Capturing the dynamic volatilome of frozen matrices during phase transitions remains an analytical challenge, typically requiring invasive sampling. This study employs proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS) as a rapid, noninvasive technique that directly samples headspace volatiles without preconcentration to efficiently monitor four peach-related aroma compounds (isoamyl acetate, 3-hexenyl acetate, linalool, and furaneol) from frozen to melted ice cream. The samples vary in stabilizer composition, including a control (no stabilizer), single-gum, binary, and ternary blends. Monitoring occurred in the frozen state (incubation for 1 min at 4°C) and after melting (incubation for 20 min at 30°C). Results demonstrate that all stabilizer blends attenuated volatile release (average reduction in total aroma release of 40.39%) compared with the control, although statistically significant formulation effects were compound dependent and were not observed for furaneol. The magnitude of suppression was dependent on both stabilizer composition and the physicochemical properties of the aroma compounds. Notably, individual aroma compounds displayed differential release patterns across formulations; isoamyl acetate generally showed a more pronounced release than cis-3-hexenyl acetate in specific stabilized formulations (LGK and LAK). Stabilizers that consistently suppressed peach-related volatiles also demonstrated reduced total odor activity values. These results validate PTR-ToF-MS as an effective tool for monitoring the volatilome of frozen matrices and tracking aroma release during melting, illustrating how stabilizer selection can be optimized for aroma delivery in ice cream.

This study evaluates the application of supercritical CO2 drying on shrimp (Metapenaeus spp.) as a combined dehydration and decontamination strategy, comparing it to conventional hot-air drying (AD) and freeze-drying (FD). Two complementary storage assessments were performed over 4 months: microbiological stability under ambient storage conditions at 20 ± 1 °C, and physicochemical, structural, and volatile quality retention under refrigerated storage conditions at 4 ± 1 °C. All three treatments reached a comparable target water activity of approximately 0.55, achieved in 6.5 h (AD), 15 h (scCO2), and 104 h (FD). Microbiologically, scCO2 drying demonstrated the highest efficacy, maintaining natural spoilage flora at or near the detection limits throughout storage. A small-scale challenge test performed on scCO2-dried samples achieved >4 Log CFU/g reductions for surrogate pathogens (Listeria innocua and Enterococcus faecium), confirming the antimicrobial potential of this technology. Moreover, physicochemical analyses of samples under refrigerated storage conditions at 4 ± 1 °C revealed that scCO2 exhibited intermediate color preservation and rehydration capacity (rehydration ratio > 4 g/g), closer to FD than to AD, while maintaining a more stable volatile organic compound (VOC) profile. However, instrumental and sensory texture evaluations indicated that scCO2-dried shrimp exhibited a firmer texture and a whitish appearance, both negatively perceived by consumers, resulting in consumer liking scores comparable to AD but lower than the highly porous FD samples. Overall, scCO2 drying showed excellent microbiological safety under ambient storage conditions at 20 ± 1 °C and favorable physicochemical stability under refrigerated storage at 4 ± 1 °C, however further optimization is required to enhance its structural and sensory acceptance.

Ice cream melting involves progressive breakdown of the frozen structure and serum flow, which contribute to sensory perception and product liking. Hydrocolloids regulate melting by trapping liquid water released as ice crystals melt, creating a viscoelastic serum network that restricts drip drainage. However, their influence on in-mouth melting during repeated consumption remains poorly understood. This research combined rheological and instrumental melting tests with dynamic sensory evaluation (time-intensity (TI)) to link hydrocolloid functionality, specifically serum-phase shear-thinning and viscoelastic elasticity, to melting and sensory multi-intake melting perception. Six products replicating an industrial ice cream combined guar gum, -carrageenan, and a third hydrocolloid (locust bean, cassia, alginate, xanthan gum) or a phenolic compound (tannic acid). Ice cream with tannic acid exhibited the fastest drip rate and weight loss, likely due to protein complexation and reduced structural integrity, whereas xanthan and locust bean gum melted more slowly and maintained structural stability, owing to enhanced serum-phase structuring and synergistic interactions with guar gum. Sensory TI parameters correlated positively with gravimetric weight loss (r = 0.73 - 0.81) and negatively with G' at -16°C (r = -0.91 to -0.92, p ≤ 0.01), indicating structural loss increased perceived melting, while frozen rigidity reduced it. Multi-intake consumption had a significant impact, successive exposure progressively accelerated perceived melting rates (slope) and peak intensities (Imax), possibly due to cumulative mouth coating. The results highlight that melting perception is governed by a combination of (1) frozen structure collapse, (2) viscosity and flow behavior of the serum phase, and (3) multi-intake adaptation.

