Correlating Perceived Crispness Intensity to Physical Changes in an Amorphous Snack Food

Abstract

A crispy amorphous food was equilibrated to different moisture contents. These samples were tested for the glass transition temperature (T_g) using mechanical methods. The brittle-ductile transition temperature (T_b) was determined using force-deformation methods. Finally, the temperature where the onset to the sharp decrease in crispness intensity occurred (T_ci) was determined by a 10-member sensory panel rating the crispness intensity. The relationships of the T_g, the T_b, and the T_ci were determined using three different statistical methods. The results of this research indicated that the T_g, the T_b, and the T_ci were related to one another as a function of moisture content.

Keywords:

• Brittle-ductile transition
• Glass transition
• Crispness
• Moisture content

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This project was partially funded by the IFT Marcel Loncin Research Prize, the University of Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station Project #18-72, and by a USDA National Needs Research Fellowship.

Notes

^a Measured using AquaLab (Decagon,) at 25°C.

^b a_w of salt solution at 25°C.

^c a_w of salt solution at 5°C.

^a Sample size=4 instead of 5.

^b Sample size=3 instead of 5.

^c Values determined using JMP IN®.

^d Standard deviation found by bootstrapping as discussed in text.

^a The slope or intercept is significantly different (p-value≤0.05).

^a p-Value from the analysis of variance of the linear fit linear relationship between the differences in transition temperatures as a function of moisture content.

^†Current address: Baldwin Richardson Foods Co., 3268 Blue Heron View, Macedon, NY 14502.