The Volscan Profiler in Food Research

The Volscan Profiler was originally designed for use with bakery products. However, its use has exploded into other industries in the past few years, both food- and non-food-based. Not only is volume critical to bakery products, it is also an important physical property of agricultural products, meat, fish and packaging.

Agricultural products have the characteristic of being ‘low value added’ when compared with other industrial commodities. As a result, the application of state-of-the-art technology to the agricultural sector has been slow; it is only in relatively recent times that various up-to-date techniques have reached the point of practical implementation.

Food product design serving Generation Z

In the immediate future, it’s time for Millenials to move over. Generation Z is coming of age and is set to become the purchasing powerhouse of the global economy.

Research has shown that Generation Zers (typically born after 1995) to be more health conscious, more open minded and more international in their habits compared to Millenials, meaning we can expect some significant changes in the years ahead.

Generation Z has the potential to reset expectations for health and wellness, increase the reach of international cuisine, and heighten creativity in the kitchen. This means food manufacturers should be looking to produce more healthy formulations based on fruits and vegetables, more internationally diverse ingredients and flavours, as well as more interactive products enabling creative experiences. This is where texture will play a large part in creating those culinary experiences and where texture analysis is equipped to test and measure the result of food manufacturers' new creations.

Texture Analysis: A tool to help the development of new food products from byproducts

In a linear economy we ‘take’ raw materials from the environment, ‘make’ something, ‘use’ or don’t use it, and finally ‘dispose’ of it. 

 

For example: in a supermarket, food that is still good but needs to be removed from shelves – often due to inventory or overstock reasons – typically heads to the landfill. We need to adopt a new approach to avoid this wasteful situation that challenges economies across the globe. A circular approach – reuse, recycle, remake, redistribute – aims to ensure zero food waste in the food chain. 

 

Aside from the waste associated with retailers and consumers there is a growing interest in the potential use of food manufacture by-products and how they can be reintroduced into the manufacture of new products. This would not only reduces waste but also provides a nutrient recycling opportunity and establishes a more efficient and sustainable food supply chain.

How Consumers measure Texture – from first sight to swallow

Food texture plays a significant role in how consumers experience the foods andbeverages that they consume and in their preferences. 

 

Whilst we might think that taste is the key driver, texture is actually our first, and often our lasting, impression of the food we eat and is deeply entangled within other sensory properties. According to Ingredion, texture impacts other sensory modalities, even if consumers aren’t aware of it. The overall taste experience is influenced by texture when food and beverages are consumed.

Designing the Perfect Texture and keeping track of it

Texture is playing more pronounced roles in product development and creating new and just-right textures can be a new territory for product formulators trying to ensure the best eating experience for consumers. 

We eat with our eyes, nose, tongue, and ears, so in order to gain maximum enjoyment and pleasure from our food, all of the sensory attributes must be in harmony.

Texture Analysis in Research: Formulating for an ageing population

Scientists from Poznań University of Life Sciences have been evaluating the mechanical and sensory characteristics of selected foodstuffs for senior citizens. 

The population of Poland is one of the fastest ageing communities in Europe. Consequently, it is necessary to adapt the daily diet to these consumers’ requirements. The potential producers of food for senior citizens must allow for elderly people’s possibilities to consume meals (the structural aspect) and their nutritional needs.

Exploring food texture as a tool to fight obesity

Crunch. Squish. Snap. Slurp. 

The textures and aromas of our foods trigger reactions in our brains that control how full we feel. 

As scientists continue to learn just how, some are seeking to figure out if food textures also play a role in how much we eat. There might be a reason, beyond taste, to explain why a person is inclined to inhale an entire bag of potato chips, or devour a whole plate of cookies. Even more important, the knowledge could be put to good use.

Wooing the Senses through Texture

From the rise in popularity of artisan foods, to growing interest in global cultures and cuisines, consumer desire for culinary stimulation has led to a greater breadth of food ‘experiences’ being developed.

Before a consumer has even started to eat, they have an expectation of what they are about to experience and already some of their senses will have been activated. The crunch and crack from a bag of popcorn or the sight of melted oozing cheese on a freshly baked pizza are typical things that help our senses play a crucial role in how memorable, or not, the food we consume is.

The right texture can take products like French fries, yoghurt and candy-coated nuts from dull to deliciously daring. In short, if a product’s texture is wrong, consumers will notice.

Texture Analysis in Research: Its Importance for 3D Printed Foods

3D printing is becoming mainstream as a design and manufacture tool in many industries. One of these is the food industry, where innovation is a key marketing strategy; consumers will buy into products that have a new spin on ‘fun’ or ‘healthy’. It is a very useful tool in the food industry, bringing digital design to life through the medium of an edible product and allowing full customisation.

Using this tool, a food product or a whole meal can have its ingredients tailored to meet the needs of a patient in hospital or a care home, leading to a better recovery. 3D printing also has the potential to make life easier for those people who use health trackers. There is a possibility that in the future, the user’s fitness tracker can send data to the 3D printer, which will output a meal perfectly tailored to that person’s requirements.

Stickiness in Foods - Desirable or unwanted?

