Sensory evaluation of reduced sodium potato chips and puffed rice

In the United States, approximately 90% of consumers exceed the daily recommendation of 2,300 mg of sodium. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has developed voluntary short-term and long-term sodium reduction guidelines for a variety of food categories. Reduced sodium products, however, are often not liked by consumers. Flavor enhancers, like monosodium glutamate (MSG) and disodium inosinate and guanylate (I+G), increase the savory flavor of reduced sodium foods and may allow for greater consumer acceptance. The first objective of this research was to compare the acceptability of FDA-recommended short- and long-term reduced sodium flavored potato chips (18% and 51% reduction) and puffed rice (20% and 57% reduction) seasoned with and without MSG and I+G combinations across three conditions: blind tasting, ingredient information, and ingredient information with educational phrase of the need for sodium reduction and the safety of flavor enhancers. Across all conditions, there was a significant difference in liking for potato chip (p < 0.01) and puffed rice (p < 0.001) samples. Ingredient information increased the acceptance of potato chip samples seasoned with flavor enhancers, while education increased the liking of potato chip samples seasoned with short- and long-term sodium reductions and samples seasoned only with salt and MSG. Puffed rice seasoned with MSG and I+G were liked the most, while ingredient information increased the liking of samples except for samples seasoned with reduced sodium long-term with MSG and I+G. Education, however, increased the acceptance of all puffed rice samples seasoned with MSG and I+G. The second objective was to identify drivers of liking for the potato chip and puffed rice samples by correlating acceptance data and descriptive analysis sample profiles. The 11 trained panelists identified eight significantly different attributes for potato chips and seven significantly different attributes for puffed rice. Drivers of liking for potato chips were meaty aftertaste, aroma, and aroma-by-mouth and umami aftertaste, while raw potato aroma was a driver of disliking. For puffed rice, crunchy texture, garlic aftertaste, and savory aftertaste were drivers of liking. Puffed rice drivers of disliking were bitter aftertaste and chili powder aroma-by-mouth. Understanding the influence of ingredient labeling and education and drivers of liking for potato chips and puffed rice will allow the food industry to develop successful reduced sodium potato chips and puffed rice.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Food Science & Human Nutrition

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2019

Author dc:creator

• Buechler, Aimee Elizabeth

Contributors dc:contributor

• Lee, Soo-Yeun

• sodium reduction
• flavor enhancers
• consumer test
• descriptive analysis

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2019 Aimee Buechler

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/105253

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/105253