^=122.04). The results regarding cooking characteristics were directly related to the microscopic observations regarding the hamburgers; the more cohesive structures exhibited better performance after cooking, with increased cooking yield and moisture retention, and decreased cooking loss. The levels of whole cottonseed did not influence the texture profile, but they negatively affected the acceptability of the hamburgers, since as the levels of cotton seedlings increased, the scores for the sensorial attributes decreased. Thus, a maximum inclusion of 16.7% of whole cottonseed in the dry matter of the diet of lambs is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We use the triangle test in this study to explore whether established vapers can distinguish small differences between e-liquid propylene glycol:vegetable glycerin (PG:VG) ratios at fixed levels of nicotine and flavor, to examine the extent to which solvent ratios affect sensory experiences. Methods: Watermelon flavored e-liquids (16mg/mL nicotine) used for this study differed in the ratio of PG:VG (30:70, 50:50; 70:30). Current vapers were randomized to one of 3 possible study conditions differing by PG:VG ratio. Participants sampled products following the triangle test, which presents 3 blinded products, 2 of which are identical. They were asked to identify and rate the 'odd' product. Results: Of the 14 participants who completed the study, 34.9% were able to determine the 'odd' product. Ratings on the subjective response scales for the 'odd' product were low. Aversion scores differed significantly by correct identification of the 'odd' product (p = .045). Conclusions: Established vapers in this study were unable to distinguish PG:VG ratios consistently, even for relatively large differences, and correct identification inconsistently related to subjective effects ratings. These preliminary findings suggest that the PG:VG ratio may not be a salient feature of vaping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Gamification was applied to a sensory discrimination task. • Gamification increased panelist engagement but had no effect on task performance. • Engagement-performance relationship is nuanced—task difficulty plays important role. • Study provides baseline understanding of using gamification in sensory testing. Gamification, a concept that has been increasingly leveraged by different sectors, aims to increase engagement and performance in regards to a given activity. Few studies have applied gamification principles to sensory methods to improve panelist engagement and test performance. The objective of the present study was to determine whether gamification has an effect on panelist engagement and performance in discriminatory sensory testing. Specifically, this study applied three individual game elements (progress bar, feedback, narrative), and their combination, to a series of triangle tests. For each gamified condition, subject engagement and discriminatory performance was compared to a control condition with no gaming elements. This research demonstrates that a combination of game elements can increase subject engagement during a discrimination sensory task. Despite this, the average number of correct triangles did not increase. The findings also show the relationship between panelist engagement and performance is nuanced, and task difficulty plays an important role. Overall, this study provides a baseline understanding of the methodical application of gamification in a discrimination sensory task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Change of direction (COD) is a performance-limiting factor in team sports. However, there are no exact definitions describing which physical abilities limit COD performance in soccer. Nevertheless, different COD tests are used or have been recommended as being equally effective in the professional practice of measuring COD performance. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between different COD tests, and to test the independence and generalizability of these COD tests in soccer. As such, 27 elite youth soccer players were randomly recruited and were tested in different COD tests (i.e., Illinois agility test (IAT), T agility test (TT), 505 agility test (505), Gewandtheitslauf (GewT), triangle test (Tri-t), and square test (SQT)). Bivariate Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the relationships between the COD tests. The Benjamini–Hochberg method was used to control for the false discovery rate of the study at 0.05. This investigation calculated explained variances of 10% to 55% between performances in the different COD tests. This suggested that the tests covered different aspects or task-specific characteristics of the COD. Therefore, coaches and sport scientists should review and select different tests with a logical validity, based on the requirement profiles of the corresponding sport.

The effect of monetary reward amount and test food type as factors of triangle test accuracy and assessment time for untrained panelists was explored. Monetary compensation is commonly used to reward panelists for their time and effort. While studies have documented that paying panelists can influence hedonic ratings, research on its possible influence on triangle test accuracy or time to assess products is lacking. Relatedly, some studies suggest that assessment time influences accuracy. Furthermore, little research has been conducted on the effect of the test food itself, and its general likeability, on biasing panelist accuracy or assessment time. Pairs of two liked foods – chocolate chip cookies and cheddar cheese, and two not-as-liked-foods – green olives and lima beans, were tested. In addition to correlating the two response variables with the main effects, interactions of overall expected hedonic liking of the test foods, panelist age, gender, time of day of the test, and day of the week the test were analyzed. Results indicate monetary compensation amount did not influence panelist accuracy or assessment time. However, accuracy increased significantly with longer assessment times; the effect of the “liked” vs. “not-as-well-liked” food categorizations were inconclusive. Expected hedonic liking, gender, age, and time of day of the test, were significant, suggesting that test accuracy and assessment time are likely influenced by multiple intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Overall results suggest that the use of broad demographics of untrained consumers for triangle tests results in data not consistently or strongly biased by payment amount or food type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Milk- and wheat protein drinks for double blind placebo controlled food challenge in adults: a simple tool for diagnosis Keywords: DBPCFC; Food hypersensitivity; FODMAP; Sensory test; Triangle test EN DBPCFC Food hypersensitivity FODMAP Sensory test Triangle test 1 3 3 02/24/21 20190101 NES 190101 Introduction Increasing number of adults report food allergies, where > 50% express gastrointestinal symptoms after ingestion of certain foods [1 ]. Although it has not been confirmed that food intolerance (self-reported) is related to IBS symptom severity, a low content of fermentable carbohydrates, as FODMAP, is preferable to avoid possible gastrointestinal symptoms caused by these [5, 6 ]. [Extracted from the article]

