Classification of Japanese Pepper ( DC.) from Different Growing Regions Based on Analysis of Volatile Compounds and Sensory Evaluation.

The Japanese pepper ( DC.) is an attractive plant that is highly palatable and benefits human health. There are several lineages of pepper plants in Japan.

Elucidation of Japanese pepper (Zanthoxylum piperitum De Candolle) domestication using RAD-Seq.

Japanese pepper, Zanthoxylum piperitum, is native to Japan and has four well-known lineages (Asakura, Takahara, Budou, and Arima), which are named after their production area or morphology. Restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (RAD-Seq) was used to analyse 93 accessions from various areas, including these four lineages. Single nucleotide variant analysis was used to classify the plants into eight groups: the Asakura and Arima lineages each had two groups, the Takahara and Budou lineages each had one group, and two additional groups were present.

Influence of physical properties on the taste and flavor of strawberry jam.

This study investigated the influence of the type and concentration of pectin on the sensory attributes and physical properties of a model strawberry jam. The methods used for the sensory evaluation and determination of physical characteristics that affect human taste and flavor perception are outlined. Increasing pectin concentration altered the solid (elastic) properties of the model strawberry jam.

Estimating the sensory qualities of tomatoes using visible and near-infrared spectroscopy and interpretation based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry metabolomics.

The ability to estimate the sensory quality of intact tomatoes rapidly and non-destructively using visible and near-infrared spectroscopy (Vis-NIRS) is important for the tomato industry. In this study, a combination of partial least squares regression (PLSR) analysis and the stepwise selectivity ratio (SWSR) method was used to study the ability of Vis-NIRS to predict 19 sensory attributes in intact tomatoes. The PLSR models constructed based on the informative wavelengths selected by the SWSR method predicted 8 sensory attributes well, particularly the sweetness attribute (correlation coefficient of validation of 0.

Standardization of tomato juice tastes using a taste sensor approach.

To enable the taste evaluation of many food samples at a time as well as the comparison of taste evaluation data acquired at different times, a standardization method for taste intensities was developed by a combination of a taste sensor system and a standard solution prepared with taste substances. In the case of tomato juices, citric acid, sucrose, and monosodium glutamate were used as standard taste substances for sourness, sweetness, and umami taste, respectively. Each standard point of the taste intensities was determined using only one standard solution including these standard substances.

Flavor and Texture Characteristics of 'Fuji' and Related Apple ( L.) Cultivars, Focusing on the Rich Watercore.

Watercore is a so-called physiological disorder of apple ( L.) that commonly occurs in several well-known cultivars. It is associated with a rapid softening of the flesh that causes a marked changed in flavor and texture.

Relationship between sensory analysis for texture and instrument measurements in model strawberry jam.

Unlabelled: The primary objective of this study was to investigate the correlations between instrument measurements and sensory attributes of strawberry jam. For this purpose, a series of low sugar strawberry jams were prepared by using different contents of pectin from different sources, which were evaluated by sensory analysis for sensory attributes and by instrument measurements for specific physical properties. Model strawberry jams showed an elastic behavior that increased with higher low-methoxyl (LM) pectin content.

Optimising aroma quality in curry sauce products using in vivo aroma release measurements.

Reducing fat content in foods to meet consumers' preferences and to address the obesity issue is a key task for food manufacturers but simply reducing fat content affects aroma quality adversely. Measuring the aroma release from regular and low-fat samples during eating to rebalance the aroma release has proved successful in model systems. Here, the reformulation of the spice content in a low fat curry sauce is described.

Texture of Sliced Cucumbers Measured by Subjective Human-Bite and Objective Instrumental Tests.

To determine an effective method to evaluate the texture of cucumbers, human-bite measurement using a multiple-point sheet sensor and instrumental tests using wedge probes with various angles and a cylindrical probe were conducted. To detect small differences in texture, cross-sectional slices taken from the middle part of a cucumber fruit were served at 4 or 22C. The 60°-wedge probe that could completely divide samples like human incisors performed best compared with sharper wedges or cylindrical probe that partly broke the tissue.

Superiority of experts over novices in trueness and precision of concentration estimation of sodium chloride solutions.

Several studies have reported that experts outperform novices in specific domains. However, the superiority of experts in accuracy, taking both trueness and precision into consideration, has not yet been explored. Here, we examined differences between expert and novice performances by evaluating the accuracy of their estimations of physical concentrations of sodium chloride in solutions while employing a visual analog scale.

