This ongoing study investigates the impact of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) on broad sensory functions. Sixty subjects aged 27–78 years were recruited who had contracted COVID-19 between 1/17/2020 and 12/21/2023 and had persistent symptoms (4.3–52.9, median = 27.48 months). Quantitative sensory assessments included (1) smell: 9-Item NIH toolbox odor identification, detection threshold to phenyl–ethyl alcohol, and retronasal candy test; (2) taste: modified NIH toolbox; (3) chemesthesis: nasal menthol lateralization thresholds and oral capsaicin identification; (4) hearing: pure-tone audiometry, otoacoustic emissions, words-in-noise recognition, and Dichotic Digits Test; (5) vestibular/balance: video head impulse testing, Subjective Visual Vertical, vestibular perceptual thresholds, and modified Romberg balance test; and (6) cognitive assessment: The Self-Administered Gero-Cognitive Exam, Digit Symbol Substitution Test, and Trail-Making Test. Overall, subjects self-reported high and overlapping dysfunctions: 67.3

The growing popularity of plant-based proteins, particularly pea protein, is driven by health benefits and sustainability. However, despite the increasing demand, undesirable sensory attributes hinder consumer acceptance. This study aimed to identify the key sensory drivers of acceptance for unflavored pea protein isolates and to compare acceptance ratings between plant-based and animal-based protein consumers. Thirteen pea protein isolates were evaluated through descriptive analysis by a trained panel, assessing 19 sensory attributes including aroma, flavor, taste, and texture. Consumer acceptance ratings were evaluated by 134 participants, divided into plant- and animal-based protein consumers. Results indicated that flavor was the most impactful predictor of overall acceptance, followed by texture and aroma. Notably, no significant differences in acceptance ratings were observed between the two consumer groups, suggesting shared criteria for evaluating pea protein isolates. Internal preference mapping showed that product liking was driven primarily by the avoidance of negative attributes. Indeed, perceived sensations, including bitterness, cereal/grainy flavor, and astringency, adversely affected acceptance, whereas positive attributes included sweet taste and green pea flavor. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of optimizing sensory profiles to enhance consumer acceptance of pea protein as a versatile ingredient in various applications. Future research should focus on strategies to minimize undesirable sensory characteristics to broaden the appeal of pea protein products.

Allowing subjects to select a product from a consumer test as a “takeaway” has been suggested as a way to operationalize preference testing. We investigated the relationship between overall liking, purchase preference, and takeaway metrics for three flavors of fruit chips across three weeks. Three takeaway methods were used: “Only One,” in which panelists took only one sample cup in a flavor of their choice, “Fixed Number,” in which panelists took exactly three sample cups while deciding the flavor for each, and “Broad Choice,” in which panelists took anywhere from one to nine sample cups with a maximum of three of each flavor. Results suggest that the three methods perform similarly with respect to preference data, but for liking data the fixed number method had higher correlations. Additionally, it was found that normalizing the overall liking data via Z-scores produced higher correlations for both the fixed number and broad choice methods. Changes in liking scores and preference rankings remained consistent between weeks. Together the data suggest that correlation between stated and operational preferences were maximized under the “Fixed Number” condition once liking data had been normalized via a Z-score approach. These improvements in correspondence between stated preferences and actual behavior may enable development of novel models that more accurately translate traditional liking benchmarks into real-world purchasing behavior, preventing well-liked but not frequently purchased products from reaching the shelf and reducing resource loss in the process.

The tactile flavor sensations of coffee are an important indicator of product quality, yet the stimuli contributing to these percepts remain insufficiently defined. In the present work, compounds that contribute to astringency in coffee were investigated. A multi-dimensional sensory-guided fractionation method was employed whereby preparative-scale liquid chromatography was leveraged to separate the coffee brew into subfractions, and then followed by sensory evaluation to identify fractions with perceptual impact. This process, paired with high-resolution chemical characterization via Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance/mass spectrometry, revealed a complex, phenolic-dominant, melanoidin fraction. Further sensory recombination testing confirmed this fraction imparted a perceptible astringent sensation at coffee-relevant concentrations in both water and coffee matrices. We hereby provide the first evidence of melanoidins contributing to the complex tactile flavor profile of coffee.

