IMPACT OF STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCES ON PERCEIVED SWEETNESS IN SEMISOLID DAIRY MATRICES

The objective of this work was to explore the possibility of obtaining dairy desserts of similar consistency and with different sweetness intensity. Eight formulations were prepared varying in the thickener type and concentration: carboxymethyl cellulose (1.1 and 1.3% w/w) and modified starch (3.5 and 4.0% w/w) and the milk type (whole or skimmed). The amounts of sugar (10% w/w), colorant (37.5mg/kg) and lemon flavor (120mg/kg) were fixed. Changes in composition and structure provide products with similar values of three instrumental indices of thickness ((10), (50) and Kokini shear stress [OSS]). The relationship between each of these instrumental indices and the sensory consistency fitted well to Psychophysical Stevens' Law. No direct relationship was detected between OSS values and sweetness. Some structural differences observed between thickeners can influence product behavior during oral processing, modifying in-mouth delivery of sucrose molecules. It could explain sweetness differences among samples with similar consistency.