Ice cream formulations with varying amounts of added whey protein were created for those living with dysphagia in long‐term care facilities (LTCs) to improve protein and fluid intake. The samples of thickened ice cream included a control (0% whey protein [WP]) and formulations with 6% (6WP), 8% (8WP), 10% (10WP), 12% (12WP) and 14% (14WP) added whey protein by volume. The consistency of the samples was assessed using the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) Spoon Tilt Test, a sensory trial (n = 102) using hedonic scales and check‐all‐that‐apply (CATA) and another sensory trial (n = 96) using temporal check‐all‐that‐apply (TCATA). The whey protein increased the acceptability of the thickened ice cream except for the 12WP and 14WP formulations. The formulations with higher amounts of whey protein were associated with bitterness, custard/eggy flavor, and mouthcoating. The TCATA identified that the addition of whey protein led to slippery, gritty, and grainy attributes being perceived in the thickened ice cream. The study identified that 10% whey protein by volume can be added to thickened ice cream without impacting its' acceptability and the 6WP, 8WP, and 10WP formulations were liked significantly more than the control (without whey protein).

Chemical irritants, like piperine, have the potential to increase human perception of tastes and odours, including saltiness. This cross-modal interaction could help the food industry develop new salt-reduced food products that maintain their salty taste. The objective of this study was: firstly, to determine the detection threshold of piperine (n = 72), secondly to evaluate piperine’s influence on saltiness perception in model solutions (n = 78), and lastly to identify piperine’s effect on sensory perception of low sodium soup using temporal check-all-that-apply (TCATA; n = 75). The group mean of the individual threshold was 0.55 ± 0.15 ppm. Piperine increased the saltiness perception of the model solutions, but it also increased the bitterness and decreased the sweetness of the solutions. The piperine significantly increased the saltiness intensity of the soups (evaluated using a generalized labelled magnitude), but during the TCATA task, the salty attribute was selected less for the soup with piperine than the control (based on the average proportion of selection). The TCATA indicated that the peppery attribute dominated the participants’ perception of the soup with piperine. More studies are needed to assess piperine’s cross-modal interactions.

Consumers are interested in plant-based alternatives (PBAs) to dairy and meat products, and as such, the food industry is responding by developing a variety of different plant-based food items. For these products to be successful, their textural properties must be acceptable to consumers. These textural properties need to be thoroughly investigated using different sensory methodologies to ensure consumer satisfaction. This review paper aims to summarize the various textural properties of PBAs, as well as to discuss the sensory methodologies that can be used in future studies of PBAs. PBAs to meat have been formulated using a variety of production technologies, but these products still have textural properties that differ from animal-based products. Most dairy and meat alternatives attempt to mimic their conventional counterparts, yet sensory trials rarely compare the PBAs to their meat or dairy counterparts. While most studies rely on consumers to investigate the acceptability of their products’ textural properties, future studies should include dynamic sensory methodologies, and attribute diagnostics questions to help product developers characterize the key sensory properties of their products. Studies should also indicate whether the product is meant to mimic a conventional product and should define the target consumer segment (ex. flexitarian, vegan) for the product. The importance of textural properties to PBAs is repeatedly mentioned in the literature and thus should be thoroughly investigated using robust sensory methodologies.