Panelists are commonly found to be disengaged from the repetitive tasks associated with descriptive testing, leading to poor panel performance and resulting in data that lack actionable insights. One potential solution to this issue is gamification, an effective design strategy to stimulate engagement and performance by applying game elements to targeted nongame environments. To investigate the impact of applying gamification, this study used four descriptive analysis (DA) panels treated with gamification elements during the training phase and/or evaluation stage (control/control, control/gamified, gamified/control, gamified/gamified). In all gamified sessions, panelists were repeatedly exposed to game elements identified from the User Types Hexad model. Following training, panelist performance (product discriminability, repeatability, panel consistency), engagement, and their response to implemented gaming elements were measured in the evaluation session. Results suggested that longer gamification exposure and a combination of game elements are necessary to maximize the effect of gamification on sensory panel performance.

In sensory science, the use of immersive technologies has gained popularity for their ability to restore relevant contextual factors during consumer testing and overcome the low ecological validity of controlled laboratory environments. Despite this, there is scant literature evaluating the effectiveness of immersive technologies in facilitating virtual product evaluation experiences; this is especially true with virtual reality (VR) headsets and the unique technical challenges associated with this technology. To fill this gap, we assessed virtual presence, system usability, engagement, and ease of task completion, in subjects using two iterations of a VR application (controllers or hand tracking) designed to address the major limitations of current systems. Results revealed that both systems exceeded the benchmark usability score of 68. System 1 (controllers) performed better for interactions with the virtual tablet interface to answer questions, whereas interactions with the food objects were easier using System 2 (hand tracking). Participants also experienced a high sense of virtual presence using both systems. When measured in System 2, a high level of subject engagement during the immersive product evaluations was observed. These studies indicate that collecting both quantitative and qualitative feedback on VR systems can provide useful insights and directions for application optimization to ensure valid investigation of context effects in future research.

Background/Objectives: Modifying standard foods to minimize postprandial glucose (PPG) and insulin excursions may benefit health. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, crossover study to compare postprandial responses to an isocaloric (~250 kcal) Standard Muffin (SM) containing refined flour and sugar versus a Modified Muffin (MM) consisting of wheat-free grains and low sugar levels in healthy individuals and individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Subjects/Methods: Nineteen subjects (ten healthy, nine with T2D) participated in the trial. PPG responses were measured in capillary blood over 5 h to calculate the change in glucose from the baseline (ΔGLU), peak glucose (GLUPeak), peak–nadir glucose (GLUP-N), and 2 h incremental area under the curve (iAUC). Plasma insulin responses were quantified via assays. Results: Compared to the SM, the MM significantly reduced the GLUPeak (55%), GLUP-N (35%), and 2 h iAUC (80%). Within the cohort, the MM elicited a 68% reduction in the GLUPeak response compared to the SM in individuals with T2D. Insulin was lower following the MM (−62%). Participants reported similar subjective taste and mouthfeel ratings. Conclusion: A novel MM decreased PPG and insulin responses compared to a SM, without compromising taste, thus highlighting salient features for T2D nutrition management.

Recent consumer demand has driven the food industry to develop the next-generation plant-based beverages. One major challenge has been mimicking the desirable textural and mouthfeel properties of animal-based counterparts. Despite the critical role of these properties in consumer acceptance, research comparing these aspects in plant- and animal-based beverages remains limited. This study addressed this gap by examining the impact of protein type (animal vs. plant) and concentration (8 g vs 13 g/8 fl.oz) on beverage texture and mouthfeel characteristics while developing a comprehensive sensory lexicon for these attributes. Sixteen texture and mouthfeel descriptors were generated, each with unique definitions and references. Sixteen assessors evaluated 14 different beverages that were grouped by protein content: low protein (LP; 8 g of protein/8 fl. oz) and high protein (HP; 13 g of protein/8 fl. oz). Each beverage group included two animal-based beverages (commercial skim milk [CSM] and milk protein isolate [MPI]) and five plant-based beverages (pea protein isolate [PPI], soy protein concentrate [SPC] and three types of soy protein isolates [SPI 1-3]). Similarities were observed between LP animal-based beverages, while small differences were observed within LP-SPIs. LP-SPC was significantly different for 8 out of the 16 attributes compared to all other LP-beverages. The same trends were observed in HP-beverages, with the differences among protein sources in the LP-beverages consistently mirrored in HP- beverages. These findings underscore that textural and mouthfeel differences between plant and animal-based beverages are predominantly influenced by the type of protein used rather than protein concentrations within the range of 8-13 g/8 fl. oz.

