Journal of texture studies最新文献

The study of particle size is particularly important, as it influences the functional, textural, and physical properties of food products. This work evaluated the effect of milling extruded nixtamalized blue corn on anthocyanin content and tortilla texture. Blue corn was milled, conditioned with 0.3% lime at 25% moisture, and extruded at 90°C with a screw speed of 145 rpm. Extrudates were dried and milled using different mesh sizes (0.5, 0.8, 1.0, and 2.0 mm) to produce flours with fine and coarse particle sizes. Tortillas were machine-made and stored at room temperature for 48 h. The results showed that milling mesh size significantly affected the properties of masa and tortillas. Coarser flours (2.0 mm) led to improved tortilla texture, rollability, and higher anthocyanin retention during storage. These findings highlight the importance of milling and particle size selection in the manufacture of non-traditional tortillas to enhance their functional and textural quality.

This study investigated the regulatory effects of lipase on the viscoelastic behavior and microstructural evolution of soybean oil–wheat gluten (SOWG) composites in a model system. Dynamic frequency sweep and creep-recovery tests showed that lipase addition significantly influenced the viscoelastic properties of SOWG after 60 min of relaxation at 37°C, with optimal effects at 800 U/g. This dosage effectively maintained elasticity and recovery ability. Molecular-level analysis indicated enhanced hydrophobic interactions and reduced exposure of fluorescent groups, while also inhibiting covalent cross-linking (e.g., disulfide bond formation). Size exclusion chromatography revealed a broader molecular weight distribution in lipase-treated samples, suggesting a more complex network structure. FTIR analysis showed that 800 U/g lipase stabilized β-sheet content, whereas excessive addition (2000 U/g) reduced structural order and storage modulus by 43% and induced irregular macroporous regions (> 5 μm). In contrast, moderate lipase levels (800 U/g) promoted a more uniform and compact gluten network, with an optimized average pore size of 2.1 ± 0.4 μm. Correlation analysis revealed a synergistic relationship between viscoelastic parameters (e.g., network area, branch length, k and J values) and microstructural evolution, indicating that lipase enables multiscale regulation to improve the structural and rheological properties of SOWG composites.

This study investigated the effects of super-heated steam drying (SSD) on the textural, functional, cooking, rheological, and structural characteristics of millet analogue rice (MAR), formulated from pearl millet, sorghum, and parboiled rice through hot extrusion technology. Drying experiments were conducted at varying temperatures (120°C, 140°C, and 160°C) and thicknesses (2 mm, 4 mm, and 6 mm). Their impact on quality parameters, including water absorption index (WAI), color difference (ΔE), water absorption ratio (WAR), cooking loss (CL), water solubility index (WSI), and cooking time (CT), was analyzed and optimized using the Central Composite Design (CCD) within the framework of Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Optimal drying conditions were identified at 120°C and 2 mm thickness, achieving a ΔE of 3.51, a CT of 28.74 min, a WAR of 7.12, a CL of 8.06%, a WAI of 3.45 g/g, and a WSI of 6.23%, with a desirability value of 0.969. The optimized drying parameters significantly influenced the pasting and textural attributes of MAR (p < 0.05) compared to undried MAR. Rheological analysis demonstrated that both super-heated steam-dried and undried MAR exhibited superior elastic properties relative to viscosity. FTIR spectroscopy revealed modifications in the spectral region of 900–1100 cm⁻¹, indicating higher crystallinity in the dried MAR. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) analysis indicated reduced onset temperature and enthalpy, suggesting partial gelatinization and loss of crystalline order due to drying. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed smoother and flatter surface morphology in the dried MAR compared to undried MAR. Overall, the findings elucidate the role of super-heated steam drying in enhancing the quality and structural integrity of MAR, thereby contributing to the development of superior MAR under optimized drying conditions.

Penetration test is the most direct and widely recognized standard method for assessing fruit firmness. Texture analyzers are increasingly employed for accurate fruit firmness measurement, offering advantages in reducing operator errors compared to the traditional manual test. The diverse options of texture analyzers provide flexibility for users, but also present challenges for standardizing firmness measurements. In addressing these issues, factors influencing firmness characterization, including peeling, probe size, penetration speed, penetration depth, and measurement parameters were analyzed for peach and nectarine. The results show that, compared to skin-off parameters, skin-on parameters exhibited absolute advantages for the nectarine cultivar. We also found the importance of probe size selection for accurate firmness detection for different cultivars, and it appears to be closely related to whether the fruits were peeled. The peach cultivar “HJ” is suitable for using a thicker probe (8 mm) after peeling, while the nectarine cultivar “ZNJH” is suitable for using a relatively thin probe (5 mm) with the skin on. The influence of speed is relatively low; however, a penetration speed of 5 mm/s is more recommended due to its better performance in capturing firmness differences. The force values at the steady phase of force-displacement curves perform best among all tested parameters. Penetration depths of 8 and 10 mm show no significant difference, suggesting that once the steady phase is reached, the influence of penetration depth is minimal.

