Revisiting sugar-fat mixtures: sweetness and creaminess vary with phenotypic markers of oral sensation

Genetic variation in oral sensation presumably influences ingestive behaviors through sensations arising from foods and beverages. Here, we investigated the influence of taste phenotype [6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) bitterness, fungiform papillae (FP) density] on sweet and creamy sensations from sugar/fat mixtures. Seventy-nine subjects (43 males) reported the sweetness and creaminess of water or milk (skim, whole, heavy cream) varying in sucrose (0-20% w/v) on the general Labeled Magnitude Scale. Sweetness grew with sucrose concentration and when shifting from water to milk mixtures--the growth was greatest for those tasting PROP as most bitter. At higher sucrose levels, increasing fat blunted the PROP-sweet relationship, whereas at lower levels, the relationship was effectively eliminated. Perceived sweetness of the mixture exceeded that predicted from the sum of components at low sucrose concentrations (especially for those tasting PROP most bitter) but fell below predicted at high concentrations, irrespective of fat level. Creaminess increased greatly with fat level and somewhat with sucrose. Those tasting PROP most bitter perceived greater creaminess in the heavy cream across all sucrose levels. Perceived creaminess was somewhat lower than predicted, irrespective of PROP bitterness. The FP density generally showed similar effects as PROP on sweetness and creaminess, (but to a lesser degree) and revealed potential taste-somatosensory interactions in weakly sweet stimuli. These data support that taste phenotype affects the nature of enhancement or suppression of sweetness and creaminess in liquid fat/sugar mixtures. Taste phenotype effects on sweetness and creaminess likely involve differential taste, retronasal olfactory, and somatosensory contributions to these perceptual experiences.     

PERCEPTION OF FAT IN A MILK MODEL SYSTEM USING MULTIDIMENSIONAL SCALING

This study examined the contributions of stimulus fat content and flavor volatiles to the perception of fat in a milk model system. The model system was formulated by adding bland vegetable oil (0%, 5%, or 10% w/v) and natural cream flavor (0%, 0.5% or 1% w/v) to a skim milk base. Panelists judged pairs of samples for similarity on the basis of three attributes (fat content, mouthcoating and thickness) and the results were analyzed using a multidimensional scaling procedure. Two-dimensional solutions best represented the data. The stimulus spaces for fat content and mouthcoating were visually similar to each other and provided reasonable separation of the samples. Instrumental measures helped to define the underlying dimensions of the stimulus space for fat content. Dimension 1 related to texture and included the contributions of viscosity, and fat particle size and number distribution; dimension 2 related to flavor perception. The sample with a moderate fat content (5%) and the highest concentration of added cream flavor (1%) was perceived to be similar to the 10% fat samples with added flavor. Thus, the added flavor provided the sensation of higher fat content. These data suggest that flavor plays an important role in the preception of fat in dairy foods. A psychophysical model of fat perception in dairy foods is proposed which includes the contribution of viscosity, fat particle size and number distribution, and volatile flavor perceptions.     

RELEASE OF ARTIFICIAL CHERRY FLAVOR FROM ICE CREAMS VARYING IN FAT AND FAT REPLACERS

The effect of fat and fat replacers (FR) on the flavor release from cherry ice cream was investigated. Protein based FR, Simplesse ("S") and carbohydrate based FR, Litesse ("L") either partially or completely substituted milk fat in ice cream. Overall and temporal flavor profiles of ice cream during eating were obtained using chemical and sensory analyses. The performance of FR depended on the level of fat it was substituting and the amount of fat present in the ice cream. In the reduced fat ice cream group, both FRs failed to mimic the characteristics of 6% fat ice cream, mainly because of the low retention of cherry flavor. In the full fat ice cream group, the sensory properties of ice cream containing "L" were closer to the full-fat (12%) ice cream than those with "S". The critical flavor volatile compounds that strongly impact the sensory flavor attributes were identified.     

