Search Results (83)

This study investigated the impact of berry and cluster thinning on the organoleptic and chemical quality of red wines produced with no-sulfites-added production, using ‘Monastrell’ grapes cultivated under organic viticulture. The experiment was conducted in a commercial vineyard in Murcia (Spain), applying three treatments: control, bunch reduction (BR), and berry thinning (BT). Grapes were vinified under identical conditions, and the resulting wines were analyzed after three months and five years of storage. Physicochemical parameters, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and sensory profiles were evaluated. Thinning treatments significantly increased alcohol content, reducing sugars, polyphenol index, and the concentration of key aromatic compounds. Sensory analysis revealed that wines from thinned grapes exhibited more intense toasted, vegetal, and fruity notes, and presented greater color stability and fewer defects over time. Notably, only the control wine developed Brettanomyces-related off-flavors after five years. Consumer preference tests confirmed higher acceptance of BR and BT wines, based particularly on color, fruity aroma, and aftertaste. These findings suggested that thinning practices, especially bunch thinning, offer a cost-effective strategy to improve wine quality and stability in no-sulfites-added winemaking, reducing the risk of spoilage and enhancing consumer satisfaction. Full article

Wine quality is closely linked to sensory attributes such as aroma, taste, and mouthfeel, all of which are influenced by grape variety, “terroir”, and vinification practices. Among these, aroma is particularly important for consumer preference, and it results from a complex interplay of numerous volatile compounds. Conventional sensory methods, such as descriptive analysis (DA) performed by trained panels, offer valuable insights but are often time-consuming, resource-intensive, and subject to individual variability. Recent advances in sensor technologies—including electronic nose (E-nose) and electronic tongue (E-tongue)—combined with chemometric techniques and machine learning algorithms, offer more efficient, objective, and predictive approaches to wine aroma profiling. These tools integrate analytical and sensory data to predict aromatic characteristics and quality traits across diverse wine styles. Complementary techniques, including gas chromatography (GC), near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, and quantitative structure–odor relationship (QSOR) modeling, when integrated with multivariate statistical methods such as partial least squares regression (PLSR) and neural networks, have shown high predictive accuracy in assessing wine aroma and quality. Such approaches facilitate real-time monitoring, strengthen quality control, and support informed decision-making in enology. However, aligning instrumental outputs with human sensory perception remains a challenge, highlighting the need for further refinement of hybrid models. This review highlights the emerging role of predictive modeling and sensor-based technologies in advancing wine aroma evaluation and quality management. Full article

This study aimed to clarify the sensory characteristics of Koshu wine, which is the most popular white wine produced in Japan, by identifying descriptive terms for sour taste, a primary aspect of wine flavor. A sensory evaluation generated 56 terms related to sour taste quality. Some terms were categorized on the basis of the timing of perception— immediately after sipping, holding in the mouth, and after swallowing—while others were classified as expressing “temporal change”, “overall impression terms”, or “metaphorical terms”. From these, 12 terms—“fresh”, “stand out”, “sharp”, “soft”, “round”, “gentle”, “bright”, “duration”, “crisp”, “intensity”, “mild”, and “calm”—were selected, with definitions and reference standards (materials or examples that represent each characteristic) established. A trained sensory panel evaluated 16 Koshu wines, revealing significant differences in all sour taste quality terms except “duration”. The evaluation of “duration” may require improvement. Correlation analysis indicated that pH was strongly associated with “sharp” sour taste immediately after sipping, while titratable acidity and pH correlated with “round” and “gentle” sour taste when the wine was held in the mouth. Total acidity was linked to the duration of sour taste. Applying the sour taste quality terms determined from this study will enable the quantification of the sour taste quality of wines. Full article