In this study, potato slices were fried in four different vegetable oils (corn, olive, palm olein, and sunflower) to investigate how oil type influences the characteristics of potato chips. The diffusion coefficient of oils was attempted to be correlated with the final moisture, oil uptake, and textural parameters of potato chips. The diffusion coefficients were determined using two approaches. First, they were experimentally measured in a model matrix using dynamic light scattering (DLS) at 60°C, 70°C, and 80°C and subsequently extrapolated to the frying temperature (180°C) using the Arrhenius equation. Second, the effective diffusion coefficients were calculated based on Fick's law of diffusion. All chips were fried to a low moisture content (~1%–2%), but fat contents ranged widely from about 32% to 43% depending on the oil used. Chips fried in the highly saturated palm olein absorbed the least oil (~32%) and had the highest hardness (peak force), whereas those fried in polyunsaturated sunflower oil had the highest oil content (~43%) and lowest hardness. Diffusion coefficient measurements in the model system also differed by oil type (e.g., sunflower oil showed the lowest molecular diffusion rate), although the calculated effective diffusion coefficients of oils into chips were of similar order (~10⁻⁶ m²/s) for all oils. The correlation analyses revealed strong correlations between oil diffusion coefficients and chip moisture, fat content, and texture, highlighting the role of oil mobility in determining product quality. Understanding these correlations can help optimize frying processes and oil selection to produce chips with lower oil content and desirable crispness.

Astringency is a complex oral sensation characterized by dryness and constriction in the mouth. It is typically induced by polyphenol-rich foods and beverages such as wine and tea. The quantitative assessment of astringency intensity has become a prominent research focus in the food science field. In this study, an in vitro oral tribological method was developed based on a soft–hard friction interface. An oral-like sensory structure was constructed using biomimetic materials to replicate tongue–palate contact. The frictional behavior carried out in this structure is similar to that of the palate-tongue friction contact in the oral cavity. Thus, the structure allows for the detection of the effect of changes in the nature of food in the oral cavity on the tongue and the palate, which can be quantified by the coefficient of friction. Porcine gastric mucin (PGM), which shares functional similarities with salivary proteins, was employed as a model sensory material. This allowed the device to capture the interaction mechanisms between astringent compounds (e.g., tannins) and salivary proteins. A calibration curve was established by fitting friction coefficient data across a range of tannin concentrations. Subsequently, commercial wine samples were tested. The tribological system detected changes at the mucin–wine soft–hard interface, and the measured friction coefficient served as a quantitative indicator of astringency intensity. This study provides a feasible and reproducible experimental approach for the quantification of food astringency.

Food texture is a pivotal factor influencing consumer preference, acceptance, and eating experience. Although human sensory studies have underscored the importance of the sensations of springiness and hardness in mastication and swallowing, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown due to the lack of an animal model. We therefore hypothesized that rats can discriminate textures based on mechanical properties-springiness and hardness-independent of taste, odor, and visual cues. To investigate texture perception, we evaluated rats' discrimination of agar gels using a conditioned texture aversion paradigm with a two-bottle preference test. Agar gels at 1%–3% concentrations were cut into 5 mm cubes or strained through a 100-mesh sieve to form paste. In the two-bottle preference test comparing 1% and 3% agar cubes, the conditioned stimulus (CS) applied to the cubes induced selective aversion to the CS cubes, but the CS applied to the paste form eliminated this aversion. Moreover, to exclude taste or odor cues, gelatin cubes with physical properties similar to those of the 3% agar cubes were prepared, and conditioning with these gelatin cubes induced aversion to the 3% agar cubes. To eliminate visual cues, resin cubes resembling agar cubes were prepared; however, conditioning with the resin cubes did not produce aversion to agar cubes. These results indicated that aversion learning to the agar cubes was acquired based on textures rather than taste, odor, or visual properties. The newly developed experimental system offers a valuable framework for exploring mechanisms of food texture perception and guiding the development of texturally optimized food products.