Innovative foods and food technologies face barriers to adoption in Italy, where food plays a central role in identity and social life. This study investigates Italian consumer responses to seven innovative food products and technologies using a consumer survey (N = 2000), stratified by age, gender, and geographical region. The survey included psychometric scales assessing food neophobia, food technology neophobia, disgust sensitivity, trust, sensation seeking, and health interest. It measured perceptions of risk, benefit, familiarity, and emotions associated with each product. Findings indicate that Italian consumers show high levels of food and technological neophobia, coupled with low trust and strong health concerns. Acceptability varied significantly across sociodemographic groups: higher education and income were associated with higher trust and sensation seeking and lower neophobia, whereas female and older respondents exhibited higher disgust sensitivity and greater resistance to innovation. Exploratory clustering identified two broad clusters of aggregated consumer profiles. One cluster was associated with younger age, higher educational attainment and household income, together with greater trust and sensation seeking, whereas the other was associated with older age, lower educational attainment and household income, together with greater food and food technology neophobia and disgust sensitivity. Emotional responses emerged as correlates of acceptability, with curiosity most positively and disgust most negatively. Products most aligned with product ideals were plant-based proteins, algae, and unusual fruits, while insect-based proteins and cultured meat faced the greatest barriers. These findings highlight the importance of reinforcing trust and curiosity while addressing disgust to promote sustainable Italian food innovation.

The global plastic crisis necessitates a transition toward sustainable alternatives to fossil-based polymers. However, the widespread adoption of bioplastics is hindered by mechanical and barrier performance gaps compared to established industry standards, requiring a "formulation-for-purpose" approach to ensure functional competitiveness. Within this framework, home-compostable bioplastics represent a critical innovation, yet their environmental efficacy remains strictly dependent on overcoming technical, perceptual, and behavioral barriers at the consumer level.This study investigates these challenges through a consumer test with 110 Italian participants (55.4% females) who evaluated four packaging formats (bag, clamshell, film, sealed film tray), each in both home-compostable bioplastic (HCB) and conventional fossil-based plastic (FBP) versions. The methodology assessed affective responses (liking, purchase intent), sensory and functional properties, and declared disposal accuracy. These variables were analyzed against socio-demographics, habits, logo familiarity, and psycho-attitudinal profiles to identify key predictors.HCB packaging acceptance is highly format-dependent. While comparable to FBP for flexible formats, HCBs are penalized for attributes like high opacity, unless the perceived benefit of sustainability can offset other sensory flaws. A critical “bioplastic paradox” emerges: despite positive consumer acceptance, correct disposal rates for HCBs (65–74%) are significantly lower than for FBPs (89–96%). The strongest predictors of correct disposal are familiarity with the compostability logo and younger consumer age.These findings reveal the consumer as an indispensable actor in the HCB value chain, making their active engagement essential. Consequently, achieving the environmental promise of these products hinges on both industry-led innovation and policy-driven initiatives that foster informed consumer acceptance.

