Culinology - September 2012 - (Page 10)

EMERGING TRENDS Study examines how fat affects flavor perception Fat in food may reduce activity in areas of the brain responsible for processing taste, aroma and reward, according to a joint three-year study by The University of Nottingham and Unilever that appeared in the July issue of Chemosensory Perception. The study observed how people in their 20s responded to changes in the fat content of four different fruit emulsions they tasted while under an MRI scanner. All four samples had the same thickness and sweetness. One sample contained flavor and no fat, and the other three contained fat with different flavor-release properties. Researchers found the areas of the people’s brains responsible for flavor perception were significantly more activated when the non-fatty sample was tested compared with the fatty emulsions. They noted increased activation in the brain areas does not necessarily result in increased perception of flavor. “This is the first brain study to assess the effect of fat on the processing of flavor perception, and it raises the question as to why fat emulsions suppress the cortical response in brain areas linked to the processing of flavor and reward,” said Joanne Hort, PhD, an associate professor in sensory sciences at The University of Nottingham. “It also remains to be determined what the implications of this suppressive effect are on feelings of hunger, satiety and reward.” Johanneke Busch, a Unilever food scientist based in Vlaardingen, The Netherlands, said, “There is more to people’s enjoyment of food than the product’s flavor, like its mouthfeel, its texture and whether it satisfies hunger. This is a very important building block for us to better understand how to innovate and manufacture healthier food products which people want to buy.” 10 | Culinology | SEPTEMBER 2012 http://www.siemersi.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Culinology - September 2012

Culinology - September 2012
Table of Contents
President's Letter - What's next?
Upcoming Events
Emerging Trends - Millennials’ shopping attitudes ‘volatile’
Study examines how fat affects flavor perception
Consumers choosing healthy foods for wellness
Member Profile - Spice Guy
Sodium Reduction - Behind the Magic
Certification - Tyson Raises the 'food bar'
Cuisine Trends - Back to the future
Petits Fours
Ad Index

Culinology - September 2012