Fat perception in cottage cheese: The contribution of aroma and tasting temperature

The aim of this work was to examine the influence of aroma and tasting temperature, on the detection of and difference sensitivity for fat content in cottage cheese. The detection (DetT) and difference (DiffF) thresholds were determined in 4 different conditions defined by a combination of two factors, each involving two variables: a nose clip (with or without) and the tasting temperature (7 C or 15 C). Forty non-trained panelists participated in this study. Thresholds were determined using two-alternative forced-choice (2-AFC) tests in ascending concentration series. Individual thresholds were calculated using the Best Estimate Threshold (BET) method. An increase in tasting temperature induced a decrease in the DetT and Difff, while the use of a nose clip led to an increase in both thresholds. A hierarchical cluster analysis evidenced three homogeneous subsets of subjects with contrasting sensitivity profiles: subsets 1 (n = 7) and 2 (n = 9) were characterized by high and low DetT and Diffr values, respectively, for all conditions, while a larger third subset (n = 24) included subjects with medium thresholds values that varied from one condition to another. Unlike the other subsets, subset 3 was significantly influenced by the change in tasting temperature, whereas only subset 1 showed no sensitivity improvement when aromas were perceptible. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.