In the present work we report on the exploration of time concentration superposition principle (TCS) and nonlinear dynamic rheology (LAOS) as useful instrumental tools for predicting tactile sensory modalities of ice cream at serving temperature (-14 degrees C). Three common tactile sensory properties of ice cream i.e., resistance to scooping (scoopability), creaminess and gumminess were assessed in high protein formulations differing in their protein to fat ratio (phi P/F = 0.9 to 4) and protein source (milk protein concentrate (MPC) vs whey protein isolate-sodium caseinate (WPICAS) 1:1 blend). The complex viscosity-angular frequency data obeyed the TCS principle with the calculated shift factors reflecting effectively the compositional profile of ice creams i.e., ac proportional to phi P/F 1.16 and phi P/F 2.23, bc proportional to phi P/F-1.27 and phi P/F-1.75 for MPC and WPICAS fortified systems. LAOS assessment revealed a clear impact of protein type and phi P/F on the shearing deformation of ice creams. MPC fortification and decrease in the phi P/F enhanced the shear flowing ability of the ice creams. In all cases, the onset of shear stiffening and thickening behaviour was observed at shear stresses below the flow point, which indicates gel-like or colloid glass-like structures. According to partial least squares regression analysis, the TCS parameters (acand bc), damping factor (tan delta) and the shear strain (gamma f) and elastic modulus (log G(y)f) at flow point were determined as the most important parameters predicting tactile sensory modalities on large deformation (spooning) such as scoopability, creaminess and gumminess.

The perceived quality of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) arises from the multisensory integration of multimodal stimuli, primarily driven by non-volatile and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Given that EVOO is frequently consumed in combination with other foods, cross-modal interactions, encompassing both internal and external elements, play a crucial role in shaping its sensory perception. A more realistic representation of EVOO perception can be achieved by considering these cross-modal effects and their temporal dynamics. This study employed dynamic sensory and instrumental techniques to investigate the product-related mechanisms that influence EVOO flavor perception. Ten trained panelists (mean age = 41.5 years; 50% female) evaluated two EVOO samples under two consumption conditions: alone and accompanied by a solid carrier (bread or chickpeas). Temporal Check-All-That-Apply (TCATA) and nose-space analysis using Proton-Transfer-Reaction Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS) were conducted simultaneously. Sensory descriptors and mass spectral peaks were analyzed through temporal curve indices (Area Under the Curve, Maximum Citation/Concentration, Time to Maximum), which were then used to construct multi-dimensional sensory and VOC release maps. Findings revealed that the composition and texture of the food carriers had a greater influence on temporal flavor perception than the variability in VOCs released by the different EVOO samples. These results underscore the importance of considering cross-modal sensory interactions when predicting EVOO flavor perception. The carriers modulated both the perception and VOC release, with effects dependent on their specific composition and texture. This methodological approach enabled a deeper understanding of the dynamic relationship between VOC release and EVOO sensory experience.

Adolescents are increasingly moving away from the Mediterranean Diet (MD), raising concerns for their long-term health. Since adolescence is crucial for shaping eating habits, school-based interventions offer an opportunity to promote healthier choices. Nutrition and sensory education can influence food attitudes and behaviors, but their combined effects are not well understood. This study tested school-based nutrition and sensory education programs, alone or combined, with daily exposure to a healthy, unfamiliar snack, on Italian adolescents' food knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour. A total of 197 students (aged 14-17) were assigned to one of four groups: Control, Nutrition, Sensory, or Nutrition and Sensory. Over four weeks, participants received targeted lessons and were offered a healthy snack each day. Data were collected at baseline, post-intervention, and at a two-month follow-up. Key outcomes included nutritional knowledge, adherence to the MD (KIDMED), food neophobia, picky eating, food choices, and acceptance of healthy snacks. Nutrition education improved nutritional knowledge and the ability to identify MD foods, with partial retention at follow-up. However, daily dietary habits showed little changes. Sensory education increased snack consumption and willingness to try unfamiliar foods. No significant changes were observed in food neophobia or picky eating. These findings highlight the value of integrating diverse, experience-based strategies into school settings to support the development of food knowledge and healthier food choices in adolescence.

