EXAM 1: Sensory Evaluation Flashcards
What is the definition of taste
Relies on signals to the brain that relay the sensations of sweet, bitter, sour, salty and umami
How food is perceived by the taste buds
What is the definition of Flavor
The combined sense of taste odor and mouthfeel
- Includes many compounds, most are aromatic
When a food is said to have “mouthfeel,” what does this mean?
Mouthfeel is the textural qualities of a food or beverage perceived in the mouth
What are examples of “mouthfeel”
Moistness or dryness
Softness or crispiness/crunchiness or toughness
Viscosity (thick/thin)
Astringency
Temperature (hot, cold, spicy, cooling)
Grittiness, stickiness, harness, tingling
What is astringency
A sensory phenomenon characterized by a dry, puckery feeling in the mouth
Due to the drawing out of proteins naturally found in saliva
Ex: cranberries, lemon juice, vinegar
What is consistency
A food’s firmness or thickness
Ex: brittleness, chewiness, viscosity, thickness, thinness, elasticity
What is Chemethesis
The ability to feel a food’s chemical properties
How foods give the impression of being “hot” or “cooling”
What is the definition of seasoning
Any compound that enhances flavor already found naturally in a food
What is the definition of flavoring
Any substance that adds a new flavor to food
What are the key differences between an herb and a spice? What are examples of each?
An herb is a plant leaf and a spice is a fruit, flowers, bark, seeds or roots of a plant
Herb ex: Basil, sage, silantro
Spice ex: Allspice, Saffron, Cinnamon
What is the definition of a marinade
Seasoned liquids that flavor and tenderize foods, usually meats, poultry and fish
What is the definition of a rub
A rub is a flavored blend of seasonings (dry or fresh herbs and or spices) that have been ground so that they can be added to the surface of the food prior to dry heat cooking
What is the definition of a paste
A paste is made by moistening the rub with oil, butter, prepared mustard, lemon juice, ground garlic or ginger, anchovies or other moist ingredients
What is a condiment
Seasonings or prepared relishes used in cooking or at the table
Where are taste buds located
Tongue, Mouth palates, and Pharynx
What is the optimal temperature range that taste buds operate in most individuals
86 degrees F or 30 degrees C
What is an analytical test?
Also known as effective
More objective and based on discernible differences
Ex: trained panel that evaluates food products through either discriminative (are the samples different?) or descriptive tests (how much do the samples differ?)
- Most common difference test: triangle and duo-trio tests where the person compares three samples and has to determine whether a difference exists
- Descriptive tests rely on a trained panel to document a product’s sensory characteristics
What is an affective test?
Also known as acceptance or preference tests
More subjective and based on individual preferences
- Focuses on whether or not a person prefers a certain aspect of a food
- These tests are usually given to untrained consumers as anyone can have an opinion
- Ex: Subjects are asked to state their opinion of a product or to rank samples in order of preference
- The test instruments range from simple questions to complex nine-point hedonic product score sheets evaluating one or more qualities of a food on a scale from “like extremely” to “dislike extremely”
What happens to taste buds with age
Atrophy with age, they diminish
Start at about 9k to 10k
What are the 5 (possibly 6) tastes
Sweet, Sour, Salty, Umami, Bitter, (Oleogustus)
What are the chemical compounds that contribute to sweet taste
Saccharides
Specific Amino Acids
- glycine, alanine, some others
- combined: phenylalanine and aspartate
Sugar Alcohols
- Xylitol, Sorbitol, Mannitol
- OH group replaces (=O)
Aldehydes
- Cinnamondehyde
What are the chemical compounds that contribute to sour tastes
The degree of acidity depends on the hydrogen ion concentration, molecule weight, size and polarity
Examples of foods that impart sour taste (or H+ donors):
- Lime/Lemon juice (citric acid)
- Vinegar (acetic acid)
- Fruits (citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid)
What are the chemical compounds that contribute to the salty taste
Presence of…
- Sodium Chloride (table salt)(NaCl)
- Potassium Chloride (salt substitutes)(KCl)
- potassium has a bitter as well as a salty impact
What are the chemical compounds that contribute to the umami taste
Presence of flavor enhancing nucleotide: glutamates
- In foods: seaweed, fish, meat, mushrooms, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, aged cheese (Parmesan), nutritional yeast, vegemite, marmite
- As salts: MSG (Monosodium L-Glutamate) is most popular
What are the chemical compounds that contribute to Bitter tastes
Presence of alkaloids in foods
- Caffeine, quinine, theobromine, humulone (hops), polyphenols, flavonoids
Ex: Dark chocolate, beer, wine, tea, chocolate
What is Oleogustus
This is the new potential taste
Latin for “taste for fat”
Medium and long chain esterified fatty acids product a unique taste sensation
What are factors that influence taste (and flavor)
Preconceived idea of what the taste should be
Previous unpleasant experience
Exposure to foods
Absence or diminished smell
Hot and Cold
- Temperature: ideal range is 68-86 degrees F
- Burning sensation (spice level)
- Cooling: menthol, camphor, sugar alcohols
What is taste sensitivity
Minimum concentration at which an individual can detect a taste or flavor
What is threshold concentration
Concentration of a taste compound at a barely detectable level
What is subthreshold concentration
Taste compounds are below threshold concentrations, but they influence other taste perceptions
When acid is added, what is the resulting effect on the taste perception?
Enhances saltiness perception
Reduces sweet perception
When salt is added, what is the resulting effect on the taste perception?
Reduces acidic and bitter perception
Enhances the sweetness perception
When sugar is added, what is the resulting effect on the taste perception
Reduces bitter, salty, acidic and spicy perception
When fat is added, what is the resulting effect on the taste perception
Reduces acidic perception
What are factors that influence taste sensitivity
Amount of time allowed to taste a substance
Concentration of the substance generating the taste
Genetics: individuals ability to detect various tastes
- the number of taste buds and trigeminal nerve endingss a person has
- the sensory capacities of those taste buds and trigeminal nerve endings
- the response of the brain signals from taste buds and trigminal nerve endings
