Cooking time but not cooking method affects children's acceptance of Brassica vegetables

The home environment potentially presents a simple means to increase acceptance of sensory properties of vegetables by preparation. This research investigated how preparation can effectively impact upon children's acceptance for vegetables. Five- and six-year old children (n = 82, balanced for vegetable consumption) tasted and evaluated two Brassica vegetables, broccoli and cauliflower, each prepared in six different ways via variations in cooking method (boiling versus steaming) and cooking time (3 levels, ranging from 2 to 14 min). Children rated samples for liking and a trained descriptive panel assessed the samples' sensory properties. Across vegetable types, medium cooking times were liked more than short and long cooking times (p <0.0001), and these samples were medium firm and cohesive, with a balance of green and cooked flavour notes. Boiled samples were less intense in flavour and taste than steamed samples, but overall did not differ in acceptance. Significant interactions were found. Cooking method played a role in acceptance of broccoli but not cauliflower, with medium steamed broccoli liked the most. There was no difference in acceptance between low and high vegetable consumers, although high vegetable consumers were more discriminating in acceptance for cauliflower. In conclusion, children's acceptance of Brassica vegetables may be altered by preparation. There may be advantage in promoting steaming of Brassica vegetables to children, as they do not object to the flavour, and steaming is nutritionally preferable to boiling. Very short cooking times lead to an undesirable sensory profile and should be avoided. Recommendations are applicable to children regardless of their vegetable intake. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Cooking time but not cooking method affects children's acceptance of Brassica vegetables

The home environment potentially presents a simple means to increase acceptance of sensory properties of vegetables by preparation. This research investigated how preparation can effectively impact upon children's acceptance for vegetables. Five- and six-year old children (n = 82, balanced for vegetable consumption) tasted and evaluated two Brassica vegetables, broccoli and cauliflower, each prepared in six different ways via variations in cooking method (boiling versus steaming) and cooking time (3 levels, ranging from 2 to 14 min). Children rated samples for liking and a trained descriptive panel assessed the samples' sensory properties. Across vegetable types, medium cooking times were liked more than short and long cooking times (p <0.0001), and these samples were medium firm and cohesive, with a balance of green and cooked flavour notes. Boiled samples were less intense in flavour and taste than steamed samples, but overall did not differ in acceptance. Significant interactions were found. Cooking method played a role in acceptance of broccoli but not cauliflower, with medium steamed broccoli liked the most. There was no difference in acceptance between low and high vegetable consumers, although high vegetable consumers were more discriminating in acceptance for cauliflower. In conclusion, children's acceptance of Brassica vegetables may be altered by preparation. There may be advantage in promoting steaming of Brassica vegetables to children, as they do not object to the flavour, and steaming is nutritionally preferable to boiling. Very short cooking times lead to an undesirable sensory profile and should be avoided. Recommendations are applicable to children regardless of their vegetable intake. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Vegetable preparation practices for 5-6 years old Australian children as reported by their parents; relationships with liking and consumption

Vegetables are the food category least accepted by children, which is a key reason for their low intake. Common sense suggests that vegetable preparation, liking and consumption is idiosyncratic to each vegetable, e.g. carrots may be eaten raw, but raw broccoli may be unacceptable, however scientific evidence is largely lacking. This study measured children's experiences, liking and consumption of vegetables in relation to preparation practices at home. Questionnaire data were collected for a comprehensive range of preparation methods (raw, boiling, steaming, frying, roasting, and seven ways of preparing it with other dishes (e.g. soup)) across five common vegetables, i.e. carrot, potato, broccoli, cauliflower, and green beans. Measures included experience with preparation methods (yes/no), liking (9 point hedonic scale) and consumption frequency (5 point scale). Data were reported by parents for their child (N= 82, 5-6. years, low and high vegetable intake), and child/parent pairs were recruited from the Sydney metropolitan area. Parents reported that children consumed an average of 6.8 (SD 3.4) different preparation methods for vegetables at home, including many mixed dishes. The number and type of preparations the child consumed depended on the vegetable type (p<.0001). Preparation method was associated with liking of carrot and potato (both p<.0001), and with consumption frequency of all vegetables (all p<.05). The most and least liked preparations were vegetable specific. Parents reported that vegetables in mixed dishes were generally well accepted by their children, and flavourings were added on average by 54%. The results also showed that a higher vegetable consumption was related to a higher liking, and exposure to more preparation methods. This study demonstrates the potential for further experimental research into preparation practices to increase vegetable acceptance and intake in children. A vegetable by vegetable approach is recommended, with potential cross-vegetable opportunities for flavour-flavour learning and flavour masking strategies including the use of mixed dishes

Cross-modal taste and aroma interactions: cheese flavour perception and changes in flavour character in multicomponent mixtures

Corrected by: Addendum to "Cross-modal taste and aroma interactions: Cheese flavour perception and changes in flavour character in multicomponent mixtures" [Food Qual. Prefer. 48 (2016) 70-80], in Vol. 64, 264. This addendum reports the correct values of explained variances from the multivariate analysis used in the study.The effect of cross-modal sensory interactions between cheese aroma and cheese taste on both cheese flavour intensity and cheese flavour character were investigated. Cheese aroma consisted of a mixture of ten aroma compounds, whilst cheese taste was constructed with the five basic tastes in water solution. Interactions were investigated using a combination of a high resolution design (HRD) and central composite design (CCD). The HRD was 2 aroma × 5 NaCl × 5 lactic acid levels. The CCD was constructed based on a 23 factorial design that covered the HRD space. Both HRD and CCD gave a total of 57 samples. A panel of experienced assessors (n = 8–10) evaluated cheese flavour intensity relative to reference. In addition, samples were sorted based on similarity of flavour character. Fourteen samples were selected for free choice profiling and analysed using generalised procrustes analysis (GPA). Cheese flavour intensity was non-linear and dependent on both taste level and aroma level. The status of flavour character being cheese-like was dependent on taste levels, where either NaCl or lactic acid at a high or low level altered the flavour character to being atypical of cheese. A cheese-like flavour character was maintained across a wide range of NaCl concentrations, but only across a narrow range of lactic acid concentrations. Aroma level changed the character of cheese flavour. Overall, the balance in concentration of both tastes and aroma levels was important in maintaining cheese flavour character as cheese flavour intensity was modified.Jun Niimi, Amy R. Overington, Patrick Silcock, Phil J. Bremer, Conor M. Delahunt

Correlation between process cheese meltability determined by sensory analysis, computer vision method and Olson and Price test

The meltabilities of 14 process cheese samples were determined at 2 and 4 weeks after manufacture using sensory analysis, a computer vision method, and the Olson and Price test. Sensory analysis meltability correlated with both computer vision meltability (R-2 = 0.71, P &lt; 0.001) and Olson and Price meltability (R-2 = 0.69, P &lt; 0.001). There was a marked lack of correlation between the computer vision method and the Olson and Price test. This study showed that the Olson and Price test gave greater repeatability than the computer vision method. Results showed process cheese meltability decreased with increasing inorganic salt content and with lower moisture/fat ratios. There was very little evidence in this study to show that process cheese meltability changed between 2 and 4 weeks after manufacture.