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A lack of available literature exists about sensory data on lucerne (which is mainly used for animal feed) as an underutilised protein source for human consumption in South Africa (SA). Developing tasteless lucerne products is meaningless. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to determine the descriptive sensory profile and consumers’ acceptability of lucerne.

Three lucerne cultivars and one spinach beet (Beta vulgaris var. cicla L.) cultivar were used: first, to determine sensory descriptive attributes by generic descriptive analysis; and second, to determine consumers’ acceptance of lucerne, which were evaluated for degree of liking for aroma, taste, mouthfeel and overall acceptability with a nine-point hedonic scale. Principal component analysis of attributes for all the lucerne cultivars was applied to identify any factors differentiating between these cultivars.

“SA Standard” showed the lowest value, of the lucerne samples, for fibrous appearance, chewy and fibrous mouthfeel, bitter taste and bitter and metallic aftertaste. “SA Standard” was the most acceptable lucerne cultivar, indicating its application in future studies to profile new emerging cultivars.

No sensory analysis studies have been performed on South African lucerne cultivars to determine their sensory acceptability. These cultivars could have potential for food nutritionists, food scientists and food product developers and the commercial market.

The purpose of this study is to look at the application of ellagitannin (ET) powder in sharbet (sugar syrup-based drink) as an additive to produce a polyphenol-enriched drink. ETs are important polyphenols extracted from pomegranate peel (an underutilized juice industry waste). ETs are known for many functional properties such as antioxidative, antibacterial and coloring agent. Naturally, sharbet lacks in polyphenol content; hence, there is a large scope to enhance the functional property of sharbet by addition of ellagitannin powder (ETP) as an additive.

ETP at different concentrations (2, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 mg/100 ml sharbet) was applied in plain sharbet (EPS) and lemon-flavored sharbet (ELS). Each concentration of both types of sharbet was analyzed for physicochemical parameters and sensory attributes by sensory panel. Data were analyzed by using statistical tools (t-test, ANOVA, PCA and graphs) and finding the acceptability of ETP application in sharbet.

Each concentration of both sharbets was analyzed for chemical attributes, i.e. color (L, a, b) ranges (65.81-51.33, −0.24-0.24, −1.57-2.06, respectively), pH (6.30-3.95), titrable acidity as citric acid (0.01-0.1 per cent), total soluble solids (14.7-14.9 per cent), antioxidant activity as DPPH (12.6-71.6 per cent in EPS and 15.5-75.3 per cent in ELS) and sensory analysis (on Hedonic Scale) for sensory attributes, i.e. color, odor, taste and overall acceptability by a sensory panel (n = 24) of food technologists. Principal component analysis and sensory evaluation score have revealed that sharbet-flavored with lemon extract was liked more in comparison to plain sharbet. ELS containing 30 and 40 mg ETP per 100 ml sharbet was showed to have the highest acceptability index (92.13 and 91.67 per cent) in terms of overall acceptability by sensory panel. It is evident that the addition of ET in polyphenol-deficient beverages could be a market potential toward production of neutraceutical beverages which have antioxidative effects, good taste and are widely accepted.

In view of the neutraceutical food development, ETs could be a major polyphenolic component to fulfill the human health requirement. This research can be helpful for commercialization of ETs by the beverage industry.

Inadequacies in several micronutrients in complementary foods, notably iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin B6 and riboflavin have been reported. Moringa oleifera leaf powder (MLP), prepared from dried moringa leaves is nutrient-rich and has been explored for the treatment of micronutrient deficiencies among children in developing countries. This increasing interest in the use of moringa oleifera leaves to improve complementary foods notwithstanding, the unique sensory characteristics of the leaf powder potentially holds implications for the acceptability of local diets that are fortified with it. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the levels of MLP fortification that are most acceptable for feeding infants and young children.

The authors performed a review of the literature, with the aim of investigating the sensory attributes and acceptable levels of fortification of complementary food blends fortified with different levels of MLP.