The ‘Annurca’ apple, an EU Protected Geographical Indication product, undergoes a mandatory post-harvest reddening in the ‘melaio’. This traditional practice enhances color and aroma but initiates detrimental textural degradation, creating a paradox where key quality attributes develop in conflict. This study aimed to characterize the sensory evolution of ‘Annurca’ apples during extended cold storage and its impact on consumer preference. A cohort of 551 untrained consumers evaluated the sensory profile at seven time points over a 221-day cold storage period. Multivariate data analyses were employed to identify preference drivers and define consumer segments. Consumer overall liking and market acceptability followed a significant non-linear, U-shaped trajectory, declining from an initial high (89.4% acceptability) to a minimum at day 159 (46.6% acceptability), before partially recovering. This trend inversely correlated with a peak in perceived mealiness, while hardness and crunchiness remained stable. Juiciness and aroma intensity were consistently identified as powerful positive liking drivers, whereas mealiness was the most significant and consistent negative driver. Sweetness’s importance as a preference driver significantly increased over storage time. Cluster analysis on highly rated samples revealed three distinct consumer preference profiles, challenging the traditional notion of a single ideal ‘Annurca’ apple. This study deconstructs the ‘melaio’ paradox, demonstrating that sensory evolution is a dynamic process defined by a trade-off between flavor development and textural decay. The findings provide a data-driven framework for optimizing the commercial strategy for this unique PGI cultivar, suggesting the need to mitigate mealiness and develop targeted marketing strategies for distinct consumer segments. Full article

Background: Pain is a multifaceted and debilitating symptom in patients with gastrointestinal cancer, especially those undergoing surgical resection followed by chemotherapy. The interplay between inflammatory, neuropathic, and psychosocial components often renders conventional analgesia insufficient. Psychobiotics—probiotic strains with neuroactive properties—have recently emerged as potential modulators of pain perception through neuroimmune and gut–brain axis pathways. Methods: This post hoc analysis is based on the ProDeCa randomized, placebo-controlled trial, which originally aimed to assess the psychotropic effects of a four-strain psychobiotic formulation in postoperative gastrointestinal cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. In the current analysis, we evaluated changes in pain perception among non-depressed and depressed participants, who received either psychobiotics or placebo, along with standard analgesic regimes. Pain was assessed at baseline, after a month of treatment, and at follow-up, 2 months thereafter, using the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), capturing both sensory and affective components, as well as with the Present Pain Intensity and the VAS scores. Results: Psychobiotic-treated participants—particularly the non-depressed ones—exhibited a significant reduction in both quantitative and qualitative pain indices over time compared with placebo-treated ones. Improvements were noted in total pain rating index scores, sensory and affective subscales, and present pain intensity. These effects were sustained up to 2 months after intervention. In contrast, placebo groups demonstrated worsening in pain scores, probably influenced by ongoing chemotherapy and disease progression. The analgesic effect was less pronounced but still observable in the subgroup with symptoms of depression. Conclusions: Adjunctive psychobiotic therapy appears to beneficially modulate pain perception in gastrointestinal oncology patients receiving chemotherapy, with the most pronounced effects being in non-depressed individuals. These findings suggest psychobiotics as a promising non-opioid add-on for comprehensive cancer pain management and support further investigation in larger pain-targeted trials. Full article

The instability of many volatile organic compounds (VOCs) limits their usage in different fragrance carriers and products. In scratch-and-sniff applications, VOCs are bound so strongly that release cannot happen without an external trigger. On the other hand, other fixatives like cyclodextrins release unstable volatile molecules too rapidly. We engineered biodegradable gelatin films whose release profile can be tuned by glycerol plasticization and alkaline protease degradation. Digitalized VOC release profiles acquired with the described near-real-time analysis toolkit are digital twins that replicate the behavior of the evaluated films in silico. Seven formulations were cast from 10% gelatin containing D-limonene, glycerol (5%, 20%), protease-C 30 kU mL⁻¹, and samples with additional water to establish a higher hydromodule for protease catalytic activity. Release profiles were monitored for nine days at 23 ± 2 °C in parallel by metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) e-noses, gravimetric weight loss, and near-infrared measurements (NIR). These continuous measurements were cross-checked with gel electrophoresis, FTIR spectroscopy, hardness tests, and sensory intensity ratings. Results showed acceleration of VOC release by enzymatic treatment during the first days, as well as overall impact on the release profile. Differences in low and high glycerol films were observed, and principal component analysis of NIR spectra separated low and high glycerol groups, mirroring the MOS and FTIR data. Usability of MOS data was explored in comparison to more biased and subjective intensity results from sensory panel evaluation. Overall, the created toolkit showed good cross-checked results and enabled the possibility for close to real-time analysis for bio-based VOC carriers. Full article