Previous research suggests that artificial fragrances may be chosen to complement or enhance an individual’s body odor, rather than simply masking it, and that this may create an odor blend with an emergent quality that is perceptually distinguishable from body odor or fragrance alone. From this, it can be predicted that a new emergent odor might be more easily identified than an individual’s body odor in isolation. We used a triangle test paradigm to assess whether fragrance affects people’s ability to distinguish between individual odors. Six male and six female donors provided axillary odor samples in three conditions (without fragrance, wearing their own fragrance, and wearing an assigned fragrance). In total, 296 female and 131 male participants selected the odd one out from three odor samples (two from one donor, one from another; both of the same sex). We found that participants could discriminate between the odors at above chance levels in all three odour conditions. Olfactory identification ability (measured using Sniffin’ Sticks) positively predicted discrimination performance, and sex differences in performance were also observed, with female raters being correct more often than men. Success rates were also higher for odors of male donors. Additionally, while performance was above chance in all conditions, individual odor discrimination varied across the three conditions. Discrimination rate was significantly higher in the ‘no fragrance’ condition than either of the fragranced conditions. Importantly, however, discrimination rate was also significantly higher in the ‘own fragrance’ condition than the ‘assigned fragrance’ condition, suggesting that naturally occurring variance in body odor is more preserved when blended with fragrances that people choose for themselves, compared with other fragrances. Our data are consistent with the idea that fragrance choices are influenced by fragrance interactions with an individual’s own body odor.

Despite the key role of the sensory quality for food acceptance, the aroma transfer properties of food packaging materials have not yet been studied using sensory approaches. This research investigated the suitability of sensory and electronic nose methods to evaluate the aroma transfer properties of plastic materials that come in contact with food. Four (W, X, Y, and Z) commercial freezer bags (polyethylene) for domestic uses were compared. The degree of the aroma transfer through the materials was estimated as the sensory contamination of an odor absorber food (bread) by an odor releaser food (onion), separated by the bags and stored under frozen conditions. Bread samples were analyzed by means of an electronic nose, and 42 assessors used three different sensory methods (triangle, scoring, and partial sorted Napping tests). From the triangle test, none of the plastic bags acted as a complete aroma barrier, showing a sensory contamination of bread stored in all four materials. Partial sorting Napping results clearly described the sensory contamination of bread as “onion flavor”, due to the aroma transfer from the odor releaser food to the odor absorber food through the plastic bag. Scoring tests showed significant ( p < 0.0001) differences of aroma transfer properties among the plastic bags, revealing the highest aroma permeation for W (3.1 ± 0.1), the lowest aroma transfer for X and Y (2.0 ± 0.1), and intermediate aroma transfer properties for Z (2.6 ± 0.1). Electronic nose data were in good agreement with the sensory responses, and a high correlation with the scoring data was observed (R 2 = 0.988). The presented approaches had suitable results to provide meaningful information on the aroma transfer properties of freezer plastic bags, and could advantageously be applied in the future for analyzing other finished food containers (e.g. plastic trays, boxes, etc.) or packaging materials of a different nature (multilayer plastic films, biodegradable materials, composites, etc.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensory characteristics and visual acceptability of cooked hams with rice starch (RS) and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) as substitutes for, respectively, sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) and dextrose (Dex), were evaluated. Replacement of STPP with RS is associated with hams being less juicy, salty and springy, but more adhesive and could negatively affect appearance; but replacement of Dex by FOS had minimal sensory influence. The relative importance of product appearance, pack labels and price information cues in simulated purchasing decisions was also investigated. Consumer purchase choices were more influenced by product appearance than by pack labels referring to additives or price. Including labelling information regarding reduction or exclusion of phosphates may be more important than labels regarding a reduction in salt. For the Irish consumers studied here, the use of phosphates in cooked hams sounds artificial, unhealthy and unknown, whereas dietary fibre was perceived as healthy, natural and improving of the eating quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]