The minimum amount of MLP to be added to a complementary food blend to observe significant improvements in its nutritional value was estimated to be about 10 per cent. However, at this 10 per cent fortification level also, sensory attributes of the products begin to become less desirable.

For the success of nutrition interventions that involve the use of MLP to improve the nutritional quality of complementary foods, there is a need to consider the acceptability of the sensory attributes of the formulated blends in the target group. Safety of MLP as an ingredient in infant foods must also be investigated.

The authors of this paper make recommendations for the use of MLP to fortify complementary foods to ensure its success as a food fortificant in nutrition interventions. The researchers are not aware of any published study that focuses on this subject.

This paper aimed to evaluate sensory acceptability of salad dressing formulated with different quantities of oregano essential oil (OEO) and salt as a starting point for the use of the spice as a natural preservative in food.

Sensory assessment of salad dressing with OEO was evaluated in relation to the following attributes: appearance, aroma, consistence, flavour and overall acceptability. Five formulations were developed with variation in the levels of OEO and sodium chloride through a 22 factorial design with a central point. A nine-point hedonic scale was used, besides purchase intent by a structured five-point scale.

There was no significant difference in the acceptance of the samples. Cluster analysis showed that formulation with intermediate quantities of salt and OEO was preferred by the consumers. OEO salad dressings with low salt content, regardless of OEO amount, presented higher intention to purchase.

Due to an increasing interest in the use of natural preservatives to replace chemical additives, this study provided a starting point for further investigations concerning sensory acceptability of OEO in food.

Finding the balance between pleasant flavour and significant reduction of the use of salt in foods for dietary reasons is a complex challenge. Furthermore, studies need to be performed concerning interaction between amounts of essential oils and salt.

This study provides insights that suggest a promising usage of OEO in food.

The purpose of this paper is to assess how shelf-life labelling affects the sensory acceptability of potato snacks.

The panel of assessors determined the key sensory attributes. Subsequently, affective sensory consumer testing was conducted. The samples of potato snacks with labels suggesting valid and false shelf life or without dating information were presented to 110 students. They rated the degree of colour intensity, oxidised flavour and crispness liking with the use of hedonic scale and accepted or rejected the sample. The testing was carried out in a sensory laboratory.

Shelf-life labelling affects the overall acceptability of potato snacks, perception of crispness and oxidative flavour. These attributes were rated less favourably when the label suggested post-expiration. The influence of shelf-life labelling decreased with storage time period. Consumers are more willing to trust their own perception than labelling.

The product may be rejected not only because of quality depletion when the shelf life is overestimated, but also as a result of denigration when the shelf life is underestimated.

Date legislation is necessary but it may be not sufficient without consumer education on food labelling and safety.

Research on the influence of shelf-life labelling on the sensory acceptability of food is scarce. Understanding how consumers are affected by shelf-life information has important implications for both public policy as well as food manufacturers.

The purpose of this paper is to substitute wheat flour by passion fruit peel flour in Brazilian honey bread (pão de mel), with evaluation of the breads’ sensory features, chemical composition and physical properties.

Honey breads with wheat flour (standard) and with replacement of this ingredient by 10 to 50 per cent passion fruit peel flour were produced. Two sensory tests were applied, to identify how different formulations with passion fruit peel flour were when compared to the standard formulation, and also the acceptability of the products. The selected honey breads, through sensory results, were evaluated regarding to chemical composition and physical properties.

Formulations with 10 and 20 per cent substitution were the least different to formulations with only wheat flour, and were as acceptable as the wheat flour sample. Physical and chemical characteristics of breads with 10 and 20 per cent passion fruit peel flour were similar; however, honey bread with 20 per cent passion fruit peel flour had higher fibre content, ash quantity and hardness value; a lower specific volume; and a different colour from the wheat flour sample.

This study offers an opportunity to food industries through utilization of an agro-industrial by-product on the formulation of a Brazilian traditional product.

This study presents the feasibility of using an agro-industrial by-product to Brazilian honey bread, enhancing the nutritive value of this product and reducing the impact of passion fruit peel flour on the environment.