Effectiveness of superheated steam and gas catalytic infrared heat treatments to inactivate Salmonella on raw almonds.

The majority of the almond-related outbreaks have been associated with Salmonella. Therefore, it is necessary to find an effective method to inactivate these organisms on the raw almond before distribution in the market. This study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of superheated steam (SHS) treatments followed by catalytic infrared (IR) heat treatment to inactivate Salmonella populations on raw almond and to determine the effect of these treatments on the quality of raw almond.

Electromyographic measurement of eating behaviors for buckwheat noodles.

The objective of this study was to analyze human eating behaviors in chewing and slurping buckwheat noodles. We used electromyography to measure the activity of the jaw-closing, jaw-opening, and lip-closing muscles while healthy adults ate one mouthful of buckwheat noodles. Slurping the noodles required a longer mastication period but smaller muscle activity per movement than chewing the same samples.

Characterization of food physical properties by the mastication parameters measured by electromyography of the jaw-closing muscles and mandibular kinematics in young adults.

The relationship between the physical properties of solid food and the masticatory parameters is clarified. Eight solid foods of varying physical properties were chosen. Electromyography of the jaw-closing muscles and mandibular kinematics in eleven young subjects were recorded.

Modulation of biting procedures induced by the sensory evaluation of cheese hardness with different definitions.

This study seeks to clarify the bite process in individuals who assess cheese hardness to confirm the relationships among hardness definitions, their causative bite procedures, targeted intra-oral mechanical events, and judgment. Subjects were required to bite and evaluate samples using two different definitions of hardness. We measured an intra-oral bite time-force profile using a tactile pressure-measurement system with a sheet sensor unobtrusively inserted into the subject's mouth along with a sample.

Visual illusion in mass estimation of cut food.

We investigated the effect of the appearance of cut food on visual mass estimation. In this experiment, we manipulated the shape (e.g.

Textural evaluation of rice cake by chewing and swallowing measurements on human subjects.

The difficulty in masticating and swallowing rice cake was quantified. Healthy subjects ate pieces of rice cake (9 g and 3 g) and a modified product (9 g). We used electromyography to measure the activity of the jaw-closing and -opening muscles during chewing, as well as the suprahyoid muscle activity, laryngeal movement, and sound during swallowing.

Prefrontal activity during flavor difference test: application of functional near-infrared spectroscopy to sensory evaluation studies.

Sensory evaluation (SE) of food attributes involves various levels of cognitive functions, yet not much has been studied about its neural basis. Using multi-channel functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), we examined the activation of the anterior portion of the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC) of 12 healthy volunteers during the SE of tea samples. The experimental task used corresponded to the early phase of the same-different test, and required subjects to attentively taste tea samples and memorize their flavors.

Mastication effort estimated by electromyography for cooked rice of differing water content.

The objective of this study was to quantify the mastication effort for cooked rice. We analyzed mastication patterns while normal subjects ate a spoonful of cooked rice that had been prepared by cooking with different amounts of water (1.5, 2.

Measurement of bite force variables related to human discrimination of left-right hardness differences of silicone rubber samples placed between the incisors.

This study was designed to examine human subjects' ability to discriminate between spatially different bite pressures. We measured actual bite pressure distribution when subjects simultaneously bit two silicone rubber samples with different hardnesses using their right and left incisors. They were instructed to compare the hardness of these two rubber samples and indicate which was harder (right or left).

Effects of cross-sectional area on human bite studied with raw carrot and surimi gel.

The effects of the cross-sectional area of food samples on bite force with molar teeth were investigated using raw carrots and surimi gels. We evaluated human bite force for food samples with different sizes between the upper and lower molars using a multiple-point sheet sensor and electromyography (EMG). The bite force curve and EMG clearly showed textural characteristics of the carrot and gel.

Identification and sensory evaluation of volatile compounds in oxidized porcine liver.

Headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) was used to isolate the off-flavor volatile compounds, which are formed during the oxidation of porcine liver induced by iron. Poly(dimethylsiloxane)/divinylbenzene fiber was used in the HS-SPME. Changes in the volatile compounds of oxidized porcine liver and unsaturated fatty acids induced by iron were examined.