Discrete choice experiments and ratings-based conjoint analysis are methods frequently used to examine trade-offs between product attributes. However, they rarely incorporate evaluation of a product's sensory characteristics. This work aimed to integrate a sensory attribute into both experimental frameworks and compare against traditional sensory methods to potentially address the high failure rate of new products. To incorporate a sensory attribute, the taste perception of orange juice was altered to impact consumer liking. Juice samples comprised three treatment groups: (1) received an addition of sucrose octaacetate (0.005 % w/v), (2) fructose (1.0 % w/v), and (3) untreated control. This ensured linearity in the liking responses for the purposes of model comparison. Consumer purchase intention was determined via a discrete choice experiment and a ratings-based conjoint analysis with the product attributes of taste, price ($3.49, $3.99, $4.49/52 oz. bottle), processing distinction (From Concentrate, Not From Concentrate, Fresh Squeezed), composition claim (100 % Juice, None), and Non-GMO verification (Verified, None). Overall liking, and paired preference were also conducted separately. Purchase intention was determined via multinomial logit modeling for the discrete choice, and linear modeling plus ANOVA for the conjoint. Results from both indicate significant impacts on purchasing by all product attributes and levels. The directional influence on purchase intention (positive/negative), and the relative impact of each level within an attribute were the same between methods. However, discrete choice showed a significant difference within the taste attribute between the control and fructose samples, whereas conjoint did not. This is important as paired preference and overall liking also indicated a significant difference between the two samples. Overall, both methods were able to integrate intrinsic sensory characteristics and extrinsic product attributes and offered viable alternatives to traditional sensory methodologies while increasing understanding of potential economic drivers behind consumer purchasing.

Discrete choice experiments (DCE) offer a potential avenue to incorporate product specific contextual information into sensory consumer testing. This work integrates a taste variable into a DCE framework and compares the results against those obtained via traditional sensory methodology. Fruit puree taste profile was altered to induce taste variability while controlling confounding sensory variables. The taste levels were combined with extrinsic product specific attributes within a DCE. The same taste levels were also subjected to traditional overall liking rating. Comparison of the results showed the taste-level preferences obtained via the DCE were consistent with those found via overall liking. The DCE was also capable of providing simultaneous insights into consumer preferences for extrinsic product attributes that were unable to be captured via the overall liking test. The results provide initial support for the usage of a DCE with an integrated taste variable as an alternative sensory consumer testing method.

Millions of people in the United States experience a reduced or distorted ability to smell or taste. Chemosensory disorders such as anosmia (the inability to smell), parosmia (distorted smell), or dysgeusia (altered taste) have major impacts on health and quality of life including difficulty sensing dangers such as fire or spoilage, a diminished palatability of food and drink that can negatively influence diet and nutrition, feelings of social isolation, and an increased incidence of frailty, anxiety, and depression. Smell or taste dysfunction can also be symptoms of other health issues, including sinonasal disease, cancer, or neurodegenerative disease. Aging adults are disproportionately affected. However, smell and taste function are not regularly assessed as a part of routine healthcare despite their prevalence and impact. This is a lost opportunity, as early detection of a chemosensory disorder would enable patients to obtain needed validation, education and support for their health challenge, could direct both patient and provider to treatment options, and may suggest underlying health issues that should be addressed. To better understand the current barriers to including chemosensory testing as a regular component of health care and to identify opportunities to overcome those barriers, the conference "Towards Universal Chemosensory Testing" was convened on November 5-7, 2023, in Philadelphia, PA. This conference brought together scientists, clinicians, patients, and other experts to discuss these issues and identify collective ways to overcome barriers to testing. This white paper-which is focused primarily on the US healthcare system-is the result of those discussions.