The manner in which consumers understand and interpret date labels influences their attitudes toward food quality at the purchase and consumption stage. The purpose of this study is to (1) evaluate the influence of “best before” dates on expected food liking and (2) assess how sensory perception and expectations toward “best before” dates influence actual food liking.

A consumer sensory study was conducted among 110 participants in Poland. The participants' attitudes were examined toward food products (rice, sponge cookies, canned fruit salad and leaf tea) labelled with different “best before” dates and toward those same but unlabelled food products. The consumers' expected liking based solely on “best before” dates were also evaluated.

The analysis showed that date labels may have an opposite contribution to consumer apprehension of foods. It is proved that “best before” dates maintain a consumer’s positive attitude toward fresh products and reduce consumer uncertainty regarding food edibility, which would be experienced in the absence of date labels. Conversely, results of this study confirmed date labels' role in consumers denigrating expired food and showed consumers' unreasonable convictions that the food's sensory attributes were altered. Thus, otherwise safe and edible food was wasted – it was shelf-life information, not sensory quality, that determined the tested food's perceived value.

The originality of this study is that it involves product assessment to explore the interaction between consumers and a food product's sensory attributes in the context of making decisions that are influenced by the “best-before” date.

Salt (sodium chloride) is used in a variety of processed foods. It not only confers its own specific flavour on products, it is also used to enhance and modify the flavour of other ingredients. The reasons for using salt can be divided into three broad categories: processing reasons, sensory (taste) reasons, and preservative reasons. In some cases it performs all three of these functions, and in many situations the distinction between them is not clear‐cut.

The aim of the paper is to shed light on the use of chitosans and chitooligosaccharides as biopreservatives in various foods animal. Foods of animal and aquatic origin (milk, meat, fish, eggs, sea foods, etc) become contaminated with a wide range of microorganisms (bacteria, molds and yeasts) during harvesting, transporting, processing, handling and storage operations. Due to the perishable nature of these foods, their preservation is of utmost importance. Though many synthetic chemicals are available, yet their use is quite restricted due to their hazardous effects on human health.

Within the domain of food industry, traditionally chitosan is used for biopreservation of foods, which is well known for its nutritional and medicinal properties in human nutrition. However, chitooligosaccharides also possess a number of nutraceutical and health promoting properties in addition to their preservative effect and shelf-life extension of foods. In this study, the comparative effects of both chitosan and chitooligosaccharides on preservation of foods of animal and aquatic origin have been summarized.

Though chitosan has been extensively studied in various foods, yet the use of chitooligosaccharides has been relatively less explored. Chitooligosaccharides are bioactive molecules generated from chitosan and have several advantages over the traditional use of chitosan both in food products and on human health. But unfortunately, little or no literature is available on the use of chitooligosaccharides for preservation of some of the foods of animal origin. Notable examples in this category include cheese, beef, pork, chicken, fish, sea foods, etc.

This paper focuses on the effects of chitosans and chitooligosaccharides on the processing and storage quality of foods of animal and aquatic origin, which offers a promising future for the development of functional foods.

This paper aims to study the use of pumpkin pulp and its by-products in food formulation. Pumpkins are important and useful in the food industry. However, only the pulp is used, and the shell and seeds are wasted, which represents an important food waste.

A systematic review was performed by searching electronic databases relating to the physicochemical, textural and sensory effects of the pumpkin pulp and its by-products’ incorporation into foods. No human subjects were involved, and ethical approval was not required.

Pumpkin seeds and shell have been included in quite a variety of products. The primary effects on the physicochemical properties of bakery products, dairy products, beverages and snacks are the increase in energy, protein, iron, calcium, carotene content and textural properties (hardness, chewiness, snapping force and viscosity).

Limitations comprise the heterogeneity of the studies included, which causes varied results.

It was evidenced that pumpkin is already included in food products, especially in bakery products. However, there are not many products where the shell and seeds are used. Therefore, it is a field to be explored, as these by-products have great potential both to enrich food products and to reduce food waste contributing to sustainability.