Food waste (FW) in the European Union remains a significant challenge, with over 58 million tons generated annually. Consumer behavior, particularly in relation to food-date labels, is a key factor influencing FW. This study focuses on patterns of involvement with date labels, examining how understanding, attention, and behavioral responses to date labels vary across consumer segments. By clustering consumers based on these dimensions, the research aims to identify distinct involvement patterns toward date labels and the impact on FW decisions. The study involved 1507 consumers (54.6 % female, mean age = 44.9 years) from six EU countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden). Participants completed an online questionnaire assessing their understanding, attention, and behavioral responses to date labels, alongside their reported domestic FW behaviors, sociodemographics, and FW management skills. Results indicate that 75.2 % of European consumers understand the difference between 'use by' and 'best before' dates, and over 80 % correctly identify the meanings of these terms. Increased understanding correlates with reduced household FW, but this factor alone is insufficient to significantly lower waste levels. Additionally, enhanced use of date labels plays a crucial role in minimizing FW. The study identifies distinct consumer segments toward date labels: "Higher involvement" segment (23.9 % of subjects), who rely on date labels for food management, "Lower involvement" segment (33.4 %), who base their decisions on other elements such as sensory cues, and "Medium involvement" segment (42.6 %), which shows intermediate characteristics. This segmentation provides valuable insights for designing targeted interventions aimed at improving date label usage and reducing household FW.

Canopy management in viticulture involves key agronomic practices aimed at balancing the leaf-to-fruit ratio and optimizing microclimates for leaves and bunches. In temperate-to-cool regions, intensive green pruning is essential for effective crop protection and aroma development. However, rising temperatures and stress conditions are prompting a re-evaluation of these practices to mitigate negative impacts from overexposed bunch-zones such as sugar accumulation, acidity loss, sunburn, anthocyanin degradation, and reduced vine longevity. This study explored alternative, more conservative green pruning methods in Guyot-trained Cabernet Franc and Nermantis (a pathogen-resistant hybrid) over two years to: i) reshape berry and leaf microclimate, ii) evaluate berry quality, and iii) assess wine aroma and sensory characteristics. Significant differences emerged between minimal and intensive canopy management strategies. Reduced intervention led to: 1) lower canopy porosity and bunch light exposure; 2) reduced leaf photoinhibition; 3) cooler berry temperatures; 4) better sugar-acid balance at harvest; and 5) higher anthocyanin levels. These effects held across contrasting seasons—2022 (hot, dry) and 2023 (cool, wet)—though driven by different putative mechanisms: differences in berry microclimate in 2022 and unbalanced leaf-to-fruit ratio in 2023. While wine chemistry showed little variation, aroma profiles were clearly affected. However, sensory analysis revealed varietal sensitivity, with Cabernet Franc more responsive than Nermantis, especially for aroma. Assuming summer pruning as a critical operation in the context of grapevine crop protection, the possibility to exploit the potential inherently higher tolerance to fungal pathogens of hybrid varieties is discussed.

Background/Objectives: As a peripheral effect of depression-related traits, sensory responses may predispose individuals to depressive symptoms by prompting suboptimal dietary patterns with long-term effects on mood. Mood disturbances in adolescence are strong predictors of adult mental illness, making it crucial to identify factors that may shift transient mood fluctuations into more severe mental health issues during this vulnerable period. Given the substantial gender differences in susceptibility to comorbidities of depression, we examined whether the link between sensory perception and depressive symptoms in nonclinical adolescents varied by gender and was related to dietary habits. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 232 healthy adolescents (41.8% girls, aged 13-17) reported their diet over the past year using the EPIC Food Frequency Questionnaire and rated their liking and perceived intensity of oral sensations from four grapefruit juices and dark chocolate puddings with varying sucrose levels. Additionally, participants completed assessments of anxiety, neuroticism, pickiness, body dissatisfaction, and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) to evaluate depressive symptoms. Results: We found that girls exhibited higher levels of depression, anxiety, neuroticism, and pickiness compared to boys (Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test), and that greater responsiveness to bitterness (e.g., β = 0.264, p = 0.037) and astringency (β = 0.269, p = 0.029) predicted higher depressive symptoms exclusively in girls. PHQ-9 scores were positively associated with alcohol use in both girls (ρ = 0.176, p = 0.003) and boys (ρ = 0.148, p = 0.004) and inversely related to the intake of beneficial nutrients (e.g., fiber, polyunsaturated fats), particularly in girls. Intriguingly, moderation analyses suggested that associations between nutrient intake and acuity for alarming oral sensations were largely moderated by depression-related traits in girls, but not in boys. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that gender moderates the links between depressive symptoms, sensory perception, and dietary habits in healthy adolescents, possibly reflecting gender-specific coping strategies for comorbidities of depression.

