(Press-News.org) Philadelphia, PA, July 24, 2013 – To make the inherent bitterness of cocoa in chocolate ice cream more palatable, manufacturers add high levels of fat and sugar. Yet, bitterness is an integral part of the complex flavor of chocolate. In a new study published in the August issue of the Journal of Dairy Science®, investigators report that consumers who prefer dark chocolate in solid form tolerate twice the amount of bitter ingredients in chocolate ice cream than those who prefer milk chocolate. Elimination of some added sugar and fats in chocolate ice cream may be acceptable, and perhaps preferable, to some consumers.
"Our primary goal was to determine whether rejection thresholds for added bitterness in chocolate ice cream could be predicted by individual preferences for solid milk or dark chocolate," says senior author John E. Hayes, Assistant Professor of Food Science and Director of the Sensory Evaluation Center, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. "Estimating rejection thresholds could be an effective, rapid tool to determine acceptable formulations or quality limits when considering attributes that become objectionable at high intensities."
The research team produced a control sample of plain chocolate ice cream and samples with varying levels of sucrose octaacetate, a food-safe bitter ingredient used to alter the chocolate ice cream's bitterness without disturbing other the sensory qualities of the samples, like texture.
These samples were offered in pairs to 96 members of the Penn State community who were non-smokers between the ages of 18 and 45. Forty-six participants preferred milk chocolate. All participants were asked to indicate which of the two blind samples they preferred. They each tasted one spoonful of ten different samples, rinsing with water between pairs.
As expected, the group that preferred solid dark chocolate showed a significantly higher rejection threshold – about twice as high -- for sucrose octaacetate in the chocolate ice cream than the group that preferred milk chocolate.
"These results suggest that this approach could be used to make chocolate ice cream with less added sugar to be marketed for dark chocolate lovers, though this needs to be formally tested," says Dr. Hayes. "Rejection thresholds can also be applied to other dairy foods in quality control or product optimization applications as a means to determine specific concentration limits associated with preferences."
Further, the research team has demonstrated that the use of the rejection threshold methodology can be used effectively with solid, and not just liquid, foods.
### END
Dark chocolate lovers show higher tolerance for bitterness in chocolate ice cream
Findings reported in the Journal of Dairy Science®
2013-07-24
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Study explains why Africans may be more susceptible to tuberculosis
2013-07-24
PHILADELPHIA—A researcher from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and colleagues have identified the genetic mutation in Africans with HIV that puts them at a much higher risk for tuberculosis (TB) infections.
Africans have some of the highest rates of TB in the world, and it has long been suspected that genetic susceptibility plays a role. However, establishing candidate genes across populations to gauge risk has remained a challenge.
Now, a new study, published this week in the online Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National ...
Brothers and sisters learn to build positive relationships in SIBS Program
2013-07-24
Little is known about how sibling relationships impact child and family functioning, but Penn State researchers are beginning to shed light on intervention strategies that can cultivate healthy and supportive sibling relationships.
Parents frequently rank their children's sibling rivalry and conflict as the number one problem they face in family life.
"In some other cultures, the roles of older and younger, male and female siblings are better defined, and in those more-structured family relationships, there is not much room for bullying and disrespect," said Mark Feinberg, ...
Record incidence of hantavirus disease
2013-07-24
2824 new cases of hantavirus disease were reported in Germany in 2012, the highest number ever in a single year. In the current issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, Detlev Krüger and coauthors present the main facts about this disease (Dtsch Arztebl Int 2013; 110[27-28]: 461-7).
Every two to three years, large outbreaks of hantavirus disease are caused by Puumala virus, which is transmitted by bank voles and is endemic to southwestern and western Germany. In the north and east of the country, hantavirus infections are caused by the Dobrava-Belgrad virus, which ...
First human tests of new biosensor that warns when athletes are about to 'hit the wall'
2013-07-24
A new biosensor, applied to the human skin like a temporary tattoo, can alert marathoners, competitive bikers and other "extreme" athletes that they're about to "bonk," or "hit the wall," scientists are reporting. The study, in ACS' journal Analytical Chemistry, describes the first human tests of the sensor, which also could help soldiers and others who engage in intense exercise — and their trainers — monitor stamina and fitness.
Joseph Wang and colleagues explain that the sensor monitors lactate, a form of lactic acid released in sweat. Lactate forms when the muscles ...
Ancient technology for metal coatings 2,000 years ago can't be matched even today
2013-07-24
Artists and craftsmen more than 2,000 years ago developed thin-film coating technology unrivaled even by today's standards for producing DVDs, solar cells, electronic devices and other products. Understanding these sophisticated metal-plating techniques from ancient times, described in the ACS journal Accounts of Chemical Research, could help preserve priceless artistic and other treasures from the past.
Gabriel Maria Ingo and colleagues point out that scientists have made good progress in understanding the chemistry of many ancient artistic and other artifacts — crucial ...