According to a recent experimental phenomenology–information processing theory, the sensory strength, or vividness, of visual mental images self-reported by human observers reflects the intensive variation in subjective time duration during the process of generation of said mental imagery. The primary objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that a biologically plausible essential multilayer perceptron (MLP) architecture can validly map the phenomenological categories of subjective time duration onto levels of subjectively self-reported vividness. A secondary objective was to explore whether this type of neural network cognitive modeling approach can give insight into plausible underlying large-scale brain dynamics. To achieve these objectives, vividness self-reports and reaction times from a previously collected database were reanalyzed using multilayered perceptron network models. The input layer consisted of six levels representing vividness self-reports and a reaction time cofactor. A single hidden layer consisted of three nodes representing the salience, task positive, and default mode networks. The output layer consisted of five levels representing Vittorio Benussi’s subjective time categories. Across different models of networks, Benussi’s subjective time categories (Level 1 = very brief, 2 = brief, 3 = present, 4 = long, 5 = very long) were predicted by visual imagery vividness level 1 (=no image) to 5 (=very vivid) with over 90% success in classification accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score. This accuracy level was maintained after 5-fold cross validation. Linear regressions, Welch’s t-test for independent coefficients, and Pearson’s correlation analysis were applied to the resulting hidden node weight vectors, obtaining evidence for strong correlation and anticorrelation between nodes. This study successfully mapped Benussi’s five levels of subjective time categories onto the activation patterns of a simple MLP, providing a novel computational framework for experimental phenomenology. Our results revealed structured, complex dynamics between the task positive network (TPN), the default mode network (DMN), and the salience network (SN), suggesting that the neural mechanisms underlying temporal consciousness involve flexible network interactions beyond the traditional triple network model. Full article

This study evaluated the potential of three ancient Sicilian tetraploid wheat genotypes—‘Margherito’, ‘Perciasacchi’, and ‘Russello’—for organic pasta production, compared to the national variety ‘Cappelli’. Significant variations in particle size distribution were found, with ‘Russello’ exhibiting the highest proportion of fine particles and the greatest protein content (14.30% d.m.). ‘Perciasacchi’ displayed the highest gluten index (81.26%). ‘Margherito’ and ‘Cappelli’ had the highest antioxidant activity, with ‘Margherito’ showing elevated levels of lutein and total carotenoids. Rheological analysis revealed differences in dough properties. ‘Perciasacchi’ exhibited the highest dough stability and P/L ratio (6.57), whereas ‘Russello’ showed the lowest values for both. Additionally, ‘Russello’ had lower consistency (12 B.U.), reduced gel stability, and limited water retention in the visco-amylographic analysis. Pasta quality was evaluated based on cooking time, water absorption, and texture. Cooking time ranged from 10 to 12 min, with ‘Russello’ and ‘Margherito’ showing lower water absorption. Texture analysis indicated that ‘Margherito’ pasta was the least firm, while ‘Russello’ showed the greatest loss of consistency when overcooked. From a sensory perspective, ‘Russello’ had lower firmness, but a stronger semolina flavor and surface roughness. ‘Cappelli’ had the most intense cooked pasta odor, while ‘Perciasacchi’ was the hardest and least sticky, though less flavorful. The results support the use of ancient tetraploid wheat genotypes as valuable resources for sustainable, high-quality pasta production. Full article

The increasing scarcity of traditional nectar sources due to climate change has led beekeepers to explore alternative floral sources. This study investigates the volatile profile, sensory characteristics, and consumer acceptability of monofloral honey derived from Capparis spinosa L., a drought-resistant Mediterranean plant. Honey samples produced by Apis mellifera ssp. sicula on Aeolian Islands (Sicily, Italy) were analyzed. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were extracted using headspace solid–phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), revealing 59 compounds, with dimethyl sulfide being the predominant one. Sensory evaluation using quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) and Time Intensity (TI) analysis identified distinctive descriptors such as sweet-caramel, cabbage/cauliflower, and pungent notes. Statistical analyses confirmed correlations between specific VOCs and sensory perceptions. A consumer acceptability test involving 80 participants showed lower preference scores for caper honey in terms of aroma and overall acceptability compared to commercial multifloral honey, with differences observed across age groups. The unique aromatic profile and consumer feedback suggest that caper honey has strong potential as a niche, high-quality product, particularly within the context of climate-resilient beekeeping, offering valuable opportunities for innovation and diversification in sustainable apiculture. Full article

