Hisakatsu Iwabuchi

Characteristic coloring curve for white bread during baking.

The effect of heating conditions on the crust color formation was investigated during the baking of white bread. The surface temperatures were monitored with thermocouples attached to the inside surface of the loaf pan cover. The trace of the surface color in the L * a * b * color coordinate system is defined as the characteristic coloring curve. The overall baking process was classified into the following four stages based on the characteristic coloring curve: i) pre-heating (surface temperature < 110 °C), ii) Maillard reaction (110–150 °C), iii) caramelization (150–200 °C), and iv) over-baking (surface temperature>200 °C). A linear relationship was observed between the L * decrease and the increase in weight loss of a sample at each oven air temperature. The L * value appeared to be suitable as an indicator to control the surface color by baking conditions.

Odorant Transfer Characteristics of White Bread during Baking

The potent odorants in the crust and crumb of white bread were identified and quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography/olfactometry. The weight loss ratio of the samples baked at 220 °C was controlled in the range of 0–28%. The odorants were classified into 5 types by the transfer characteristics: i) All amounts of odorant transferred from the crust to external space (type-I). ii) All transferred from the crust to the crumb and external space (type-II). iii) Certain amount remaining in the crust and the rest transferred to the crumb and external space (type-III). iv) All transferred from the crumb to external space (type-IV). v) Certain amount remaining in the crumb and the rest transferred to the crust and external space (type-V). The odorants of type-IV were not apparent after the crust had formed. The results indicate that the crust could be a barrier to prevent the odorants from being transferred to external space.

Characteristic Evaluation for Volatile Components of Soluble Coffee Depending on Freeze-Drying Conditions

Abstract Volatile aroma compounds of freeze-dried soluble coffee were investigated to evaluate the effects of freeze-drying temperature conditions on their intensities and aroma characteristics by employing both GC/MS and charm-analysis, which is a GC/Olfactometry (GC/O) method. The coffee solutions with 40% solid content were freeze-dried changing freezing and drying temperatures. According to the results, it was demonstrated that the compounds identified based on human olfactory sense were different from those detected by GC/MS, and that the GC/O analysis method enabled evaluation of the characteristics and intensity of each compound as well as aroma profiles under various freezing and drying temperatures. Subsequently, GC/O method was found to be effective to detect and identify the volatile compounds giving the aroma peculiar to freeze-dried coffee, and useful to obtain the fundamental information for designing the optimal aroma characteristics of final product to conform the consumer preference based on the characteristic changes in aroma affected by freeze-drying conditions.

Analysis of peach fruit headspace volatiles and response by the fruit-piercing moth Oraesia excavata (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The fruit-piercing moth Oraesia excavata (Butler) only attacks ripe as opposed to immature peach fruits. The moth putatively uses volatile emissions from ripe peach fruits as a cue for food orientation. The volatiles emitted by ‘Hakutou’ peach (Prunus persica L.) fruit during maturation were analyzed by headspace solid-phase microextraction followed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Although seven compounds increased remarkably during maturation, among them, only ethyl acetate and ethyl butanoate elicited electroantennographic responses. During a field-trap test, traps baited with both compounds captured moths, but significantly fewer moths were captured by the traps as compared to peach fruit. However, traps baited with a mixture of both compounds and lactones peculiar to ripe peach fruits captured more moths than did traps with ripe peach fruits only. The results of a seasonal survey using this mixture as an attractant suggest that seasonal forecasting of the fruit-piercing moth is possible.

Kinetic changes in glucosinolate-derived volatiles by heat-treatment and myrosinase activity in nakajimana (Brassica rapa L. cv. nakajimana).

Nakajimana (Brassica rapa L. cv. nakajimana), of the family Brassicaceae, is a traditional vegetable in Japan. Three isothiocyanates and five cyanides in the leaves of nakajimana were identified by gas chromatography (GC) and GC-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and their kinetic changes using heat-treatment (temperature and time) were investigated. In addition, myrosinase activity of extracts prepared from fresh nakajimana leaf was determined. In crushed heat-treated leaves of nakajimana (70 °C for 30 s), formation of isothiocyanates and myrosinase activity increased, whereas formation of 1-cyano-3,4-epithiobutane and 1-cyano-4,5-epithiopentane decreased. Heat-treatment can significantly alter the content of potentially beneficial compounds in nakajimana, and ingestion of suitable isothiocyanates for human health may be better facilitated by mild boiling.

Effects of Manufacturing Processing Conditions on Retronasal-Aroma Odorants from a Milk Coffee Drink: Processing condition effects on coffee…

To develop a ready-to-drink (RTD) milk coffee that retains the original coffee flavor, the effects of manufacturing processing conditions on retronasal-aroma (RA) odorants were investigated by gas chromatography-olfactometry (CharmAnalysis™) using an RA simulator (RAS). Twenty-nine of 33 odorants detected in the RAS effluent (RAS odorants) were identified. The detected odorants were classified into 19 odor-description groups. The total odor intensity (charm value, CMV) of all coffee RAS odorants decreased approximately 68% following pH adjustment, whereas the total CMV increased 6% to 7% following ultra-high-temperature sterilization. The total CMV ratio (about 83%) of the milk coffee produced using a new blending-after-sterilization (BAS) process without pH adjustment of the coffee was greater than that (approximately 56%) prepared using a conventional blending-before-sterilization (BBS) process with pH adjustment. In BAS-processed milk coffees, the total CMV ratio (91%) with infusion (INF)-sterilized reconstituted milk (r-milk) was greater than that (83%) of plate (PLT)-sterilized r-milk. Principal component analysis of odor-description CMVs indicated that the effect of coffee pH adjustment on odor characteristics was greater than that of sterilization, that BAS and BBS samples differed, and that BAS milk coffee prepared using INF sterilization was more similar to homemade milk coffee (blending unsterilized coffee without pH adjustment with PLT-sterilized milk) than milk coffee prepared using PLT sterilization. In conclusion, the BAS process using INF sterilization is superior for manufacturing RTD milk coffee that retains odor characteristics similar to targeted homemade milk coffee. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Ready-to-drink milk coffee beverages produced using conventional blending-before-sterilization methods do not retain their original coffee flavor following adjustment of the pH of the coffee during manufacturing. The use of newly developed blending-after-sterilization methods, by contrast, produces ready-to-drink milk coffee with an aroma more similar to that of homemade milk coffee, as demonstrated using an analytical system for characterizing food product aromas. The blending-after-sterilization process is now being used in Japan to produce ready-to-drink milk coffee beverages.