Sensory and Microbiological Quality of a Baked Product Containing Xylitol as an Alternative Sweetener

Figures & data

Table 1 Test methods used in the sensory evaluation of the samples

Type of test	Question of interest	Panel group
Discrimination
Duo-trio test	Are the cookies with xylitol, respectively glucose different than those with sucrose?	35 untrained panelists
Descriptive
Attribute scaling (1–7)	How do the cookies with xylitol respectively glucose	35 untrained panelists
Sweetness intensity scale (9-point)	differ in specific sensory properties compared to those with sucrose?	80 untrained panelists for testing the sweetness
Affective
Hedonic scale (9-point)	How well are the cookies with xylitol respectively glucose accepted?	80 untrained panelists

Figure 1 Descriptive test of freshly made cookies with sucrose (

), xylitol (

), and glucose (□).

Table 2 Effect of storage temperature and time on the sensory attributes of the cookies containing sucrose as a sweetener

Storage time (day)	0		7				14				Significance
Storage temperature (°C)	20–22		4–6		20–22		4–6		20–22
Sensory attribute	Mean	SD	Mean	SD	Mean	SD	Mean	SD	Mean	SD
Flavor attribute
Sweet	5.23	0.42	5.20	0.40	5.31	0.46	5.20	0.40	5.34	0.47	ns
Cool	1.03	0.17	1.06	0.23	1.03	0.17	1.09	0.37	1.03	0.17	ns
Aftertaste	1.00	0.00	1.00	0.00	1.00	0.00	1.00	0.00	1.00	0.00	ns
Texture attribute
Hard	4.03	0.17	3.97	0.17	4.06	0.23	3.97	0.17	4.03	0.17	ns
Dry	6.11	0.32	6.06	0.23	6.09	0.28	6.06	0.23	6.09	0.28	ns
Crunchy	6.80	0.40	6.74	0.44	6.77	0.42	6.71	0.45	6.77	0.42	ns
Tender	3.97	0.17	3.94	0.23	3.89	0.32	3.97	0.17	3.86	0.35	ns
Soft	1.14	0.35	1.14	0.35	1.11	0.75	1.20	0.98	1.17	0.91	ns
ns: statistically non-significant (P > 0.05).

Table 3 Effect of storage temperature and time on the sensory attributes of the cookies containing xylitol as a sweetener

Storage time (day)	0		7				14				Significance
Storage temperature (°C)	20–22		4–6		20–22		4–6		20–22
Sensory attribute	Mean	SD	Mean	SD	Mean	SD	Mean	SD	Mean	SD
Flavor attribute
Sweet	5.23	0.42	5.20	0.40	5.31	0.46	5.17	0.38	5.34	0.53	ns
Cool	4.03	0.17	4.06	0.23	4.03	0.38	4.06	0.23	4.03	0.38	ns
Aftertaste	1.43	0.49	1.37	0.48	1.40	0.49	1.40	0.49	1.40	0.49	ns
Texture attribute
Hard	3.20	0.40	3.14	0.35	3.14	0.35	3.11	0.32	3.14	0.35	ns
Dry	5.03	0.17	4.97	0.17	5.00	0.00	5.00	0.24	5.03	0.17	ns
Crunchy	5.51	0.50	5.46	0.50	5.54	0.50	5.46	0.50	5.57	0.49	ns
Tender	4.91	0.28	4.86	0.35	4.80	0.40	4.86	0.35	4.83	0.38	ns
Soft	3.20	0.40	3.23	0.42	3.14	0.35	3.23	0.42	3.11	0.32	ns
ns: statistically non-significant (P > 0.05).

Table 4 Effect of storage temperature and time on the sensory attributes of the cookies containing glucose as a sweetener

Storage time (day)	0		7				14				Significance
Storage temperature (°C)	20–22		4–6		20–22		4–6		20–22
Sensory attribute	Mean	SD	Mean	SD	Mean	SD	Mean	SD	Mean	SD
Flavor attribute
Sweet	2.31	0.46	2.26	0.44	2.34	0.47	2.26	0.44	2.34	0.47	ns
Cool	1.03	0.17	1.09	0.37	1.03	0.17	1.06	0.23	1.03	0.17	ns
Aftertaste	2.71	0.45	2.77	0.42	2.77	0.42	2.80	0.40	2.80	0.40	ns
Texture attribute
Hard	3.60	0.49	3.57	0.49	3.60	0.49	3.54	0.50	3.51	0.50	ns
Dry	4.74	0.44	4.69	0.46	4.71	0.45	4.66	0.47	4.69	0.46	ns
Crunchy	2.31	0.46	2.23	0.42	2.26	0.44	2.20	0.40	2.20	0.40	ns
Tender	5.29	0.45	5.37	0.48	5.34	0.47	5.40	0.50	5.37	0.48	ns
Soft	4.51	0.50	4.57	0.50	4.57	0.50	4.66	0.47	4.63	0.48	ns
ns: statistically non-significant (P > 0.05).

Table 5 Significance of the changes in the sensory attributes of the cookies containing sucrose and xylitol after storage at room temperature for 3 months

Sensory attribute	Significance of the attribute changes in cookies with		Significance of the differences between the cookies with sucrose and xylitol
	Sucrose	Xylitol
Flavor attribute
Sweet	ns	ns	ns
Cool	ns	ns	∗∗∗
Aftertaste	ns	∗∗∗	∗∗
Texture attribute
Hard	ns	ns	∗∗∗
Dry	ns	ns	∗∗∗
Crunchy	∗∗∗	ns	∗∗∗
Tender	∗∗	ns	∗∗∗
Soft	ns	ns	∗∗∗
ns: statistically non-significant (P > 0.05);
∗: statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05);
∗∗: statistically significant (P ≤ 0.01);
∗∗∗: statistically significant (P ≤ 0.001).

Figure 2 Spider web graph of flavor and texture attributes of cookies made with sucrose (--▪--) and xylitol (—•—).

Figure 3 Sweetenes intensity scale of cookies with xylitol and glucose related to sucrose as a reference.

Figure 4 9-point hedonic scale for cookies with sucrose (

), xylitol (

), and glucose (•).

Table 6 Viable cell counts in cookies containing different sweeteners during storage

Storage time (day)	Storage temperature (°C)	Sweetener	Colony forming units (CFU/g)
190	20–22	Sucrose	400
		Xylitol	100
		Glucose	500
190	4–6	Sucrose	800
		Xylitol	700
		Glucose	800
220	−18	Sucrose	100
		Xylitol	0
		Glucose	200