Exploring the effects of structure and melting on sweetness in additively manufactured chocolate.

In view of the health concerns associated with high sugar intake, this study investigates methods to enhance sweetness perception in chocolate without increasing its sugar content. Using additive manufacturing, chocolate structures were created from masses with varying sugar and fat compositions, where hazelnut oil served as a partial cocoa butter replacement. The study found that while variations in sugar content minimally affected the physical properties of the chocolate masses, hazelnut oil significantly modified melting behavior and consumption time.

Inkjet-based surface structuring: amplifying sweetness perception through additive manufacturing in foods.

Additive manufacturing (AM) is creating new possibilities for innovative tailoring of food properties through multiscale structuring. This research investigated a high-speed inkjet-based technique aimed to modify sweetness perception by creating dot patterns on chocolate surfaces. The dots were formulated from cocoa butter with emulsified water droplets containing the sweetener thaumatin.

Mixing plant-based proteins: Gel properties of hemp, pea, lentil proteins and their binary mixtures.

One of the challenges in substituting dairy products by alternative proteins is that the properties of mixed protein gels cannot necessarily be predicted by those of single protein gels, whereas the need of mixing is often driven by nutritional aspects. However, mixing plant proteins could also open a door to new textures. The main goal of this study was to investigate the impact of binary mixing of hemp (H), yellow pea (P), and brown lentil (L) protein concentrates/isolates on their gel and water-holding properties.

Aroma of peas, its constituents and reduction strategies - Effects from breeding to processing.

Peas as an alternative protein source have attracted a great deal of interest from the food industry and consumers in recent years. However, pea proteins usually do not taste neutral and exhibit a distinct flavor, often characterized as "beany". This is usually contrasted by the food industry's desire for sensory neutral protein sources.