Current food preservation practice involves a single intensive kill-step followed by isolation of the product within a package: an open-loop control strategy. Alternatively, a closed-loop control strategy, wherein the food is minimally processed as an initial stabilization (first kill-step) but the option for processing later as-needed is available, can improve food safety and quality levels. For this purpose, unpasteurized apple juice (330 mL), packed in sterilized electrode-embedded laminate pouches, was stored at 4 degrees C for 45 days after processed by pasteurization (water-bath; at 71.1 degrees C for 3 s) and moderate processing (ohmic heating; 25 V/cm; 65 degrees C for 30 s) once or with periodic reprocessing, by ohmic heating. Reprocessing was conducted three times (after Day 10, 24, and 42) based on microbial counts, and resulted in microbial counts maintained lower than 2.1 log CFU/mL over about 5 weeks. Results of sensory analysis showed that apple juice could be maintained at an acceptable quality in the selected sensory attributes over 6 weeks of storage by using multiple mild electrothermal processes, instead of one terminal kill-step. This approach enables proactive response to microbial growth during storage and promotes reduction of waste.

Automated aesthetic assessment of photographs is an active research area with applications in image editing and retrieval. There are many suggestions on the various factors of importance in making an image ‘good’ or ‘aesthetically pleasing’. However, there is no consensus in the literature on a definitive set of attributes that contribute to image aesthetics for underwater images, which include features specific to an aquatic environment. In this research we interview underwater photographers and apply thematic analysis to their responses with the aim of determining which attributes are important for an aesthetically-pleasing underwater image. The results define a set of nine key attributes (i.e. Aesthetics, Aquatic features, Colour, Composition, Image precision, Lighting, Novelty, Subject(s), and Technical competence). These findings will guide future work in automated assessment of underwater image aesthetics.

The bacterium Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens OSU-BDGOA1 and yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus bdgo-ym6 were previously isolated from kefir grains and have shown probiotic traits in mono- and coculture. This research evaluates the effect of introducing probiotic kefir microorganisms in monoculture and in coculture alongside yogurt starter cultures on the physicochemical and rheological properties, volatile flavor compounds, survival of the microorganisms during simulated digestion, and sensory attributes of the final fermented products. The incorporation of L. kefiranofaciens OSU-BDGOA1 in monoculture showed promising outcomes, resulting in a final product showing more solid-like characteristics and potentially improving the texture of the product. There was also a significant increase in the concentration of desirable volatile flavor compounds in the yogurt with the monoculture, particularly 2,3-butanedione, displaying a positive correlation with buttery flavor in the sensory analysis. The inclusion of L. kefiranofaciens in monoculture also promoted better sensory attributes and was significantly better than the yogurt with the coculture with the yeast, showing promising results for the incorporation of this probiotic bacterium into functional fermented dairy products.

Restoring relevant context during consumer sensory testing using virtual reality (VR) technologies may facilitate evaluations reflective of real-world experiences, enabling reliable data collection to better predict product success. Prior research has applied the same consumption scenario to all participants without accounting for variations in individual consumption habits. Thus, a consumption scenario of low personal relevance can lead to misleading conclusions. This study aimed to investigate how personal relevance (usage frequency and similarity) of a consumption environment influences consumer perception and acceptance during product evaluations. Using a VR system, 63 consumers evaluated four commercial frozen chicken nuggets in three virtual environments one week apart: sensory booth, high-relevance kitchen, and low-relevance kitchen. Participants assessed the products virtually on overall liking, Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) on 20 attributes, and purchase intent. They also completed a virtual presence and engagement questionnaire after testing. Results found better product discrimination in both kitchen environments compared to the booth as demonstrated in more post-hoc statistical subgroups (p’s < 0.05) on liking and purchase intent. Additionally, more significant product differences were found among CATA attributes in the kitchens. CATA penalty-lift analyses indicated that sensory attributes had more pronounced positive and negative impacts on liking in the high relevance kitchen, followed by the low relevance kitchen, and lastly the booth. Consumers were equally present and engaged during testing across conditions (p’s > 0.05). Results suggest providing a personally relevant consumption environment via VR technologies for consumer testing generated more discriminating data that can improve the quality of consumer insights.

