The high heterogeneity of meat and meat products can influence the sensory perception of the consumers, being necessary to measure the real impact of these non-controllable variables on the dynamic sensory properties of the smoked bacon during tasting. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of smoking and fat content on the dynamic sensory perception of bacon by Brazilian consumers. For this, four different samples were prepared, varying the fat content (from "low" to "high") and the type of smoking shown on the product label (natural and artificial). Thirty-five habitual smoked bacon consumers evaluated the dynamic sensory properties of the product using the Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS) method. The results were submitted to univariate (bandplot by attribute) and multivariate analyzes (Principal Component Analysis) to study both the dominance rate and its duration, respectively. The main attributes modified during tasting were "salty," "fatty," and "succulent," thus showing that the dynamic sensory perception of smoked bacon was modified by the type of smoking and the fat content of the sample.

Identifying the ideal product is the most important step in new product development and improvement of existing ones. The aim of this study was to identify the ideal smoked bacon using PrefMFA and PrefMap considering three different sensory spaces obtained via descriptive analysis (DA), projectivemapping (PM) and CATA questions. Six smoked bacons were characterized by ten trained assessors using DA, and by two consumers panel using PM (n=93) and CATA questions (n=100). Also, one hundred consumers indicated their overall liking using a nine-point hedonic scale. The results showed that both techniques identified an ideal product. However, the sensory method has a greater effect than the multivariate procedure to obtain the sensory spaces prior to the preference mapping. Subsequent studies with other food matrices are still necessary in order to generalize our results

Acute heat stress may affect the quality of broilers meat, however there are no reports considering thermal conditions commercially available in Brazil. In this way, the present work aimed to fill this gap of industrial relevance. Broilers of commercial strain (Cobb 500, n = 540) were randomly assigned to two thermal conditions: acute heat stress (AHS; 35°C; 75 - 85% relative humidity) and not-heat-stress (NS; 22ºC; 83 ± 6.6% relative humidity), for 2 hours prior to slaughter. The mortality rate for AHS broilers reached 37%, which was greater than 5.2% verified for NS. According to the mean values, the broiler chickens were not totally affected in the parameters of pH24h, lightness (L*), cooking loss, and shear force. However, the distributions of data show great variability in the values of pH24h, L* and water holding capacity (WHC) for AHS broilers. It is suggested that AHS broilers, at severe conditions which result in increased mortality, present breast meat with greater incidence of higher pH24h, and lower lightness and WHC values.

The first contact between consumers and the food product is usually the packaging and it’s labelling. Therefore, it is the primary means to generate consumer’s expectations. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the influence of nutritional and health claims on acceptance of salami with reduced sodium content, aimed at finding guidance for the product reformulation. Sixty consumers evaluated four samples of salami. The overall acceptance was evaluated using a nine-point hedonic scale, and the attributes color, tenderness, characteristic flavor and salt content, were evaluated by 7 - point just-about-right (JAR) scale. For the expectation test, overall liking of salami with reduced sodium content was evaluated by consumers under three conditions: (1) blind test (B); (2) expectation generated by nutritional and health claims (E), and (3) consumers re-tasted the salami having the nutrition and health claims available (R). Student’s t-tests performed on data indicated no significant differences (p > 0.05) between the mean acceptance under the blind (B) and real (R) conditions, although expectation ratings (E) were significantly higher than (B) (p ≤ 0.05). However, linear regression of (R - B) x (E - B) ratings revealed a major assimilation effect of expectation, especially under negative disconfirmation (E > B). Contrast effect was also observed, but to a lesser extent. The results showed that saltiness attribute was not decisive in decreased acceptance according to the JAR scale, but it was relevant in the aftertaste generated by adding salt substitutes. Finally, nutritional and health claims had little effect on consumer acceptance.

Evaluations of meat quality, including color, influence purchasing decisions and can be affected by type of fresh meat the packaging system. In this study, fresh steaks from Bos indicus bull were packaged in the vacuum (vacuum), 75% O2/25% CO2 (HiOx-MAP) and 40% CO2/0.4% CO/59.6% N2 (CO-MAP). Emphasis is placed on the color and lipid oxidation of bull beef steaks. Results reveal that the steaks stored in CO-MAP and HiOx-MAP exhibited similar or brighter red color than fresh steaks (exposed only to oxygen) or vacuum. The red color of the LD bull beef steaks packaged in CO-MAP was more intense than the color of meat stored in HiOx-MAP after the 14th day of storage. Vacuum packing dramatically impaired the color of the LD bull steaks, which were severely discolored (brown) after all storage times. Bos indicus steaks of all treatments showed extremely low TBARS values in all storage times. The results suggested that HiOx-MAP or CO-MAP may be utilized to stabilize or improve the red color of fresh steaks from bull of so appreciated by the consumer

ABSTRACT The aim of the present study was to develop low sodium salami prepared with pork, low-fat beef and a small quantity of pork back fat (150 g kg−1). Sodium chloride (NaCl) was replaced by potassium chloride (KCl) and calcium chloride (CaCl2), and salamis were tasted to obtain low-salt salami with sensory characteristics similar to those found in commercial ones. Salamis were prepared following seven different treatments. Treatments included five different combinations of KCl and CaCl2 which varied from 5 g kg−1 to 10 g kg−1 and two controls containing high (25 g kg−1) and low (10 g kg−1) concentrations of NaCl. The right level of saltiness of each treatment was evaluated on “just-about-right” (JAR) scales and analyzed by Penalty Analysis. The results showed differences in pH and Aw (water activity) due to NaCl reduction. Salt replacement mixtures of KCl/CaCl2 in salamis did not affect this process technologically (slicing, appearance and texture), and the decrease in Na content was approximately 55 %. Although no significant differences were observed in appearance, treatments differed (p ≤ 0.05) in flavor, texture, and overall liking. As regards salt content of salami, consumers considered treatments with low NaCl content and replacers KCl and CaCl2 (% Na) as having an acceptable level of saltiness. However, this replacement produced a strange taste. Thus, the production of low sodium salamis using salt replacers (KCl and CaCl2) or salamis without replacers with a value higher than 1 % of NaCl can be used effectively without compromising major sensorial attributes.

Probiotics are live microorganisms that confer a health benefit on the host by improving the intestinal microbial balance. We evaluated the viability of Lactobacillus acidophilus (La) and Bifidobacterium lactis (Bl) probiotics and their effects on the technology and sensorial characteristics of fermented sausage. The presence of probiotic cultures reduced water activity and promoted faster pH reduction in the salamis, which presented pH values between 4.71 and 5.23 and water activity between 0.84 and 0.89. Lactic acid content ranged between 0.19 and 0.29 g, and the samples lost up to 35 % of their weight during ripening. As regards color, no differences were found between the probiotic salamis and the control, presenting an overall mean of 40.85 for L* (lightness), 14.48 for a* (redness) and 6.46 for b* (yellowness). High consumer acceptance was observed for the probiotic salamis, which showed an average acceptance of approximately 7.0 on a nine-point hedonic scale for all attributes evaluated, with no differences (p < 0.05) when compared with the control. The performance of La was better, as the salamis treated with this microorganism presented less weight loss, better acceptance and greater purchase intention. Flavor and texture were the attributes that most influenced sensory acceptance. Salamis supplemented with probiotic cultures may be a viable option for the formulation of fermented sausages in the food industry.