Sensory characteristics and consumer acceptability of beef stock containing the glutathione-xylose Maillard reaction product and/or monosodium glutamate.

Unlabelled: This study was conducted to investigate the sensory characteristics and consumer acceptability of beef stock samples containing GSH-xylose Maillard reaction product (GX) and/or monosodium glutamate (MSG) with varying levels of salt (NaCl). The sensory characteristics of the beef stock samples were examined using a descriptive analysis. Total of 50 consumers evaluated overall acceptability and flavor intensities of beef odor, salty taste, beef flavor, and seasoning flavor in the samples. Samples containing both GX and MSG (GX-MSG), GX only (GX), and GX with higher salt level (GX-NaCl) had stronger "beef odor/flavor,""sulfur odor/flavor," and "chestnut odor/flavor" than those of the other samples, whereas beef stocks containing MSG, salt only (CON), and CON with higher salt level (CON-NaCl) had stronger "potato odor/flavor" and "soy sauce odor/flavor" than those of the other samples. The consumers liked GX-MSG and MSG the most. Overall liking scores of GX-NaCl and CON-NaCl were significantly higher than that of CON. GX was not significantly preferred to CON. Partial least square regression results showed that salty, MSG, and sweet tastes had more significant impact on consumer perception of the beef and spice flavors and the liking score than strong beef odor/flavor of GX. However, high hedonic ratings of GX-MSG, which contained half the doses of GX and MSG used for the GX and MSG samples, suggest that the combination of GX and MSG had a synergistic effect on flavor enhancement of beef stock.

Practical Application: Due to increasing needs for food products that provide more health benefits but maintain palatability, the food industry is looking for a new type of flavor enhancer. The Maillard reaction product of xylose and glutathione (GX), a tripeptide known to increase complexity and mouthfulness, was examined for its potential as a flavor enhancer. GX enhanced beef flavor significantly and salty taste somewhat at a weak suprathreshold level. With adjusting salty taste intensity by adding MSG at a weak suprathreshold level and/or increasing NaCl by 0.05% to 0.1%, GX significantly increased consumer acceptability.