FREE-CHOICE PROFILING OF MILKS AND OTHER PRODUCTS PREPARED WITH MILKS OF DIFFERENT FAT CONTENTS

Free-choice profiling was used to develop a sensory profile of milks of different fat content and a range of food products prepared from them. The products were cornflakes, flavored milk, instant coffee, oat cereal, savory sauce, tea, and whipped dessert. The aim of the work was to investigate whether or not sensory differences brought about by using milk with a different fat content are noticeable in the context of use, and, if so how the differences can best be described. The milks of different fat content, the flavored milk and the cornflakes, savory sauce, and tea to which milk was added were significantly different from each other but the instant coffee, oat cereal, and whipped desserts were not. The differences found between the samples of different fat content were most often described with mouthfeel terms pertaining to viscosity, i.e., “thin/watery,”“buttery/fatty/ greasy/oily,”“coating/clinging,” and “creamy/rich.”     

ON THE MECHANISM OF MILK SECRETION : THE INFLUENCE OF INSULIN AND PHLORIDZIN

The four types of experiments on milk secretion herein described really fall into one general class so far as the physiological effects produced are concerned. Starvation lowers the blood sugar and raises the osmotic pressure of the blood. The experiment using parathyroid hormone with or without starvation may have its effects interpreted as simply due to starvation since 1000 units of this hormone produced no visible effects on the blood calcium or milk constituents different from those of starvation. Since insulin produces a marked and rapid drop in blood sugar it too may be looked upon as a rapid starvation effect. It has some other important effects, however. Briggs et al. (21) have shown that potassium and phosphorus of the blood are decreased and Luck, Morrison, and Wilbur (22) indicate a reduction in the amino acids of the blood in insulin treatment. Phloridzin lowers the threshold for sugar retention with the consequence that in time it tends to lower the sugar of the blood to an even greater extent than that noted in starvation. It tends to depress the potassium, to increase the phosphorus content of the blood, and to cause the body to burn protein rather than carbohydrate, thus increasing nitrogen excretion. All of the experiments are characterized by a sharp reduction in the milk yield. Cary and Meigs (23) have studied like reductions in milk yield produced by varying the energy or protein of the diet. They conclude that such decrease in milk production may be interpreted as due to the direct effect of the starvation and the consequent reduction of the energy and protein available to milk secretion. The reduction in milk yield for the experiments herein described can undoubtedly be attributed to the same causes as those cited by Cary and Meigs. The experiment where Cow 47 was given a full ration and at the same time injected with large quantities of insulin is of particular interest in this connection. The ration was adequate and the cow ate well, yet her production declined to a fifth of her normal milk yield. Her chart shows that there was a slight reduction in her blood sugar when insulin was introduced into the blood stream. It seems furthermore likely that this sugar was not as available to milk secretion, since there appears to be more than a corresponding drop in the lactose content of the milk. The work of Luck et al. would seem to indicate that there should be a like drop in the amino acids of the blood. These two conditions would lead, according to the work of Cary and Meigs, to a reduction in the concentration of the nitrogen of the milk. Actually, in the experiment as it was performed, the nitrogen increased to a value about 40 per cent above normal. A somewhat similar conflict is noted in two of the other three insulin experiments where starvation accompanied insulin injection. To this extent it would seem that the factor deserving most emphasis in its immediate effect on milk yield is the energy available, and that the later and more secondary factor is the amino acid concentration of the blood. In the starvation experiments, the butter fat percentage of the milk rises rather uniformly with the duration of starvation. In the insulin experiments, however, the charts appear to show a marked reduction in this butter fat percentage immediately after the introduction of insulin. This is particularly noticed after the second and third injections. Since the dextrose of the blood tends to be reduced and made unavailable to the general physiological processes by the presence of the large excess of insulin, and since this reduction of the butter fat percentage is noted as an accompanying phenomenon, it would appear that the blood dextrose plays a part in the synthesis of milk fat as well as being the source of the milk lactose, possibly as a source of energy in converting body fat to butter fat. In this regard the results for the treatment of Cow 47 with phloridzin are of importance. As noted by others, the introduction of phloridzin causes a marked rise in the fat percentage of the milk. The lactose per cent is also higher than that noted in starvation. Since phloridzin, by lowering the threshold for the blood sugar, causes large quantities of it to be drained from the body through the urine, and therefore reduces the reserve supply, it follows that if the insulin hypotheses are correct we should expect an eventual lowering of the lactose and of the fat below the starvation level. During the last of the experiment this is what was actually observed. The effects of starvation and of insulin furnish concordant proof for the theory that the lactose of milk is derived from the sugar of the blood. The fact that the different constituents of the milk, the fat, the lactose, the nitrogen, and the ash, do not exactly parallel each other in their behavior throughout these experiments indicates that they have in all probability separate origin. This is particularly true of the butter fat percentage, which appears to have a rate of secretion which is more or less independent of the other constituents, and higher in amount. This result would fall in line with the conclusion of the writers in a previous paper in which it was indicated that the fat of the blood was very likely deposited in the udder as fat corresponding to body fat from which source it was metabolized into the fat of milk shortly before it was needed for milk secretion. The wide variation brought about in the constituents of the milk by the treatment all point to the conclusion that in milk secretion a balance is maintained between the osmotic pressure of the milk and of the blood. Thus when the sugar of the milk is reduced either through starvation or by insulin the ash constituents rise to compensate for this reduction and make the osmotic pressure of the milk similar to that of the blood. These results further appear to indicate that the salts and the sugars are more or less independent in their passage and metabolism into milk from the other constituents. These observations are therefore in line with those obtained by Jackson and Rothera (14) and by Davidson (15) in their brilliant experiments where they modified milk secretion by returning milk or milk sugars and salts to the udder. These experiments give direct proof for the conclusion that modifications of the blood of dairy cattle produce direct and predictable modification of the milk secreted.     