Dried shrimp is a popular dietary ingredient that is often included in appetizer soups, stir-fry dishes, or other stews to improve the umami taste. The effects of adding dried shrimp on the sensory characteristics and taste components of sheep bone soup were investigated through sensory evaluation and untargeted approaches. The results of the single-factor and orthogonal experiments showed that the flavor qualities of sheep bone soup were optimal under the following conditions: 30% dried shrimp added, a 1:4.5 material–water ratio, and 2.7 h of stewing time. Sensory analysis showed a significant increase in the aroma, umami, kokumi, and texture intensity of the optimized sheep bone soup with dried shrimp. The untargeted approach combined with multivariate statistical analysis showed that compounds with a sweet taste (Lys and Ser), a umami taste and umami enhancement (Ala-Leu, Glu-Pro, Glu-Glu, Asp-Phe, pyroglutamic acid, and cinnamic acid), a bitter taste (Gly-Leu, Leu-Leu, Ile-Lys, and taurine), a kokumi taste (γ-Glu-Met, γ-Glu-Leu, γ-Glu-Ile, N-acetylmethionine, and N-acetylphenylalanine), a sour taste (malic acid), and a popcorn-like aroma (2-acetylthiazole) contributed significantly to the flavor enhancement of sheep bone soup. In addition, the contribution of Ac-Ser-Asp-Lys-Pro could not be ignored. These results contribute to a better understanding and improvement of the flavor qualities of sheep bone soup. Full article

This systematic review aims to investigate the ways in which assistive and developing technologies can help children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience less stress and neurophysiological distress. According to recent CDC data, the prevalence of ASD in the United States has climbed to 1 in 36 children. The symptoms of ASD can manifest in a wide range of ways, and the illness itself exhibits significant variations. Furthermore, it has been closely linked to experiencing stress and worry in one’s life, which many people refer to as sensory processing disorder (SPD). SPD is a disorder that describes how people behave when they are exposed to environmental stimuli that they may not normally process by feeling more intense than what is causing them to worry and distress. One of the most significant limiting factors that can prevent someone from engaging in what they need to do in their everyday lives is stress. Individuals with ASD deal with stress on a regular basis, which has a big impact on how they function. In order to address a significant research vacuum concerning the use of assistive and emerging technologies to reduce stress in individuals with ASD, this systematic review aims to investigate performance, measuring techniques, and interventions by gathering data from the past 10 years. In order to determine the research hypothesis, particular research questions, and the inclusion and exclusion criteria for the studies, the research process entails gathering studies through systematic review analysis in accordance with the PRISMA principles. Experimental and observational studies on the use of assistive and emerging technologies for stress and anxiety management in children and adolescents with ASD that were published only in English met the inclusion criteria. Research not directly related to stress and anxiety outcomes, articles published in languages other than English, and research conducted outside of the designated time frame were also excluded. The study’s findings demonstrated that the technologies under examination had beneficial impacts on reducing stress; nonetheless, notable limitations were found that could compromise the replication and generalizability of legitimate and dependable applications in their utilization. Full article

Vegetable creams are a popular food with sensory characteristics (intense color, smooth texture, rich flavor) suitable for the inclusion of microalgae ingredients. Limited examples of vegetable creams reformulation with microalgae are reported in the literature, and no research has focused on their stability. This study evaluates the quality parameters of heat-treated, high-protein vegetable creams formulated with Spirulina, Tetraselmis chui, and four different Chlorella vulgaris strains over an 8-month period. The investigation examines changes in physicochemical properties (color, moisture, consistency, pH, °Brix, syneresis), microbiological parameters, and sensory profile. Physicochemical results showed enhanced homogenization effects of microalgae, suggesting valuable technological applications. The sensory analysis highlights a general enhancement of umami and salty perception, with differences depending on the species considered. Yellow chlorellas were the least impactful in terms of flavor but require further investigation regarding their pronounced color influence. Tetraselmis chui altered the most the sensory profile with a strong fishy and shellfish flavor. Over time, color variation deserves attention since slight browning phenomena, with possible negative effects on consumer perception, were observed. Regarding sensory aspects, limited and no detrimental effects were detected over time in texture, taste, and smell. No adverse impact on shelf life was observed, suggesting applications in long-term storage foods. Full article

