Resumen de Increasing Oil Concentration Affects Consumer Perception and Physical Properties of Mayonnaise‐type Spreads Containing KCl
Damir Dennis Torrico, Witoon Prinyawiwatkul
Reducing sodium intakes remains a global challenge for the food industry. KCl is a potential salt substitute but imparts bitterness when used at high concentrations. Little is known about how oil concentrations (OC) affect consumers’ perception of saltiness and bitterness in emulsion products such as mayonnaise containing KCl. We evaluated consumers’ perception and physical properties of mayonnaise‐type spreads at various oil and tastant (NaCl or KCl) concentrations. Consumers (N= 306) evaluated saltiness, bitterness, overall taste liking (OTL) and purchase intent (PI). Viscosity, pH, water activity, and consistency/texture were also measured. Oil and tastant (NaCl or KCl) concentrations had significant effects on saltiness, viscosity, and pH. As OC increased, saltiness intensity slightly decreased for spreads. Increasing oil concentration increased viscosity. Generally, spreads containing KCl had higher bitterness and pH than spreads containing NaCl. All spreads containing KCl were penalized for being “too bitter.” PI was affected by OTL for all spreads but OC was also a significant factor in the purchase decision of spreads containing NaCl. This study demonstrated that increasing OC affected consumers’ taste perception (saltiness and bitterness) and spreads’ physical properties including pH and viscosity. The strong association between excessive sodium consumption and hypertension and cardiovascular diseases is pressuring the food industry to find alternatives to replace sodium in foods. KCl, a salt substitute, may impart bitterness and metallic aftertaste. The composition of food matrices plays an important role in consumer acceptability. This study evaluated consumer perception and physical properties of mayonnaise‐type spreads at various oil and tastant (NaCl or KCl) concentrations. Increasing oil and tastant concentrations significantly affects perception and acceptability of spreads. This study can help the food industry to understand effects of oil concentrations on sensory properties of reduced‐sodium emulsion products.