Eating habits become embedded during adolescence, a developmental stage where individuals increasingly assume responsibility for their dietary choices. Understanding the factors influencing these choices is essential for preventing unhealthy lifestyle patterns in adulthood. Food Neophobia (FN), a trait linked to limited dietary variety and quality as well as specific food preferences, is particularly important to investigate in adolescents. In this study, 200 adolescents (aged 14-17; 35 % girls and 65 % boys) participated in a Food Choice Task designed to evaluate their autonomous food choices across two dimensions: the willingness to select novel or unfamiliar products (reflecting dietary variety) and the inclination to choose healthy options (reflecting dietary quality). Foods depicted in images were categorised as familiar or unfamiliar based on a pilot study and as healthy or unhealthy based on whether they were inspired by the Mediterranean Diet (MD). Findings revealed that adolescents with higher levels of FN were less likely to choose unfamiliar foods. However, no significant differences were observed in the selection frequency between healthy and unhealthy foods based on FN scores. This may be due to the high familiarity and low arousal ratings associated with the foods in these categories, which could mask the effects of FN as no food reached a "warning threshold" that would induce rejection. To promote healthier eating habits among neophobic adolescents, it is recommended to provide simple, familiar food options that evoke minimal arousal, thereby supporting better dietary choices.

Local foods offer benefits for the sustainability of the food supply chain, yet they face challenges due to variability in production and market saturation. This highlights the importance of strategies to enhance their value. Among local foods, multifloral honey is one of the products most closely tied to the territory. A comprehension of how multifloral honey is structured from a sensory standpoint can prove advantageous in enhancing its recognition and valorization among consumers. The present study aimed to promote multifloral honey in the case of a local area, identifying typical examples of multifloral honey and their sensory determinants, and identifying the association among sensory attributes and affective-related responses of consumers. Thirty samples of multifloral honey were collected from a target local area (Trento province - Italy). Experts in honey sensory evaluation (n = 47) performed a rapid descriptive task (check-all-that-apply questions) and a categorization task (typicality evaluation). Six samples representative of the category sensory space were selected for consumer evaluation. Consumers recruited from the local area (n = 131) rated liking and elicited post-consumption emotional product associations. The results unveiled the sensory representation of the multifloral honey category, with samples arrangement in accordance with category typicality. The study defined the sensory characteristics associated with typicality of the multifloral honey from the target local area and identified local consumers' affectiverelated responses to the features that define the typicality. Beyond the honey realm, this approach can represent a model of a methodological approach for studying the enhancement of local foods that exhibit relevant sensory variability.

A common tool to measure olfactory function is the Sniffin' Sticks Test extended version (SSET). The SSET evaluates olfactory ability by summing the scores of three subtests: Threshold, Discrimination, and Identification. Recent meta-scientific literature revealed that many psychometric instruments currently in use have not been adequately validated, leading to a measurement crisis that raises concerns about the validity of the conclusions drawn with these instruments. Two examples of the measurement crisis are (i) the use of sum scores without testing their assumptions (e.g. unidimensionality and tau-equivalence), which indicate that all subtests have the same, stable relationship with their underlying construct, and (ii) the lack of assessment of measurement invariance across groups. Here, we aim to investigate the unidimensionality and tau-equivalence assumptions, internal consistency, and measurement invariance of sex and age groups of the SSET. We tested 988 (555 females, mean ± SD: 39.75 ± 18.60 years) participants with the Italian version of the SSET. The tau-equivalent model demonstrated excellent fit indices (CFI robust = 1, TLI robust = 1, RMSEA robust = 0, SRMR = 0.013), which best explain the data, indicating that all subtests are equally important in measuring olfactory function, but not necessarily equally precise. The results also revealed full measurement invariance across age groups and configural, partial metric, and scalar invariance across sexes, indicating that the use of latent means to compare sex groups should be chosen over raw scores. However, the SSET demonstrated moderate internal consistency. Future studies should clarify whether the reliability of the SSET can be increased.

