Gastón Ares

Influence of nutritional knowledge on perceived healthiness and willingness to try functional foods.

In order to assess the influence of nutritional knowledge on perceived healthiness and willingness to try functional foods, 104 consumers filled out a Nutritional Knowledge Questionnaire and answered a conjoint task. Participants had to evaluate 16 concepts consisting of combinations of carrier products (yogurt, milk desserts, pan bread and mayonnaise) and nutritional modifications (regular product, low-fat, enriched with antioxidants, and enriched with fibre). Three groups of consumers were identified with different level of nutritional knowledge. Highly significant differences were found in the healthiness evaluations of the clusters, which mainly depended on nutritional knowledge related to the links of diet and diseases. Highly significant differences in willingness to try functional foods were also found between the clusters. Whereas consumers with the lowest nutritional knowledge were not interested in consuming functional foods, the addition of fibre or antioxidants to healthy products increased the willingness of consumers with the highest level of nutritional knowledge to try the evaluated functional foods. These results suggested that lack of nutritional knowledge might limit the acceptance of functional foods and thus the use of health claims might be necessary to assure that consumers are aware of their health benefits.

Comparison of rapid sensory characterization methodologies for the development of functional yogurts

Functional food development is a long, complex, expensive and risky process. Methodologies that provide reliable information about the sensory characteristics of the developed products in short time frames can speed up the product development process and contribute to the success of the developed products in the marketplace. In this context, the aim of the present work was to compare three rapid methodologies for sensory characterization with descriptive analysis during the development of low-fat functional yogurts, enriched with probiotics and prebiotics. Eight low-fat probiotic yogurts enriched with a prebiotic ingredient were formulated following a 23 full factorial design with the following factors: sugar concentration, prebiotic ingredient and stabilizer concentration. A panel of 9 trained assessors evaluated samples using descriptive analysis. Besides, the yogurts were evaluated by 3 groups of 81 consumers using three rapid methodologies: check-all-that-apply (CATA) questions, projective mapping and polarized sensory positioning. The three rapid methodologies provided similar information on the main differences among samples. However, several differences can be highlighted. Sample configurations from CATA questions were the most similar to those provided by descriptive analysis, whereas projective mapping provided the least similar configurations. The three methodologies also differed in their ability to detect differences among samples due to formulation variables and the stability of sample configurations.

Comparison of TCATA and TDS for dynamic sensory characterization of food products

Temporal Check-All-That-Apply (TCATA) has been recently introduced as a method for temporal sensory product characterization. Building on the standard Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) question format, assessors select all the terms they consider applicable for describing the sensations they perceive, and they do so at each moment of the evaluation process. This research further investigates the TCATA method, through its application to products of varying complexity (yogurt, salami, cheese, orange juice, French bread, and marinated mussels) using consumers and trained panellists as assessors. More importantly, to deliver new methodological insights we compare TCATA to Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS). This comparison will aid researchers to select the temporal method best suited to their needs. Across three countries, six studies were conducted. Within-subjects experimental designs were used in Studies 1-3 and involved trained panellists using both TCATA and TDS on the same set of products. In Studies 4-6, between-subjects experimental designs were used, and the assessors, who were consumers, evaluated samples using either TCATA or TDS. The results confirmed that TCATA is suitable for measuring the temporal sensory characteristics of products. By enabling identification of several sensory characteristics that are concurrently perceived in products, the results from this research also suggest that TCATA may provide a more detailed description of the dynamics of the sensory characteristics of products. The TDS concept of dominance appears to decrease detailed description and discrimination of attributes that are simultaneously perceived, particularly when dealing with multiple sensory modalities. The practical implications of these differences are discussed.

Bioadhesive hydrogels for cosmetic applications

The use of bioadhesive hydrogels for skin care presents important advantages such as long residence times on the application site and reduced product administration frequency.

