73G-6 |
Understanding the effect of fat on the release of flavor compounds from a model ice cream system using instrumental and sensory analysis |
S. J. CHUNG, L. N. Fernando, H. Heymann, and I. U. Gruen. Department of Food Science, University of Missouri, 256 Eckles Hall - Stringer Wing, Columbia, MO 65211 Flavor, which is one of the most important factors that determine consumer acceptance, is readily altered by manipulating fat levels. Reducing or substituting fat in ice cream, a high caloric, high fat food product, can cause dramatic changes in flavor, depending on the nature of the flavor. The initial steps in understanding the effects of fat on flavor perception include the determination of the release behavior of the flavor components from the food matrix. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of fat on perception and release of specific flavor volatiles from an ice cream base with varying fat levels. An ice cream base with varying fat levels (0%, 3%, 6%, and 12%) was spiked with known amounts of 3 different volatiles (hexanal, vanillin, and delta-decalactone). Descriptive analysis of the samples was conducted using 11 panelists, who evaluated the samples using the texture and flavor descriptors generated during the training sessions. Instrumental analysis was also conducted on the same samples by extracting volatiles using a dynamic headspace method. The extracted samples were analyzed by GC-MS. The results from sensory analysis and instrumental analysis were correlated using partial least square analysis to identify the critical flavor compounds that significantly contribute to the sensory flavor attributes. Fat significantly affected the release of volatile compounds. As fat level increased, the amount of volatiles released was reduced. Hexanal which is highly correlated with “stale” flavor, was strongly affected by fat level. “Stale” flavor intensity increased as fat level decreased. “Coconut” and “vanilla” flavor, which correspond to delta-decalactone and vanillin respectively, had synergistic effects in all samples spiked with delta-decalactone. Combining sensory and instrumental analysis gave a better understanding of the effect of fat on flavor release and flavor perception than each of these analytical methods by itself.
Session 73G, Sensory Evaluation
|