Exploiting the Functionality of Lactic Acid Bacteria in Ice Cream

In this study, the fermented milk of three ropy (NCFB 2483, CRNZ 737, and LB18) and one non-ropy strains (LH30) of lactic acid bacteria were each added to aged ice cream mixes prepared with and without commercial stabilizers. Ice cream mixes with NCFB 2483 and LB18 (without stabilizers) achieved significantly higher overrun than the sample with non-ropy culture (with stabilizers). Evaluation of meltdown resistance and firmness of the ice cream indicated that samples with NCFB 2483 and LB18 ferment (without stabilizers) were comparable to ice cream with non-ropy culture (with stabilizers). Results of the particle size D[4,3] of the ice cream melt showed that the main mechanism for fat destabilization was not partial coalescence but fat aggregation due to the interactions of milk proteins and/or polysaccharides at the interface of fat globules. There was generally no significant difference in partial coalescence of the fat globules in all samples except LB18 (with stabilizers) where partial coalescence appeared to be significantly lower. The viscoelastic properties of ropy milk appeared to influence the functional properties of ice cream.     

Influence of breed and husbandry on viscosity of Israeli goat milk yogurt

Goat’s milk yogurt prepared from milk of different goat breeds on different farm types resulted in different viscosity. Yogurt from milk of goat breeds browsing on pasture was richer in solids and resulted in significantly higher viscosity compared with that of cow milk yogurt and yogurt produced from milk of goats fed hay and concentrate indoors. Milk from goats browsing on pasture was diluted in total solids content close to that of milk from goats kept indoors and cows. Yogurt made from this diluted milk still resulted in higher viscosity. It appears that milk from goat breeds browsing on pastures contains certain factor(s) that causes an increase in the viscosity of yogurt produced from it.     

TWO MODELS FOR ESTIMATING THE DISCRIMINABILITY OF FOODS AND BEVERAGES

In order to evaluate the suitability of signal detection theory methods for assessing the discriminability of foods and beverages, the discriminability of two dairy milk products that differed in fat content was measured with two detection-theoretic methods: the single-interval rating method, and the same-different method. The nominal fat contents of the milk products were 0.1 and 1.6%. Measures of discriminability for three observers were derived by fitting receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) based on equal-variance normal models to the ratings of each observer with a procedure that combined jackknifing and maximum-likelihood estimation. The fitted ROCs provided a good fit to the data indicating that the equal-variance models were appropriate for these tasks. The best-fitting estimates of d' obtained for each task were not significantly different, demonstrating that d' is a measure of sensitivity that is largely independent of the task from which it is determined. However, estimates of proportion correct obtained for each task were shown to be significantly different.     

BIOCHEMICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL COMPARISON OF PLASMA MEMBRANE AND MILK FAT GLOBULE MEMBRANE FROM BOVINE MAMMARY GLAND

Purified plasma membrane fractions from lactating bovine mammary glands and membranes of milk fat globules from the same source were similar in distribution and fatty acid composition of phospholipids. The sphingomyelin content of the phospholipid fraction of both membranes was higher than in these fractions from other cell components, β-carotene, a constituent characteristic of milk fat, was present in the lipid fraction of the plasma membrane. Cholesterol esters of plasma membrane were similar in fatty acid composition to those of milk fat globule membranes. Disc electrophoresis of either membrane preparation on polyacrylamide gels revealed a single major protein component characteristic of plasma membrane from other sources. Distinct morphological differences between plasma membrane and milk fat globule membranes were observed in both thin sections and in negatively stained material. Plasma membrane was vesicular in appearance while milk fat globule membranes had a platelike aspect. These observations are consistent with derivation of fat globule membrane from plasma membrane accompanied by structural rearrangement of membrane constituents.     

SENSORY PROPERTIES AND CONSUMER PERCEPTION OF 'HOME-MADE'AND COMMERCIAL DAIRY ICE CREAM

Sensory properties and consumer perception of 2 'home-made'and 4 commercial dairy ice creams were examined. Conventional profiling by a trained panel found that most samples differed significantly in all attributes, but distinction of 'home-made'from commercial products was limited to few attributes. Principal component analysis separated the 'home-made'products from the commercial ones mainly on the basis of differences in appearance, aroma, creamy flavors and textural attributes. A consumer group (n=105) recorded preconception of 'home-made'ice cream acceptance, then received the product samples, in unlabeled condition, for assessment of degree of liking (DOL) and for identification as 'home-made'or commercial. Internal preference mapping of the DOL ratings showed that consumers were more closely grouped around samples which had higher intensities of certain attributes. Higher 'denseness', 'vanilla'aroma and 'buttery'flavor, were associated with more liking for commercial products. The 'home-made'high fat sample, although liked, tended to be grouped with commercial products. More marked textural attributes of 'ice crystals'and 'breakage'aided identification of the low-fat 'home-made'formulation, which was less liked overall. Overall, differences between the 'home-made'and commercial samples were small but consumer perception of the term 'home-made'was viewed favorably for dairy ice cream.     

Selenium content of milk and milk products of Turkey. II

Selenium content of 1028 milk and milk products of Turkey are presented in this study. The selenium content of human milk (colostrum, transitional, and mature milk), various kinds of milk [cow, sheep, goat, buffalo, paper boxes (3%, 1.5%, 0.012% fat), bottled milk, condensed milk (10% fat), mineral added milk (1.6%), and banana, strawberry, and chocolate milk] and milk products (kefir, yogurt, Ayran, various cheese, coffee cream, ice cream, butter, margarine, milk powder, and fruit yogurt) in Turkey were determined by a spectrofluorometric method. The selenium levels of cow milks collected from 57 cities in Turkey were also determined. Selenium levels in cow milk varied with geographical location in Turkey and were found to be lowest for Van and highest for Aksaray. The results [milk (cow, sheep, goat, buffalo and human) and milks products] were compared with literature data from different countries.     

LIKING FOR ICE CREAM MEASURED WITH THREE PROCEDURES: SIDE-BY-SIDE, AFTER CONSUMPTION AND SINGLE SAMPLES

The purpose of this study was to compare how similar results are achieved by three different procedures of measuring liking for ice cream. Subjects (N=56) assessed their liking for three brands of vanilla ice cream on a 9-point scale in seven sessions within three weeks. The examined procedures were (1) tasting and rating all three brands simultaneously side-by-side within the same session, (2) rating each brand in separate sessions after ad libitum consumption and (3) tasting (without consumption) and rating each brand in separate sessions. The liking scores for brands differed significantly but the differences were small because all samples were well-liked. In all procedures, the ratings of liking differed clearly between those who ranked the brand first and those who ranked it second or third, even if there was a considerable number of tied first places. Correlations among the three different measurements of liking were relatively low for all brands of ice cream (r = 0.16 – 0.37). The most preferred brand for most respondents changed from one procedure to another. The perceived characteristics were close to ideal in all brands, and all three procedures gave similar mean results. The distance of mouthfeel, creaminess, sweetness, and vanilla aroma from ideal differed between those who liked the brand best and those who rated it second or third. These differences were larger in side-by-side and after consumption conditions compared to single sample presentation.     

