Recently, the interest in tropical fruits has increased widely even beyond their production areas, but the perishable nature of these fruits makes their marketing difficult. However, due to its special sensory characteristics and nutritional value, lulo (Solanum quitoense Lam.) is a good candidate for product development to meet this ever-growing demand. Therefore, a lulo-powder-based soluble beverage was prepared according to previously established formulations. Thus, the aim of the present research was to obtain the sensory characterization, study consumers’ overall acceptability, and identify drivers of liking for the new beverage. Eight samples were prepared with lulo juice or pulp + stevia, or a sweetener blend (erythritol + xylitol + stevia). Maltodextrin or inulin, as a drying aid, was added to freeze-dry the samples. The freeze-dried samples were rehydrated for consumption. The sensory characterization of the new beverage was carried out by using CATA questions with consumers (n = 69). The most influential attributes that affected acceptability were identified by using ideal product characterization and hedonic scores of the samples. The beverage formulations with stevia alone had the lowest acceptability. Most sensory differences among samples were found between the visual attributes. The attributes “clean”, “homogeneous”, “fruity” and “citrus” odor, “just-right acidity”, “just-right sweetness”, and “fresh” were necessary to increase global acceptance in the juice-only beverages (Js), whereas “cloudy”, “off-odor”, and “very acidic” negatively impacted acceptance. For products with pulp (Ps), “citrus” and “tropical fruit” odors, “just-right acidity”, “just-right sweetness”, and “fresh” attributes were needed to increase acceptance, while “cloudy” and “chemical/artificial” flavors negatively impacted acceptance. The lulo-powder-based soluble beverage was accepted by consumers; however, there is still potential for the sensory-quality improvement of this product. Full article

Consumer acceptance and product development of sustainable, healthy, and tasty plant-based alternative products (PBAPs) are closely interlinked. However, information on consumer perceptions of the sensory profile of plant-based meat, cheese, and milk remains scarce. The study aimed to investigate German consumers’ (1) sensory evaluation of PBAPs and (2) consumers´ motivations and knowledge underlying the purchase of such products. This was analyzed in relation to different dietary styles of consumers (omnivore, flexitarian, vegetarian, vegan). A sample of 159 adults completed two tasks: first, a sensory test in which participants tasted and rated three different PBAPs in two consecutive sessions, and second, a questionnaire on consumption behavior, motivation, and knowledge. Results show few differences between nutrition styles in sensory evaluation of individual product attributes. However, overall liking was rated significantly higher by vegans than by omnivores. All dietary styles reported animal welfare and environmental aspects as the main motivations for consuming PBAPs. Most participants acknowledged that meat and cheese alternatives are highly processed foods and not a fad but are not automatically healthier or more environmentally friendly than their animal-based counterparts. Future research should focus on emerging product segments such as plant-based cheeses to better understand how consumers evaluate PBAPs. Full article

The prevalence of plant-based alternatives (PBAs) to meat in the marketplace has been increasing in recent years due to consumer demand. One of these plant-based products has aimed to mimic chicken products, specifically chicken nuggets. However, few sensory studies have been conducted on these products. The objective of this study is to evaluate the sensory properties, acceptability, and consumer perception of these PBAs. Participants (n = 105) were asked to evaluate five PBAs and a control (chicken nugget) using hedonic scales and a check-all-that-apply question. They also answered an open-ended comment question about PBAs. The participants separated the control from the PBAs in terms of their hedonic scores and sensory properties. They separated the PBAs based on their textural properties and if they had off-flavors. Participants disliked PBAs that were associated with an aftertaste, as well as beany, fibrous, and chewy attributes. The participants believed the PBAs currently on the market did not successfully mimic a chicken nugget and that improvement is needed, but they did believe PBAs are environmentally friendly. Full article

The transition from animal to plant proteins is booming, and the development of meat analogues or alternatives quickly progressing. However, the acceptance of meat analogues by consumers is still limited, mainly due to disappointing organoleptic properties of these foods. The objective of this study was to investigate possible relationships among structure, textural characteristics, consumer acceptance, and sensory evaluation of commercially available meat analogues. The microstructure and texture of 13 chicken analogue pieces and 14 analogue burgers were evaluated with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and texture profile analysis (TPA). The moisture of the samples was related to cooking losses and release of liquid upon compression after cooking. Meat products were included as references. A sensory panel (n = 71) evaluated both flavour and texture characteristics. For the chicken analogue pieces, samples with more added fibres had a harder and chewier texture but were less cohesive. No other relations between composition and structure/texture could be found. In the sensory evaluation, lower hardness and chewiness were only seen in products with more fat. A lower sensory hardness was found to be related to the presence of small air pockets. For analogue burgers, there was no clear relation between composition and structure/texture. However, instrumentally measured hardness, chewiness, and cohesiveness correlated well with the corresponding sensory attributes, even though they could not be clearly linked to a structural feature. Next to this, fat content showed a clear correlation to perceived fattiness. CLSM images of burgers with high perceived fattiness showed large areas of fat. Therefore, the release of large fat pools from the meat was most likely responsible for the perception of this attribute. However, perceived fattiness was not related to liking, which was the case also for chicken analogue pieces. For both pieces and burgers, even if some of the measured textural attributes could be linked to the sensory profile, the textural attributes in question could not explain the liking scores. Liking was related to other aspects, such as meaty flavour and juiciness, which were not directly linked to compositional or textural features. Juiciness was not directly related to the moisture loss of the products, indicating that this attribute is rather complex and probably involves a combination of characteristics. These results show that to increase the appreciation of meat analogues by consumers, improving simple texture attributes is not sufficient. Controlling sensory attributes with complex cross-modal perception is probably more important. Full article

Monotony in a gluten-free (GF) diet can be a challenge because of a limited choice of acceptable cereal sources. This study investigates the potential of five types of differently coloured lentils in the development of GF cookies using rice flour as a reference. Raw materials (lentil flours) and cookies were characterised in terms of physicochemical parameters (e.g., crude protein content, total phenolics and flavonoids, antioxidant properties, colour, pH); additionally, geometry, baking loss and texture profile were determined for the cookies. A sensory acceptance test was also conducted to find out consumer preferences regarding rice versus different lentil cookies. Results showed that lentil cookies were superior to rice control in terms of higher crude protein (12.1–14.8 vs. 3.8 g/100 g), phenolic (136.5–342.3 vs. 61.5 mg gallic acid equivalents/100 g) and flavonoid (23.8–75.9 vs. 13.1 mg catechin equivalents/100 g) content and antioxidant capacity (0.60–1.81 vs. 0.35 mmol trolox equivalents/100 g), as well as lower hydroxymethyl-furfural content (<1 vs. 26.2 mg/kg). Consumers preferred lentil cookies to rice ones (overall liking: 6.1–7.0 vs. 5.6, significant differences for red and brown lentils), liking especially their taste (6.3–7.0 vs. 5.5). Depending on the target parameter, whether physicochemical or sensory, these lentil flours can be promising raw materials for GF bakery products. Full article