Sensory Evaluation and Food Science Flashcards

Flashcards covering sensory evaluation, browning reactions, exfoliation, and emulsions.

What are the five main senses involved in sensory evaluation?

The five main senses are smell (olfaction, aroma), sight (appearance, visual), touch (tactile, mouthfeel), taste (gustation, basic tastes, flavors), and hearing (audition, sounds).

Why is it important to conduct sensory evaluations of food products?

Quality control, understanding consumer preferences, new product development, and product improvement are reasons why we evaluate food.

What are the 5 basic tastes?

Sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami.

What is the Maillard reaction?

A non-enzymatic chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that occurs with heat, producing brown color pigments (melanoidins) and complex flavor compounds.

What is the sensory impact of the Maillard reaction on food products?

Browning of outer layer, roasted, nutty, meaty smells, umami, slight bitterness.

What is caramelization?

A non-enzymatic chemical reaction where sugar breaks down under high heat, which produces brown color compounds and rich and sweet flavors.

What is the sensory impact of caramelization on food products?

Appearance, aroma, and taste.

What are the 3 Stages of Caramelisation?

Light Caramel, Medium Caramel, and Dark Caramel.

What is exfoliation?

The removal of dead skin cells from the stratum corneum.

What are the benefits of exfoliation?

Smooths texture, improves tone, enhances product absorption, stimulates cell turnover, and reveals a brighter, healthier-looking complexion.

What are the two types of exfoliation?

Mechanical (Physical) and Chemical.

What do Humectants do in an exfoliating scrub?

Draws water into the skin to hydrate it.

What do Emollients do in an exfoliating scrub?

Soften skin and form a hydrophobic coating on the surface to prevent moisture loss.

What do Preservatives do in an exfoliating scrub?

Prevents microbial growth and preserves the product.

What is an emulsion?

An emulsion is a dispersion of two immiscible liquids stabilized by an emulsifier.

What are the main components in an emulsion?

Water, emulsifier, and oil.

What is an emulsifier?

A surfactant used to stabilize emulsions by reducing interfacial tension between oil and water, forming a protective film around dispersed droplets to prevent phase separation.

What are the two types of emulsions?

Oil in Water (O/W) and Water in Oil (W/O)

What characterizes an Oil-in-Water (O/W) emulsion?

Oil droplets are dispersed in water.

What characterizes a Water-in-Oil (W/O) emulsion?

Water droplets are dispersed in oil.

What conditions can cause phase inversions in emulsions?

Mechanical force, temperature changes, addition of excess dispersed phase, and chemical changes.

What does emulsion splitting or breaking refer to?

Complete separation of oil and water due to loss of emulsion stability.

How can emulsifiers prevent emulsions from splitting?

They reduce the surface tension between both phases.

What are the roles of emulsifiers in food products?

Help to mix oil and water phases and stay stable, prevent separation by reducing surface tension, and improve texture, appearance, and shelf life.