Chantal Septier

The salt and lipid composition of model cheeses modifies in-mouth flavour release and perception related to the free sodium ion content

Reducing salt and lipid levels in foodstuffs without any effect on acceptability is a major challenge, particularly because of their interactions with other ingredients. This study used a multimodal approach to understand the effects of changes to the composition of model cheeses (20/28, 24/24, 28/20 lipid/protein ratios, 0% and 1% added NaCl) on sodium ion mobility ((23)Na NMR), in-mouth sodium release and flavour perception. An increase in the salt content decreased cheese firmness and perceived hardness, and increased sodium ion mobility, in vivo sodium release and both saltiness and aroma perception. With the same amount of salt, a lower lipid/protein ratio increased the firmness of the cheeses, perceived hardness, and decreased sodium ion mobility, in vivo sodium release, saltiness and aroma perception. These findings suggest on one hand that it could be possible to increase saltiness perception by varying cheese composition, thus inducing differences in sodium ion mobility and in free sodium ion concentration, leading to differences in in-mouth sodium release and saltiness perception, and on the other hand that the reformulation of foods in line with health guidelines needs to take account of both salt content and the lipid/protein ratio.

Oral Fat Sensitivity in Humans: Links to Saliva Composition Before and After Stimulation by Oleic Acid

Fat perception is a complex sensation dependent on different sensory cues, such as texture and olfaction, and also potentially taste. In addition, saliva can interact with dietary fat during its consumption and influence the perception of fatty acids. Because previous studies had identified subjects who were hyper- and hyposensitive to the perception of free fatty acids, the first aim of this work was to study whether saliva composition is different in groups of subjects having low and high oral sensitivity to a free fatty acid, oleic acid (C18:1). The second aim was to determine whether oral stimulation with C18:1 could modify the composition of saliva. To verify these hypotheses, two groups of individuals were selected from a panel of 73 subjects: one group sensitive + to C18:1 (nu2009=u200912) and one sensitive − to C18:1 (nu2009=u200913). Overall, no differences were found in the saliva characteristics between the two groups. However, significant differences after C18:1 stimulation when comparing to a control stimulation were observed in the sensitive + group: in this group, the increase in antioxidant capacity and the decrease in lipolytic activity were significant, while it was not in the sensitive − group although the median values were similar for this last variable in the two groups. This would suggest that the response given by the salivary system to fatty acid stimulation is different in groups of subjects having low and high oral sensitivity to C18:1.

Fat and salt contents affect the in-mouth temporal sodium release and saltiness perception of chicken sausages.

In cooked meats, sodium chloride is involved in taste, texture and flavour release. So a reduction in the salt content may have an impact on overall perception and acceptability. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of composition on sodium release and saltiness intensity in chicken sausages. The rheological properties of the sausages differed according to composition. Temporal sodium release and temporal saltiness intensity were evaluated by four selected subjects when eating sausages. At each time point, the effect of the salt level in sausages on sodium release was positive and highly significant. The effect of lipids on sodium release was negative. Concerning perception, the amount of salt used had a positive effect on saltiness intensity, and lipids seemed to exert a masking effect. Generally, clear relationships between salt levels, sodium release and saltiness intensity were found but the masking effect of lipids on saltiness intensity probably also involved texture or fat perception mechanisms.

Ham Particle Size Influences Saltiness Perception in Flans

One major issue of the food industry is reducing sodium content while maintaining food acceptability and liking. Despite extensive research in this field, little has been published on real complex food products. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the size of particles, a parameter easily adjusted in food processing, could influence the salty taste of low-salt food product. We thus evaluated the effect of ham particle sizes (4 levels, including a zero level) on salt perception and the consumer liking of flans varying in their overall salt concentrations (low- and high-salt content). Two consumer panels, composed of 107 and 77 subjects, rated, respectively, the saltiness of and liking for the developed flans (8 samples). The outcomes of this study indicated first, that the addition of ham to flans increased the salty taste perception and second, that a decrease in ham particle size (ground ham) increased the perceived saltiness. Moreover, low- and high-salt flans were equally liked, demonstrating that food manufacturers could reduce the salt contents (here, by over 15%) while maintaining consumer acceptability through the manipulation of the size of the salt-providing particles.

Impact of blade tenderization, marinade and cooking temperature on oral comfort when eating meat in an elderly population

Several studies demonstrated that oral health impairment, such as tooth loss or a decrease in salivary flow might lead elderly people to reduce their meat intake. The present study assessed the impact of culinary processes liable to improve meat texture and smooth down meat oral processing, in order to fulfil the oral capacities of elderly people. Four culinary processes were selected: cooking bag, blade tenderizer, marinade and low-temperature cooking. A panel of 40 elderly participants with good and poor dental status were asked to assess 5 chicken breast samples, 5 roast beef samples and 4 beefsteak samples prepared according to different process conditions by using an oral comfort questionnaire. Results highlighted the fact that oral impairment may alter food bolus formation as well as texture perception while eating meat in elderly people. Furthermore, they revealed that easy-to-do culinary processes may improve meat tenderness and juiciness as well as smooth down food bolus formation, in particular for the roast beef.