INGREDIENTS & ADDITIVES
ASIA PACIFIC FOOD INDUSTRY november/december 2011
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Specialty Starches Adding to this, specialty starches have also been developed in recent years to improve the mouthfeel and texture of beverages. The selection of the correct starch depends on a number of variables, including processing conditions, product application re q u i re m e n t s a n d d e s i re d textural properties. Tapioca-based starches, for instance, are able to withstand harsh processing and storage for long periods of time. Furthermore, their unique ability to remain suspended in lowviscosity solutions makes them ideally suited for beverages. These starches also offer a wide range of textural possibilities and can be used to make anything from films and coatings; light, smooth and pulpy liquids; heavy, creamy textures as well as solid, fat-like gels and pastes. In some instances, they are designed to replace undesirable or expensive ingredients, such as gelatin or egg whites, without compromising on the food structures provided by these ingredients. Making Sense Of The Data Given that minor changes to a
food product’s formulation can considerably alter its mouthfeel and texture, it comes as no surprise that a major challenge facing food developers is to accurately and objectively measure mouthfeel and texture. Being able to collect and work on reliable data related to these attributes will go a long way in helping these developers in modifying the appearance and appeal of their products.
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the amount of water present. Despite being somewhat costly and difficult to use, hydrocolloids such as these are usually capable of creating positive mouthfeel characteristics, either through changing the beverage’s viscosity and density, or creating texture by suspending particles. A scientific study, entitled Mouthfeel & Flavour Of Fermented Whey With Added Hydrocolloids indicates that high-methoxy pectin (HMP) may offer the best potential to enhance the thickness of whey-based lactic beverages.
Manufacturers of processed fruit juices stand to gain from enhancements in mouthfeel technology.
To this end, Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) was developed in the 1960s to study the mechanical properties of foods and their relationship to their texture. The analysis involves compressing food using a machine, and then obtaining parameters from the resulting force-time curve. These parameters include adhesiveness, cohesiveness, chewiness, fracturability, gumminess, hardness and springiness. Such food measurements through the use of sophisticated instruments are becoming fairly
common, and despite the complexity involved are able to provide ‘meaningful’ data: a strong correlation between parameters extracted from instruments and human sensory judgments. Critical to gathering ‘meaningful’ data is the consistent preparation of food samples. Food products undergoing the TPA need to be sliced in a manner that allows for equal sizes of food samples. Generally, edge effects are also avoided. This is because test scores on the interior of cooked samples will tend to be different when compared to the interior. Finally, it is also important to have consistent aging effects on the texture of prepared samples between the time they are prepared and tested. The Future Of Mouthfeel As an increasing number of food products undergo processing, there will be a greater need for ingredients to compensate for the loss of any mouthfeel. Research has shown that mouthfeel and texture are indeed important characteristics that can influence a customer’s opinion, and continued consumption, of a food or drink. Given this, food manufacturers will also need to further improve on their measurements of mouthfeel and texture, tweaking processes such as the TPA to strengthen the correlation between instrument-gathered data and actual sensory perceptions. Ultimately, it would appear future products from the industry will have a better ‘feel’, leading to more satisfied consumers.
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