THE USE OF FOURIER ANALYSIS TO COMPARE THE SENSORY PROFILES OF PRODUCTS

A consumer panel comprising 60 females evaluated three coffee whiteners and fresh milk for a number of sensory attributes including liking of flavor and appearance, overall liking, natural flavor and odor, creaminess and watery flavor. Fourier analysis was used to produce a plot which readily identified the whiteners with sensory profiles most similar to fresh milk. More importantly, the whitener whose sensory profile was significantly different from that of fresh milk was identified from the Fourier plot, something which could not be done by traditional univariate methods or even by an overall discriminant analysis.     

COMPARISON OF THE SENSORY PROPERTIES OF ULTRA-HIGH-TEMPERATURE (UHT) MILK FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

Shelf-stable milk, also known as ultra-high-temperature (UHT) milk is the most common form of milk in many parts of the world. This study compared the differences in flavor and texture of 37 commercially available UHT and sterilized milk samples including whole, 2% reduced-fat and low-fat milk obtained from markets in seven countries: France ( n =  2), Italy ( n =  11), Japan ( n =  1), Korea ( n =  2), Peru ( n =  3), Thailand ( n =  13) and the U.S.A. ( n =  5). Five highly trained panelists used flavor and texture profiling to describe the sensory properties of each milk sample. Data were analyzed by principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis. Higher levels of processed, chalky, brown and cooked flavor notes generally corresponded to lower levels of fresh dairy flavor characteristics. In general, samples did not vary consistently within a country. Fat content did not correlate with dairy fat flavor or with viscosity. This research suggests that companies' manufacturing processes for UHT milk may have more impact than country or fat content in determining sensory properties of UHT milk.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Sensory properties of UHT milk from different countries developed in this study could be used by the dairy industry to understand the similarities and differences of UHT milk characteristics from different regions and to modify UHT milk characteristics to meet consumers' criteria or expectation. The study suggests that manufacturers who want to improve quality of UHT milk by modify flavor and texture properties should focus on improvements to the manufacturing processes.     

Common variants in the CD36 gene are associated with oral fat perception, fat preferences, and obesity in African Americans

Animal studies show that CD36, a fatty acid translocase, is involved in fat detection and preference, but these findings have not been reported in humans. The objective of this study was to determine whether human genetic variation in 5 common CD36 polymorphisms is associated with oral fat perception of Italian salad dressings, self-reported acceptance of high-fat foods and obesity in African-American adults (n = 317). Ratings of perceived oiliness, fat content, and creaminess were assessed on a 170-mm visual analogue scale (VAS) in response to salad dressings that were 5%, 35%, and 55% fat-by-weight content. Acceptance of added fats and oils and high-fat foods was self-reported and anthropometric measures were taken in the laboratory. DNA was isolated from saliva and genotyped at 5 CD36 polymorphisms. Three polymorphisms, rs1761667, rs3840546, and rs1527483 were associated with the outcomes. Participants with the A/A genotype at rs1761667 reported greater perceived creaminess, regardless of the fat concentration of the salad dressings (P < 0.01) and higher mean acceptance of added fats and oils (P = 0.02) compared to those with other genotypes at this site. Individuals who had C/T or T/T genotypes at rs1527483 also perceived greater fat content in the salad dressings, independent of fat concentration (P = 0.03). BMI and waist circumference were higher in participants who were homozygous for a deletion (D/D) at rs3840546, compared to I/D or D/D individuals (P < 0.001), but only 2 D/D individuals were tested, so this finding needs replication. This is the first study to demonstrate an association between common variants in CD36 and fat ingestive behaviors in humans.     

Studies on the structure of milk fat globule membrane.