Food choice and food consumption frequency for Uruguayan consumers

The aims of the present work were to study motives underlying Uruguayan consumers’ food choice behaviour and to study the consumption frequency of some selected food items. A modification of the Food Choice Questionnaire and a food frequency questionnaire was administered to a group of 200 Uruguayan consumers. Feeling good and safety, sensory appeal and health and nutrient content were rated as the most important factors, while familiarity was rated as the least important. Using hierarchical cluster analysis, three clusters with different choice patterns were identified. Frequency of consumption of fruits, vegetables, milk and dairy products, and whole cereals, increased as the importance attributed to health and nutrition increased; consumption of fatty foods decreased.

Consumer Perception of the Healthfulness of Ultra-processed Products Featuring Different Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labeling Schemes

Objective: To examine the influence of front‐of‐pack nutrition information on the perception of healthfulness of ultra‐processed products across 2 income levels. Design: A between‐participants design was used to compare healthfulness perception of ultra‐processed products featuring different front‐of‐pack nutrition information schemes (guideline daily amount system, traffic light system, and monochromatic traffic light system). Participants: A total of 300 people (aged 18–70 years, 75% female) from Montevideo, Uruguay, participated in the study; half were middle‐ or high‐income people and the other half were low‐income people. Main Outcome Measures: Participants were shown the labels of each product and asked to rate their perceived healthfulness and the frequency with which each product should be consumed. Analysis: Results were analyzed using analysis of variance for statistical significance (P < .05). Results: Low‐income participants perceived ultra‐processed products to be significantly (P < .05) more healthful than did middle‐ and high‐income participants. The lowest perceived healthfulness scores for low‐income participants were obtained for products featuring the colored and monochromatic traffic light system whereas no significant differences (P > .05) among schemes were found for middle‐ and high‐income participants. Conclusions and Implications: Nutrition education programs aimed at increasing low‐income peoples knowledge of the nutritional composition of these products and their potential negative effects on health seem to be necessary. Although the inclusion of semidirective front‐of‐pack nutrition information decreased the perceived healthfulness of low‐income people, it seemed unlikely to influence how they perceive these products.

Screening of mucoadhesive vaginal gel formulations

O planejamento racional de formulacoes para a liberacao vaginal de farmacos requer atencao especial as propriedades do veiculo, que otimizem o revestimento e a retencao vaginal. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi realizar uma triagem de geis vaginais mucoadesivos formulados com carbomero ou carragenina em combinacao binaria com um segundo polimero (carbomero, goma guar ou xantana). Os geis foram caracterizados usando estudos in vitro de aderencia, espalhabilidade e potencial de vazamento, bem como medicoes reologicas (testes de varredura de tensao e frequencia) e o efeito de diluicao com fluido vaginal simulado (SVF) na espalhabilidade. Os resultados foram analisados utilizando a analise de variância e de fator multiplo. A combinacao de polimeros reforcou a adesao de ambos os agentes gelificantes primarios, carbomero e carragenina. Do ponto de vista reologico todas as formulacoes apresentaram comportamento semelhante, predominantemente elastico e caracterizado por valores de tangente de perda bem abaixo de 1. Nao se encontrou correlacao entre as medicoes reologicas e o comportamento de adesao. Os geis de carbomero e carragenina contendo o maior porcentual de goma xantana apresentaram melhor mucoadesao e espalhabilidade, menor potencial de vazamento e maior resistencia a diluicao in vitro. Os resultados positivos obtidos com geis de carragenina-goma xantana podem incentivar o uso de adjuvantes biocompativeis naturais na composicao dos produtos vaginais, um campo de formulacao atualmente sob o dominio de produtos sinteticos.