The research work shows the potentiality of advanced linear and nonlinear learning algorithm techniques in the prediction of apples texture sensory attributes as “hardness”, “crunchiness”, “flouriness”, “fibrousness”, and “graininess”. Starting from the information contained in the entire mechanical and acoustic curves acquired during samples compression test, the prediction performances of five different statistical tools as Partial Least Squares regression (PLS), Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), Support Vector Regression (SVR) and Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) are shown and discussed.All Predictive models validations evidence best accuracies for texture sensory attributes “hardness” and “crunchiness” and in general for GPR learning algorithm. By combining mechanical and acoustic profiles, 5-fold cross validations produce values of coefficient of determination R2 up to 0.885 (GPR) and 0.840 (GPR), respectively for “hardness” and “crunchiness”. These results, comparable to those obtained by considering a large number of mechanical and acoustic parameters extracted from acquired profiles as predictive factors, evidence a new and reliable way for the prediction of texture sensory attributes of apples. The proposed approach can overcome the necessity to define, in advance, number and type of features to be calculated from instrumental texture profiles and can be easily implemented in an automatic process.

Mounting evidence suggests that ingestive behaviors may also be affected by putative interplays between taste and gut microbiota. As yet empirically unproven, we here tested the hypothesis that variations in sensory perception in foods can mirror gut microbial ecology and shape individual dietary habits. One hundred healthy participants (52 % women, 18-30 y/o) remotely attended a 7-day (D) lasting protocol, and evaluated bitterness (D1) of 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) plus liking (D2) and intensity of sensations (D4) evoked by 5 liquid and 5 solid foods, each selected to elicit a target sensation (sweet, sour, bitter, salty, pungent). Furthermore, volunteers completed a battery of psychological questionnaires (D3), a 4-day dietary record (D1-D7), and provided one stool sample for fecal microbiota profiling by 16S rRNA gene sequencing (D4). Using a data-driven segmentation approach based on intensity scores, we identified two distinct profiles that were hypo-(CL-1, n = 36, 55.5 % women) and hyperresponsive (CL-2, n = 64, 50 % women) to oral stimulations. Moreover, CL-2 showed higher percentages of PROP Medium Tasters and pronounced pleasure-oriented attitudes. Interestingly, CL-1 exhibited higher alpha-diversity metrics and was enriched in 11 beneficial gut microbes (e.g., genus Eubacter-ium_xylanophilum_group), while two pro-inflammatory microbial genera (Ruminococcus gnavus group, Eggerthella) associated with CL-2. Relatedly, CL-1 declared higher intakes of fibers and vegetable proteins, whilst CL-2 habitually consumed more saturated fats. We provide the first empirical evidence that simultaneous variations in sensory acuity and gut microbial consortia associate with different dietary habits, thus paving the way for unravelling the complex link between host-related non-genetic factors and aetiology of eating behaviors.