Milk fat globule membrane was solubilized with sodium dodecyl sulfate and mercaptoethanol and the membrane proteins were separated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The membrane preparations contained three major size classes of polypeptide of 155,000, 62,500 and 43,500 daltons. At least five glycopeptides were separated of which two stained intensely with periodic acid-Schiff reagent, but poorly with coomassie blue. Trypsin hydrolysis of whole cream and isolated milk fat globule membrane revealed major differences in the rates of protein hydrolysis. Many of the membrane proteins of whole cream resisted proteolysis compared with the same proteins in the isolated membrane. Two glycopeptides were resistant to trypsin digestion in either preparation. Treatment of whole cream with neuraminidase led to the release of at least 70% of the protein-bound sialic acid. Whole cream and isolated membrane samples were iodinated with 125I in the presence of lactoperoxidase and hydrogen peroxide. The membrane proteins were significantly more accessible to lactoperoxidase-125I i in isolated membrane compared with the proteins of whole cream. Polypeptides of molecular weight 43,500 and approximately 48,000 daltons were predominantly labelled in whole cream and could be eluted from the fat globules with magnesium chloride (1.5m). The results strongly suggest that the proteins of milk fat globule membrane are asymmetrically arranged in the membrane and that most of the protein-bound sialic acid is present on the external surface of milk fat globules.     

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE SECRETING AND DRY MAMMARY GLAND TO MILK SECRETION

The results herein presented furnish exact critical evidence for one more stage in milk secretion. Cows producing up to 30 pounds of milk at one milking are shown to have the lactose equivalent of all this milk in the udder when milking commences. The average excess of lactose found in the udder after subtracting the amount necessary for the contained milk is equal to 2.1 pounds. This represents the milk retained in the udder when the cow is believed to be dry. These conclusions are further supported by the fact that no sugar is found in the udder in the quiescent state. The study of the total composition of the udder as fat, ash, nitrogen, and lactose, and of the contained milk shows that there is a large excess of fat, ash, and nitrogen in proportion to that necessary for milk formation. The excess of udder lactose over the milk lactose is much less. The lactose would therefore appear to be formed from some element in the blood, probably dextrose, only as needed for the formation of milk. The composition of the dry udder is quite different in certain respects from that of the actively secreting gland. It builds up a fat reserve of a quite different Reichert-Meissl number from that of butter-fat. It has no sugar, its ash content is reduced, and the nitrogen content is like that of the secreting gland.     

Ultrastructural characterization by ruthenium red of the surface of the fat globule membrane of human and rat milk with data on carbohydrates of fractions of rat milk

The fat globules of the cream fractions of human and rat milk were stained with ruthenium red. Under the electron microscope, discrete granules and an amorphous coat of lesser density are seen at the surface of the milk fat globules. Since ruthenium red binds anionic groups selectively, it is probable that the granules contain the greatest concentration of these groups. The cream fraction of rat milk contains hexoses, hexosamines, methylpentoses and sialic acid. Methylpentoses and hexosamines are significantly enriched in the cream fraction. It is concluded that the finding of a surface coat in milk fat globules is in keeping with the Bargmann-Knoop model and suggests a distinct mechanism for carrying certain complex carbohydrates in milk. The role of the negative charges at the outer surface of the membrane coat is maintaining fat globules in suspension and in binding certain cations such as calcium is suggested.     

Milk yield response of dairy cows fed fat along with protein

The influence of a fat-coated protein on milk production of Holstein dairy cows was determined using a 4×4 Latin square experiment. Twelve cows were fed a control diet or test diets supplemented with fat, fat plus ruminally undegraded protein (RUP), or a fat-coated protein (Duets™). Cows fed test diets received 0.55 kg of more fat per day than cows in the control treatment. Daily intakes of feed, energy, and protein were the same in all treatments. Cows produced 36.5, 37.3, 37.9, and 39.3 kg of energy-corrected milk per day in control, fat, fat plus RUP, and fat-coated protein treatments, respectively. Cows fed fat-supplemented diets produced an average 1.7 kg more milk daily compared with cows in the control treatment. Feeding RUP along with fat or fat-coated protein provided no further improvement in milk yield compared with fat alone, but partially alleviated the depression in protein content caused by supplemental fat and increased the daily yield of milk protein. In the present experiment, cows fed fat-coated protein produced daily an average 60 g of milk protein more than cows fed fat alone. Since, there was no advantage in milk yield, the decision to include fat-coated protein in dairy rations should be based on its price compared to fat alone and the return in terms of milk protein yield.