Héctor B. Escalona-Buendía

Physicochemical and Sensory Characteristics of Calcium Chloride‐Treated Horse Meat

Abstract Post rigor horse meat was marinated in 150 mM CaCl2 solution at 4°C and compared against untreated samples in order to evaluate characteristics associated with meat quality. Water holding capacity (WHC) and pH were recorded over 15 days period. Protein degradation was studied by sodium dodecyl sulfate SDS–PAGE electrophoresis, and rheological properties related to texture were evaluated by instrumental compression. Sensory evaluation was carried out with a trained panel. There were no significant differences in pH between treated and untreated samples. Water holding capacity in CaCl2‐treated samples was significantly higher, as a possible consequence of interfilament widening due to Ca2+ ion steric hindrance. Some degradation of high and low molecular weight (HMW and LMW) proteins in Ca2+‐treated samples was observed, although this fact could be due to factors not related to calpain activity. Sensory analysis demonstrated that treated meat had higher scores for overall intensity. There were no significant differences with respect to hardness, chewiness, cohesiveness, and juiciness.

Release of Five Indicator Volatiles from a Model Meat Emulsion to Study Phase Contribution to Meat Aroma

The objective of this work was to develop a model meat emulsion in order to study the release of aroma-related compounds from the lipid and aqueous phases. Hexanal, octanal and nonanal were taken as indicators of lipid oxidation whereas 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethyl pyrazine and 2-methyl pyrazine were Maillard reaction indicators. Four systems were studied: I) a model meat emulsion; II) phosphate buffer; III) phosphate buffer + myofibrillar proteins; and IV) canola oil. Release of indicator compounds from each of the studied systems was analyzed in the headspace. It was concluded that pyrazines mainly contributed to aroma in lipid systems and in protein solutions but not in emulsions and non protein aqueous systems. Hexanal, octanal, and nonanal were minor aroma contributors in lipid media, whereas hexanal and nonanal were released in small amount from protein emulsions. Conversely, octanal can be considered of an important aroma contributor in emulsions; the three aldehydes showed a high release from aqueous systems, with and without protein.

Evaluation of the Antioxidant Activity of Aqueous and Methanol Extracts of Pleurotus ostreatus in Different Growth Stages.

Total polyphenols and flavonoids contents, as well as ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), metal ions chelating activity, reducing power assay and scavenging activity of DPPH and ABTS radicals in aqueous and methanolic extracts obtained from mycelium, primordium, and fruiting body of Pleurotus ostreatus in both fresh as dry, were evaluated. The total polyphenol content of dried samples was higher in aqueous extracts obtained both in room temperature and boiling. The total polyphenol content of the fresh samples obtained at room temperature and boiling was higher in aqueous extract of mycelium and in the methanolic extract of the fruiting body. In general, flavonoids represented a very small percentage of the total polyphenol content. The antioxidant activity measured by the FRAP method of extracts from fresh samples were higher with respect to the dried samples. The results of the metal ion chelating activity indicate that all extracts tested had acted. The reducing power of all samples was concentration dependent. In general, the extracts of dried samples showed higher reducing power than the extracts of fresh samples and tend to show greater reducing power by aqueous than methanolic extracts. It was observed that the DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities were positively correlated to the concentration of the extract. The results suggested that antioxidant activity could be due to polyphenols, but mainly by different molecules or substances present in the extracts. Overall, the fruiting body of P. ostreatus showed the best results and the possibility of continuing to investigate its functional properties of this fungus is opened. This is the first report where the antioxidant activity of P. ostreatus in different growth stage was reported.

Multivariate study of the evolution of phenolic composition and sensory profile on mouth of Mexican red Merlot wine aged in barrels vs wood chips

Alternative treatments to the use of barrels in the aging process of red wine are now available. One of these techniques is the use of wood chips. Studies have shown that wines subjected either to barrel or chips maturation can be grouped according to the type of aging using their respective phenolic composition. In this study, we compared the concentration of phenolic compounds analyzed through High Performance Liquid Chromatography and the sensory perception, using a Triangular Discriminative Test and Quantitative-Descriptive Analysis, of a Mexican red Merlot wine aged in barrels vs wood chips (both in French oak with an intense toast) for 6 months. We found changes in the composition of several extracted wood phenolic compounds, especially during the first 3 months, showing higher concentrations in wines with chip maturation, while sensory evaluation showed differences only at 2 months and at 6 months of maturation.

Association Between SSR Molecular Markers and Chemical and Sensory Traits of Cacao Samples Using Multiple Regression Analysis

The sensory properties of cacao beans are linked to the chemical composition of the seeds, and both characteristics are the partial results of its allelic composition. Therefore, it is useful to search for molecular markers associated with these traits. We perform multiple regression analysis to associate previously generated data of alleles generated with 12 SSR (of cultivated cacao trees) with data obtained from chemical and sensory characterization (of beans) of plants grown in the southern region from Mexico. When the association was significant, the mathematical models for predictive purposes were proposed. All phenotypic traits evaluated showed equations with setting values R2 > 0.5. All chemical characters tested have a significant association with at least two alleles (P < 0.05). In addition, the fat content was associated with six molecular markers (mTcCIR03209, mTcCIR12188, mTcCIR19286, mTcCIR07150, mTcCIR19310). The most common allele was mTcCIR12188, which was associated with the contents of eicosanoic acid, moisture, fat and total polyphenols content. The mTcCIR28362 allele is associated with sensory characters bitterness, musty odor, and roasted odor. These alleles could be useful as molecular markers of chemical and sensory characteristics of cacao samples.

Effect of Temperature during Bottle Aging on the Flavor Profile and Antioxidant Capacity of Ruby Cabernet Red Wine

The objective of this study was to explore the effect of red wine bottle aging at 4° and 18°C, both on antioxidant capacity and on the flavor profile of ruby Cabernet Mexican wine. Wine from the same batch was bottled, and half the samples were stored at 4°C and the other half at 18°C. The color was measured and the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) test performed every 15 days for a 6-month period. At the end of the maturation period, volatiles were analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS, while sensory evaluation was carried out by QDA. Results showed that antioxidant capacity was higher in wine aged at 18°C, while color, volatiles, and sensory profile showed some differences among wines from each maturation temperature.

Flavor Studies on the Elaboration of Artisan-Type Mexican Beer: Effect of Different Conditions for Hops Addition

The effect of three different conditions for hops addition during must cooking was evaluated on beer produced at laboratory scale. Response variables were volatile composition, sensory perception, and bitterness index, as well as color, pH, sugars, and alcohol content. Results showed that even though the bitterness index was different among treatments, no difference in bitter taste was found by assessors. Volatile composition and sensory analysis showed that there were small changes in the aromatic profile of the beers from the different treatments.