When a food is described as ‘sticky’, that may refer to one of several manifestations: adhesion to processing equipment, cohesion of powders, sticking to packaging, and sticking to fingers and parts of the mouth. This last characteristic affects the appreciation of food texture perceived during consumption.

In most food systems, the adhesion force in any one context is a combination of an adhesive force and a cohesive force. A food material is perceived as being sticky when the adhesive force is high and the cohesive force is low. Not all foods possess adhesiveness, and so it is not a property worth measuring in all cases. Adhesion can be either a benefit, drawback, or both depending on the circumstances.

How to do TPA properly

Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) is a popular double compression test for determining the textural properties of foods. It is occasionally used in other industries, such as pharmaceuticals, gels, and personal care.

Texture Analysis in Research: Insects as Food

With 9.6 billion people forecast to inhabit the planet in 2050, scientists have warned that population growth could lead to an unsustainable increase in food production if consumption patterns persist. 

Considering the rising world population and the scarce water and land resources, it is extremely important to find new and sustainable ways to produce food. Edible insects are particularly interesting due to their high protein content and lower environmental impacts compared to traditional livestock. They have been promoted as a source of nutrients able to contribute to the increasing need of animal protein in an environmentally sustainable fashion. In general, insects contain a considerable amount of protein with a well-balanced amino acid spectrum, a high amount of lipid, and a noteworthy content of micronutrients such as copper, zinc, and iron.

Making up for Texture in Egg Free Food

The rise in demand for a plant based diet brings with it a wide range of challenges. However, there is one ingredient in particular that can cause big problems in its absence: the humble egg. 

Eggs play an important part in a lot of cooking because they have so many interesting functions. They can add shine to the top of pies, emulsify sauces, aerate chocolate mousse and add moisture and fat to cake.

Consumers crave novel flavours, heat and unusual texture

When it comes to food and drink flavours, consumers are more difficult than ever to impress because of the amount of choice they are exposed to. 

As such, it is crucial that food and drinks are not only seen as appealing now but create some sense of excitement and adventure among consumers. Brands should push the boundaries of sensory appeal by continuing to launch products with new and innovative flavours and textures. The goal, when applicable, is to see these unusual flavours combined with novel textures and colours to create a truly unique consumption experience.

Boosting satiety in low calorie foods

According to a scientist at the Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture (Nofima), reshaping the texture of well-liked foods could help combat obesity and over-eating. 

Quoc Cuong Nguyen's research investigates the link between sensory perception, consumer expectation and satiety and finds that changing the texture of well-liked foods, to prolong the chewing time and ensure prolonged oral exposure, could make people eat less whilst experiencing a similar level of pleasure.

Texture Analysis testing Keto

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high fat diet that has been used historically to control seizures in some epilepsy patients, while causing the body to burn fat (rather than glucose) for energy. It has had a recent revival and become an extremely popular way to lose weight. While a person on the keto diet will not go hungry with the large choice of filling foods still available (meat, fish, eggs, cheese, butter, nuts, berries and cream to name a few), one thing they do lack is the comforting feeling of sitting down to a plate of pasta or a steaming jam sponge pudding and custard.

Testing texture in reformulated food

Staying firm on sugar reduction

Already in the crosshairs of health-conscious consumers, these days sugar is frequently demonised in the media.

Legislation across the globe is mandating the reduction of sugar in a variety of products, as well as demanding clearer labelling in an effort to educate and discourage consumers. Where soft drinks began, the rest of the food industry is expected to follow. As a result, manufacturers’ need to reformulate with lower sugar content is higher than ever.

However, beyond adding a sweeter taste, the reduction or removal of sugar also impacts the texture of foods which must be addressed. Jam, for example, relies on sugar for firmness. Whether being spread on toast or added to cakes, the firmness of jam is crucial to consumer enjoyment and has a direct impact on its perceived quality.

Testing texture in reformulated food

Low-fat without low-quality

With global obesity levels at an all-time high, and an improved understanding of the impact of fat on the function of many major organs, low-fat diets are a common approach used by many consumers hoping to improve their health.

This trend has had huge implications for the dairy sector, where, to meet this demand, thousands of product lines are being reformulated, and many more are being launched from scratch. From dairy drinks and yoghurts to cheeses and dairy desserts, the low-fat trend is visible everywhere.

Testing texture in reformulated food

Measuring strength and stickiness in low-salt 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), adult salt intake of less than five grams per day can help to reduce blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular disease.

In response, WHO member states have pledged to reduce the global population’s intake by a relative 30% by 2025. As such, low-salt launches, including the revolutionary change to Heinz soup recipes to provide reduced sodium options, are rife in the market. Yet, while health authorities worldwide agree too much salt can be bad for health, it does have an important role in texture – particularly in cooked meats, where it ensures firmness and “bite,” and baked goods, in which it plays a multitude of textural roles.

Testing Texture in reformulated food

Introduction

Consumers are more aware of, and knowledgeable about, their health than ever before.

This increased focus has led to people following a variety of different diets, with a wide range of dietary specifications, putting pressure on manufacturers to develop a portfolio of foods and drinks to meet individual needs. In many cases, this involves reformulating an existing product to have more of a particular ingredient, such as higher protein content, or less of another, including salt, fat and sugar.