Astringency, commonly described as a drying, roughening, and/or puckering sensation associated with polyphenol-rich foods affects their palatability. While the compounds eliciting astringency are known, its mechanism of action is debated. This study investigated the role of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels A1 and V1 in astringency perception. If TRP A1 or V1 have a functional role in astringency perception, then desensitizing these receptors should decrease perceived astringency. Thirty-seven panelists underwent unilateral lingual desensitization of TRP A1 and V1 channels using mustard oil and capsaicin, respectively. Panelists then evaluated four astringent stimuli: epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), tannic acid (TA), and potassium alum (Alum), via 2-AFC and intensity ratings. When TRPA1 receptors were desensitized on one half of the tongue via mustard oil, no significant differences were observed between the treated and untreated sides for both 2-AFC and intensity ratings. Similarly, when TRPV1 receptors were desensitized on one half of the tongue via capsaicin, no significant differences were observed between the treated and untreated sides for both 2-AFC and intensity ratings. These findings challenge the notion that TRP channels play a pivotal role in astringency perception.

Oral tactile sensitivity underpins food texture perception, but few studies have investigated mechanoreception in oral tissues. During food consumption, oral tissues are exposed to a wide range of temperatures and chemical entities. The objective of the present study was to assess the influence of thermal sensations on lingual roughness sensitivity. Just-noticeable difference thresholds (JNDs) were determined using the staircase method for surface roughness from stainless steel coupons (Ra; 0.177-0.465 µm). Thresholds were assessed when cooling or heating the metal stimuli (n = 32 subjects). Compared to the JND threshold obtained at an ambient stimulus temperature (21 °C: 0.055 ± 0.010 μm), a cold (8 °C) temperature significantly (P = 0.019) reduced tongue sensitivity (i.e. increased JND) to surface roughness (0.109 ± 0.016 μm, respectively) whereas warm and hot temperatures had no significant effect (35 °C: 0.084 ± 0.012 μm; 45 °C: 0.081 ± 0.011 μm). To assess whether the effect of cooling on roughness thresholds is TRPM8-dependent, we collected roughness thresholds in a second cohort of subjects (n = 27) following the lingual application of the cooling compound Evercool 190 (24.3 µM). Interestingly, when Evercool 190 was used to elicit the cold sensation, lingual roughness JNDs were unaffected compared to the control application of water (EC: 0.112 ± 0.016 μm; water: 0.102 ± 0.017 μm; P = 0.604). That lingual roughness sensitivity is decreased by cold temperature, but not chemicals evoking cold sensations, suggests the mechanism underpinning thermal modulation is not TRPM8 dependent.

Utilizing immersive technologies to reintroduce the environmental context (i.e., visual, auditory, and olfactory cues) in sensory testing has been one area of research for improving panelist engagement. The current study sought to understand whether pairing smart-speaker questionnaires in immersive spaces could positively affect the panelist experience through enhanced ecological validity. To this end, subjects performed an immersive consumer test in which responses were collected using a traditional computer-based survey, a smart-speaker approach incorporating a direct translation of the computer questionnaire into a verbal survey requiring numeric responses, and an optimized smart-speaker survey with alternative question formatting requiring spoken word-based responses. After testing, participants answered the Engagement Questionnaire (EQ) to assess participant engagement during the test, and the System Usability Scale (SUS) survey to understand the ease, and potential adoption, of using the various survey technologies in the study. Results indicated that the traditional computer-based survey was the most engaging (p < 0.001) and usable (p < 0.001), with no differences found between the two smart-speaker surveys (p = 0.803 and p = 0.577, respectively). This suggests that the proposed optimizations for the smart-speaker surveys were not robust enough to influence engagement and usability, and further research is needed to enhance their conversational capabilities.