The number of lactose-free dairy products designed for people with lactose intolerance is continuously increasing. Lactose‐free dairy products can undergo chemical and sensory changes due to the high reactivity of glucose and galactose formed upon lactose hydrolysis. In this study, the impact of lactose hydrolysis on the quality of dulce de leche (DL), a typical Latin America confectionary product was investigated. A 23 full factorial design was employed to study the effect of lactose hydrolysis, sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) and sucrose addition on physicochemical composition, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) formation, color changes, texture and volatiles organic compounds (VOCs) profile of DL. HMF and browning increased in hydrolyzed-lactose DL (HLDL) compared to conventional DL. HLDL was also harder, stickier and richer of volatile Maillard reaction products (MRPs). Understanding and controlling the Maillard reaction in lactose free confectionery products is mandatory to define techno-functional and sensory product features particularly texture, color and flavor. In this frame, a possible texturizing effect of end MR products on dulce de leche was observed and may be considered further to tune confectionery product features with relatively high water activity and solid content.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in cheese, as result of the chemical, physical and microbiological properties of the raw milk, are related to its sensory properties and consumer's acceptability. Measurement of VOCs can be related to the quality of the production process, highlighting changes in the raw materials or the process con-ditions. In the present study, we tested the suitability of ANOVA-Simultaneous Component Analysis (ASCA) to extract useful information from volatile organic compound data measured over two years of production of Trentingrana cheese in a real production context where several confounding factors are present.A total of 317 cheese wheels were collected from the 15 cooperative dairy factories every two months. The ASCA analysis indicates that the milk collection affects the VOC profiles. To deeper investigate this factor, an Orthogonal Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA) model was developed to estimate the asso-ciations between VOCs and process characteristics of the dairy factory. Results showed that the milk collection procedure affects the content of organic acids, esters, and ketones of the cheeses.

Checking food quality is crucial in food production and its commercialization.In this context, the analysis of macroscopic visual properties, like shape, color, and texture, plays an important role as a first assessment of food quality.Currently, such an analysis is mostly performed by human experts, who observe, smell, taste the food, and judge it based on their training and experience.Such an assessment is usually subjective, time-consuming, and expensive, so it is of great interest to support it with automated and objective advanced computer vision tools.In this paper, we present a deep learning method to estimate the rind thickness of Trentingrana cheese from color images acquired in a controlled environment.Rind thickness is a key feature for the commercial selection of this cheese and is commonly considered to evaluate its quality.We tested our method on 90 images of cheese slices, where we defined the ground-truth rind thickness using the measures provided by a panel of 12 experts.Our method achieved a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of ≈ 0.5 mm, which is half the ≈ 1.2 mm error produced on average by the experts with respect to the defined ground-truth.

Oral microbiota-host interactions are gaining recognition as potential factors contributing to interindividual variations in taste perception. However, whether such possible links imply specific bacterial co-occurrence networks remains unknown. To address this issue, we used 16 s rRNA gene sequencing to profile the salivary microbiota of 100 healthy individuals (52 % women; 18-30 y/o), who provided hedonic and psychophysical responses to 5 liquid and 5 solid commercially-available foods, each chosen to elicit a target sensation (sweet, sour, bitter, salty, pungent). The same cohort also completed several psychometric measures and a 4-day food diary. Unsupervised data-driven clustering of genus-level Aitchison distances supported the existence of two salivary microbial profiles (CL-1, CL-2). While CL-1 (n = 57; 49.1 % women) exhibited higher α-diversity metrics and was enriched in microbial genera assigned to the class Clostridia (e.g., Lachnospiraceae_[G-3]), CL-2 (n = 43; 55.8 % women) harbored greater amounts of taxa with potential cariogenic effects (e.g., genus Lactobacillus) and significantly lower abundances of inferred MetaCyc pathways related to the metabolic fate of acetate. Intriguingly, CL-2 showed enhanced responsiveness to warning oral sensations (bitter, sour, astringent) and a higher propensity to crave sweet foods or engage in prosocial behaviors. Further, the same cluster reported habitually consuming more simple carbohydrates and fewer beneficial nutrients (vegetable proteins, monounsaturated fatty acids). In summary, while the mediating role of participants' baseline diet on findings can not be definitively excluded, this work provides evidence suggesting that microbe-microbe and microbe-taste interactions may exert an influence on dietary habits and motivates further research to uncover a potential "core" taste-related salivary microbiota.