Instrumental Textural Properties of Mesir Paste Kept at Different Temperatures

Abstract

Traditional mesir paste bar samples were kept at different temperatures (4 ± 1°C, 20 ± 1°C, or 30 ± 1°C) and their textural properties were determined by conducting instrumental texture profile analysis. Total sugar content of mesir was 85 g/100 g sample, whereas the inverted sugar amount was 79 g/100 g. Saccharose content of mesir was 10 g/100 g. It was determined that temperature significantly affected the textural attributes of mesir paste samples (P < 0.05). Hardness of mesir paste kept in a refrigerator was 2241 N, whereas it was 273 N and 8.24 N for the samples kept at ambient temperature and 30 ± 1°C, respectively.

Keywords:

• Mesir paste
• TPA analysis
• Textural attributes
• Textural quality

INTRODUCTION

Mesir paste (macun) is a traditional taste in the history of Manisa, which is an historical Anatolian city in the Aegean Region of Turkey. Mesir paste was used as a medicine in the ancient Ottoman Empire. It is known that mesir paste contains 41 different types of spices, including allspice, anise, black cumin, black myrobalan, black pepper, buckthorn, cinnamon, coconut, coriander, cloves, ginger, mastic, muskroot, saffron, sennai vanilla, and yellow myrobalan. Mesir was used for its therapeutic characteristics in the Ottoman Empire. It was believed that mesir paste was a natural medicine against illnesses. Mesir was manufactured in Ottoman palaces and consumed for a well balanced immune system. Mesir paste is mainly produced in Manisa and is also known as Manisa Mesir paste. It is traditionally distributed on every March 21 since the year 1539. Mesir is widely consumed in especially the Aegean Region of Turkey.^[1]

Mesir is produced in big open tanks. Sugar (saccharose), water, and the other additives (spices) are boiled together for hours. When it is hot, mesir is given a bar shape and is then cut and packaged manually by using cellophane paper. Mesir paste is kept at room temperature in markets. Its shelf life is 1 year. No additives other than spices are used for manufacturing of mesir. Since it is hard to eat the mesir paste at room temperature because of its high adhesiveness, consumers keep mesir in their refrigerators. In this study, it was aimed to determine general chemical composition of mesir and its textural attributes at three different temperatures. To the best of my knowledge, there are not any researches presently regarding the determination of textural attributes of mesir paste.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mesir paste samples were manufactured at a local plant in Manisa. All spices (allspice, anise, black cumin, black myrobalan, black pepper, buckthorn, cinnamon, coconut, coriander, cloves, ginger, mastic, muskroot, saffron, sennai vanilla, and yellow myrobalan) and sugar were provided by the manufacturer. Manufacturing and all analyses were repeated two times. One batch of mesir samples was kept at refrigerator (R), one batch was kept at ambient temperature (20 ± 1°C) (A), and the last batch was kept at 30 ± 1°C (H) for approximately 1 h until their temperatures became 4 ± 1°C, 20 ± 1°C, and 30 ± 1°C. Moisture content of the samples was determined by a vacuum oven drying method at 60 ± 1°C under a vacuum of 650 mmHg, whereas ash content of the samples were determined by incinerating the sample in an ash oven at 550 ± 5°C. Total sugar content was determined by the Lane-Eynon method according to Cemeroglu.[2] For determination of texture profile analysis (TPA) of scores of mesir paste samples, the TA.XT II Plus Texture Analyzer (Vienna Court, Surrey, England) was used. Samples of 1.5 cm in width and 1 cm in height were prepared. The probe of the texture analyzer was a P-25 (cylindrical probe having a diameter of 25 mm). Pre-test speed, test speed, and post-test speed were stated as 2, 1, and 2 mm/sec, respectively. Compression was distance mode of 5 mm. Load cell was 50 kg. Two compressions in a row were applied on the samples. According to the graphic obtained, hardness, cohesiveness, chewiness, adhesiveness, springiness, gumminess, and stringiness values of the samples were determined.[3–5 5 Hardness (N) is the maximum height of the first peak on the first compression; cohesiveness (A ₂/A ₁) is the ratio of the second compression to first compression positive areas; gumminess (N) is the product of hardness and cohesiveness (strength required to chew down); springiness is measured by dividing the distance of the detected height of the product on the second compression by the original compression distance; and chewiness (N) is the product of gumminess and springiness (a measure of the energy spent in the chew down process).[6] Adhesiveness (N.s) describes the work for overcoming the force of attraction between the area of food and other solids coming into contact with each other.[7] Findings obtained from the analyses were evaluated by the GLM procedure of the SAS Statistical Analyses Programme according to the completely randomized design.[8] Duncan analysis was applied on the results found statistically significant (P < 0.05).[9]

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Average chemical composition of mesir paste samples is given in Table 1. Inverted sugar content of mesir was 79 g/100 g, whereas total sugar and saccharose contents of the samples were 85 g/100 g and 10 g/100 g, respectively. As it is seen from Table 1, average water content of the samples was too low (3.2 g/100 g). According to Oskay et al.,[10] invert sugar content of mesir paste was 40.54 g/100 g, whereas the ash content was 0.17 g/100 g.

