Comparison of rapid sensory characterization methodologies for the development of functional yogurts.

Functional food development is a long, complex, expensive and risky process. Methodologies that provide reliable information about the sensory characteristics of the developed products in short time frames can speed up the product development process and contribute to the success of the developed products in the marketplace. In this context, the aim of the present work was to compare three rapid methodologies for sensory characterization with descriptive analysis during the development of low-fat functional yogurts, enriched with probiotics and prebiotics.

Sensory acceptance and survival of probiotic bacteria in ice cream produced with different overrun levels.

The effect of different overrun levels on the sensory acceptance and survival of probiotic bacteria in ice cream was investigated. Vanilla ice creams supplemented with Lactobacillus acidophilus were processed with overruns of 45%, 60%, and 90%. Viable probiotic bacterial counts and sensory acceptance were assessed.

Sensory Analysis: Relevance for Prebiotic, Probiotic, and Synbiotic Product Development.

  Sensory analysis represents a decisive step during the various stages of food product development. For probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic foods, which have shown continuous and significant consumption in the functional food category, the choice of an appropriate technique allows obtaining relevant sensory information that contributes to consumer acceptance. This review focuses on the importance of sensory analytical techniques in prebiotic and probiotic food product development.