Evaluation of antioxidant extracts from Uruguayan native plants: importance of sensory characteristics

There is increasing interest in the development of antioxidant extracts as functional ingredients. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the sensory profile, the polyphenolic (PP) content and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity of solvent extracts of three native Uruguayan plants: Achyrocline satureoides, Baccharis trimera, and Mikania guaco. Extraction solvent and native plant remarkably affected the PP content, the radical scavenging capacity, and the sensory profile of the extracts. Water extracts were the most effective radical scavengers and showed the highest polyphenolic concentration and the lowest intensity of bitter, astringent, and characteristic flavor. The bitterness, astringency and characteristic flavor of the extracts could limit their use as functional ingredients. Thus, when optimizing the extraction of antioxidant compounds from plants, apart from studying the influence of extraction solvents on yield, PP content and antioxidant capacity, the sensory characteristics of the antioxidant extracts should also be taken into account. Existe creciente interés en el desarrollo de extractos antioxidantes como ingredientes funcionales. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar el perfil sensorial, el contenido de polifenoles y la capacidad de secuestrar radicales DPPH de extractos de tres plantas nativas uruguayas: Achyrocline satureoides, Baccharis trimera y Mikania guaco. Tanto el solvente como la planta nativa tuvieron un efecto significativo en el contenido de polifenoles, la capacidad de secuestrar radicales DPPH y el perfil sensorial de los extractos. Los extractos acuosos fueron los más eficientes secuestrantes de radicales DPPH y presentaron el mayor contenido de polifenoles y la menor intensidad de amargor, astringencia y sabor característico. El amargor, astringencia y sabor característico de los extractos podrían limitar su aplicación como ingredientes funcionales. Estos resultados sugieren que durante la optimización de las condiciones de extracción de compuestos antioxidantes de plantas, además de la influencia de la capacidad antioxidante y el rendimiento, deben tenerse en cuenta las características sensoriales de los extractos.

Evaluation of the sensory characteristics of strawberry cultivars throughout the harvest season using projective mapping

BACKGROUND Strawberry breeding programs should be able to rely on valid and simple methodologies for evaluating sensory quality of new cultivars. In this context, the aim of the present work was to evaluate the applicability of a simple sensory methodology, named projective mapping, to evaluate the sensory characteristics of strawberry cultivars and advanced selections throughout the harvest season. Three strawberry cultivars and two advanced selections were evaluated by an untrained assessor panel using projective mapping in three different moments of the harvest season: June (early season), August (mid-season) and September (peak harvest). Instrumental measurements were also performed. RESULTS Projective mapping enabled the identification of the main sensory characteristics of the strawberry cultivars and advanced selections, as well as the similarities and differences among them. Sensory characteristics of the five evaluated strawberry cultivars and advanced selections largely varied throughout the harvest season. Simple instrumental measurements were not able to predict the sensory characteristics of the strawberry cultivars, suggesting the importance of sensory methodologies for the evaluation of new cultivars in breeding programs. CONCLUSIONS Projective mapping consisted of a quick alternative for the evaluation of new cultivars relative to standard commercial cultivars. Its main advantage is that a large number of cultivars can be screened with minimal investment of time and resources.

Development of functional milk desserts enriched with resistant starch based on consumers' perception.

Sensory characteristics play a key role in determining consumers’ acceptance of functional foods. In this context, the aim of the present work was to apply a combination of sensory and consumer methodologies to the development of chocolate milk desserts enriched with resistant starch. Chocolate milk desserts containing modified waxy maize starch were formulated with six different concentrations of two types of resistant starch (which are part of insoluble dietary fiber). The desserts were evaluated by trained assessors using Quantitative Descriptive Analysis. Moreover, consumers scored their overall liking and willingness to purchase and answered an open-ended question. Resistant starch caused significant changes in the sensory characteristics of the desserts and a significant decrease in consumers’ overall liking and willingness to purchase. Consumer data was analyzed applying survival analysis on overall liking scores, considering the risk on consumers liking and willing to purchase the functional products less than their regular counterparts. The proposed methodologies proved to be useful to develop functional foods taking into account consumers’ perception, which could increase their success in the market.