Table 1  Chemical attributes of mesir paste samples (n = 2)

Chemical content (g/100 g)
Inverted sugar	79 (3)*
Total sugar	85 (3)
Saccharose	10 (1)
Water	3.2 (0.5)
Ash	0.1 (0.01)
*The numerical value in the parenthesis is standard deviation.

Textural attributes of the samples are given in Table 2. Hardness, adhesiveness, chewiness, gumminess, cohesiveness, and springiness values of the samples were determined.

Table 2  TPA analysis scores of mesir paste samples kept at different temperatures (n = 2)

	Sample
Textural characteristics	R	A	H
Hardness (N)	2241 (209)^a *,**	273 (45)^b	8.24 (0.09)^b
Adhesiveness (N.s)	17.5 (10)^b	62 (16)^b	11,929 (1713)^a
Chewiness (N)	1196 (270)^a	77 (2)^b	13.09 (0.09)^b
Gumminess (N)	428 (84)^a	77 (16)^b	25 (5.8)^b
Cohesiveness	0.19 (0.06)^b	0.28 (0.01)^b	3.6 (0.2)^a
Springiness	0.28 (0.01)^c	1.17 (0.01)^b	1.84 (0.01)^a
*The numerical value in the parenthesis is standard deviation.
**Results with different letters in a row are statistically different (P < 0.05).

Hardness values of the samples R, A, and H were 2241, 273, and 8.24 N, respectively. The highest hardness value was obtained for the samples kept in a refrigerator at 4 ± 1°C. Mandala et al.[11] reported that hardness values of xhantan-starch mixtures at 5°C was higher than hardness values of the samples kept at 25°C. It is obvious that there is a significant difference among the hardness value of the sample kept in refrigerator and the hardness values of the other two samples kept at 20 or 30°C (P < 0.05).

The effect of storage temperature on adhesiveness scores of the samples was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05). Adhesiveness value of the sample H was 11,929 N.s whereas this value was 17.5 N.s for R and 62 N.s for A. As seen, adhesiveness scores of the samples increased with the increasing storage temperature. A positive correlation was observed among the cohesiveness and adhesiveness scores of the samples (P < 0.05, r = 0.98).

Chewiness is known as a function of hardness.[12] As seen from Table 2, chewiness scores of samples R, A, and H were 1196, 77, and 13.09 N, respectively. It was found that storage temperature significantly affected the chewiness scores of the samples similar to hardness scores (P < 0.05). A positive and high correlation was observed among chewiness and hardness scores of the mesir samples (P < 0.05, r = 0.95).

Gumminess scores of the samples were among 25 N and 428 N, whereas the highest gumminess value was obtained for the sample R, which was kept in a refrigerator at 4 ± 1°C. According to statistical analyses results of the samples, positive and high correlations were determined among gumminess and hardness (r = 0.96), gumminess and chewiness (r = 0.99), whereas a high and negative correlation was observed among gumminess and springiness values (r = 0.93).

Cohesiveness indicates the strength of the internal bonds making up the body of the product. As seen from Table 2, cohesiveness samples of the samples change among the values 0.19 and 3.6. A higher cohesiveness score was obtained for the sample kept at a higher environmental temperature. With the increasing temperature, cohesiveness scores of the samples also increased. It is thought that this was because of the high sugar content of the mesir paste. Due to acceleration of melting of the sugar in the paste at higher temperatures, cohesiveness scores of the samples increased.

Average springiness scores of R, A, and H were 0.28, 1.17, and 1.84. It was determined that storage temperature difference significantly affected the springiness results of the samples (P < 0.05). According to statistical analysis results of the data obtained from texture analysis, there was an important and negative correlation, which was observed among hardness and springiness values of the samples (r = 0.94).

CONCLUSION

As a conclusion, it seems that storage temperature is an important factor affecting the textural attributes of mesir paste. Due to its adhesive structure because of high sugar content textural attributes of mesir paste was influenced with the environmental temperature. Keeping at higher temperatures made the paste more cohesive and soft whereas keeping at refrigerator temperatures made the mesir samples harder. With the increasing storage temperature, higher adhesiveness and springiness were achieved. The average gumminess score of mesir paste kept at 4 ± 1°C was higher than the others. High and positive correlations were observed among hardness and chewiness and hardness and gumminess, whereas negative correlations were observed among hardness and springiness and hardness and cohesiveness.