Chronic pain is prevalent and disproportionately impacts adults with a lower quality of life. Although subjective self-reporting is the “gold standard” for pain assessment, tools are needed to objectively monitor and account for inter-individual differences. This study introduced a novel framework to objectively classify pain intensity levels using physiological signals during Quantitative Sensory Testing sessions. Twenty-four participants participated in the study wearing physiological sensors (blood volume pulse (BVP), galvanic skin response (GSR), electromyography (EMG), respiration rate (RR), skin temperature (ST), and pupillometry). This study employed two analysis plans. Plan 1 utilized a grid search methodology with a 10-fold cross-validation framework to optimize time windows (1–5 s) and machine learning hyperparameters for pain classification tasks. The optimal time windows were identified as 3 s for the pressure session, 2 s for the pinprick session, and 1 s for the cuff session. Analysis Plan 2 implemented a leave-one-out design to evaluate the individual contribution of each sensor modality. By systematically excluding one sensor’s features at a time, the performance of these sensor sets was compared to the full model using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. BVP emerged as a critical sensor, significantly influencing performance in both pinprick and cuff sessions. Conversely, GSR, RR, and pupillometry demonstrated stimulus-specific sensitivity, significantly contributing to the cuff session but with limited influence in other sessions. EMG and ST showed minimal impact across all sessions, suggesting they are non-critical and suitable for reducing sensor redundancy. These findings advance the design of sensor configurations for personalized pain management. Future research will focus on refining sensor integration and addressing stimulus-specific physiological responses. Full article

Background: The pandemic and lockdown caused a slowdown or halt in many work activities across sectors, including academic research, which had to adapt lab procedures to lockdown restrictions. This study aimed to assess an innovative approach to sensory analysis that aligned with the pandemic’s constraints and could enhance traditional methods even in normal conditions. Methods: Remote training of judges was conducted to test the method’s effectiveness. Sensory evaluation of sous-vide chicken breast fillets was conducted at different temperatures (60, 70, 80 °C) and time combinations (60, 90, 120, 150 min), compared to a control (boiled at 100 °C for 60 min). Judges tasted 6 out of 13 randomized samples, recording intensities on a cloud-based sensory card. Results: Judges demonstrated good repeatability and panel homogeneity (RSD ≤ 30%). Significant differences (p < 0.05) in olfactory and flavor characteristics were noted among samples. Higher-temperature samples had stronger boiled meat and chicken flavors, and sous-vide samples showed greater juiciness, especially LT2 and LT3. Conclusions: The remote home-tasting approach proved effective in distinguishing key differences in meat characteristics based on cooking conditions. This method’s reliability and adaptability make it a promising alternative to lab-based sensory evaluation, ensuring research continuity in restrictive conditions and broadening potential for decentralized studies. Full article

Consumer acceptance of milk beverages as probiotic beverages is directly linked to their sensory qualities, such as flavor, consistency, visual appearance, and mouthfeel. Overall, products that exhibit syneresis are often viewed as inferior. Thus, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of high-intensity ultrasound on the production of probiotic strawberry beverages, aiming primarily to stabilize the beverage by reducing syneresis and improving sensory properties without compromising the viability of probiotic microorganisms. The effects of the ultrasound processing time (2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 min) on the physical, chemical, and sensory properties of the beverages were analyzed. Ultrasound was applied using a 750-wW ultrasonic processor (Cole-Parmer^®, 750 W, Vernon Hills, IL, USA) at 40% amplitude, consuming 300 W and resulting in an acoustic power density of 1.2 W/mL. The results indicate that ultrasound significantly influenced the syneresis of the samples, with intermediate times (5 and 7.5 min) demonstrating lower liquid separation. Notably, the U7.5 treatment exhibited syneresis values of 52.06% ± 2.14, 60.75% ± 2.33, and 61.17% ± 1.90 at days 1, 14, and 28, respectively, corresponding to reductions of approximately 18%, 12%, and 11% compared to the control (63.43% ± 0.93, 68.81% ± 0.56, and 68.59% ± 0.10, respectively). The fatty acid composition showed changes according to storage time. Notably, palmitic acid (C16:0) concentrations were above 30 g/100 mL, and the ω6/ω3 ratio ranged from 5.92 to 7.47, falling within the recommended dietary values. Ultrasound also reduced the amount of sucrose in the samples, which may benefit the growth of probiotic microorganisms. In terms of sensory analysis, the ultrasound-treated samples (2.5 to 7.5 min) were preferred by the evaluators compared to the control sample. Furthermore, ultrasound treatment did not result in the inactivation of probiotics, supporting its potential for enhancing probiotic beverage quality. Thus, high-intensity ultrasound proved to be a promising technology for enhancing the quality of probiotic strawberry beverages by reducing syneresis, affecting fatty acid composition, and improving sensory characteristics. This may open up new opportunities in the food industry for more appealing and healthier probiotic products. Full article