Researchers target HER1 receptor for peptide cancer vaccine, therapeutic agents
2013-07-24
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Small proteins called peptides that consist of 10 to 50 amino acids are being studied as cancer vaccines and as possibly safer, more effective and less costly alternatives to the monoclonal-antibody-based drugs and small-molecule inhibitors now used to treat many malignancies.
Researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) have identified two regions on the HER1/EGFR receptor, a protein important for cancer-cell growth and metastasis and for ...
University of Alberta scientists get dirty at the Robson Glacier
2013-07-24
Glacier retreat areas provide an excellent window into the evolution of microbial communities, an ideal opportunity for scientists to study how quickly soil biological functions become established and how ecosystems begin to form. Soils are not static in the landscape, but instead evolve with time under the influence of multiple environmental factors – understanding how these factors interact can lead to advancements in the science and management of soils.
Aria Hahn and Dr. Sylvie Quideau, researchers at the University of Alberta, conducted their research in Mount Robson ...
A quick test for the Black Death
2013-07-24
This news release is available in German. Diagnosing the presence of Yersinia pestis, the cause of plague, may soon be easier than ever before. Scientists working with Peter Seeberger, Director at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces (MPIKG) in Potsdam and Professor at the Freie Universität Berlin, have come up with a simple, inexpensive and reliable method of detecting the bacterium. The research team, specialising in glycochemistry and glycobiology, first identified and synthesised an oligosaccharide structure on bacterial surface before combining ...
University of Minnesota research reveals luxury products' role in relationships
2013-07-24
Purchasing designer handbags and shoes is a means for women to express their style, boost self-esteem, or even signal status. New University of Minnesota research suggests some women also seek these luxury items to prevent other women from stealing their man.
Through a series of five experiments featuring 649 women of varying ages and relationship statuses, Carlson School of Management Associate Professor Vladas Griskevicius and PhD student Yajin Wang discovered how women's luxury products often function as a signaling system directed at other women who pose a threat ...
Medicare spending rates based on regional cost variations unlikely to improve health care
2013-07-24
WASHINGTON -- A "geographic value index" that would tie Medicare payment rates to the health benefits and costs of health services in particular regions of the country should not be adopted by Congress, says a new congressionally mandated report from the Institute of Medicine. The committee that wrote the report concluded that decisions about health care generally are made at the level of the physician or organization, such as a hospital, not at the regional level. Because individual physician performance varies, sometimes even within a single practice group, an index ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Sperm microRNAs: Key regulators of the paternal transmission of exercise capacity
Seeing double: Clever images open doors for brain research
Inhaler-related greenhouse gas emissions in the US
UCLA Health study finds inhalers for asthma and COPD drive significant greenhouse gas emissions
A surgical handover system for patient physiology and safety
Cardiovascular health changes in young adults and risk of later-life cardiovascular disease
Nurse workload and missed nursing care in neonatal intensive care units
How to solve the remote work stalemate – dissertation offers tools for successful hybrid work
Chip-based phonon splitter brings hybrid quantum networks closer to reality
Texas Children’s researchers create groundbreaking tool to improve accuracy of genetic testing
Milken Institute, Ann Theodore Foundation announce more than $2.5 million in new funding for sarcoidosis research and launch new call for proposals
Boston University professor to receive 2025 Eugene Braunwald Academic Mentorship Award
Pusan National University researchers reveal how forest soil properties influence arsenic mobility and toxicity in soil organisms
Korea University researchers find sweet taste cells resist nerve damage through c-Kit protein
HealthFORCE, AAPA, and West Health release “Aging Well with AI” – first in a two part series on AI and the healthcare workforce
The real reasons Endurance sank — study finds Shackleton knew of ship’s shortcomings
Marine heatwaves have hidden impacts on ocean food webs and carbon cycling
Order from disordered proteins
Rocket test proves bacteria survive space launch and re-entry unharmed
New wheat diversity discovery could provide an urgently-needed solution to global food security
Could reducing inflammation help combat fatigue in people with early-stage breast cancer?
Traumatic brain injuries in older adults linked to increased risk of dementia
New intervention helps pediatricians promote early peanut introduction to prevent peanut allergy
New survey: Most Americans believe plasma donation saves lives, yet few have donated
New tools boost pediatricians’ adherence to peanut allergy guidelines 15-fold
Research unearths origins of Ancient Egypt’s Karnak Temple
Reevaluating nonoperative management for pediatric uncomplicated acute appendicitis
Metabolically active visceral fat linked to aggressive endometrial cancer, new study reveals
Scientists glimpse how enzymes “dance” while they work, and why that’s important
California partnership aided COVID-19 response and health equity, report finds
[Press-News.org] Dark chocolate lovers show higher tolerance for bitterness in chocolate ice creamFindings reported in the Journal of Dairy Science®