Comprehensive Flavor Profiling of Dairy Products Using Electronic Tongue: Discrimination Based on Processing...

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Sensory Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Consumer acceptance of dairy products is heavily influenced by flavor.
• Objectively analyzing complex flavor profiles resulting from multiple interacting factors (processing, formulation, raw materials) is challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To employ an electronic tongue (E-tongue) combined with sensory evaluation and chemical analysis to profile dairy products.
• To investigate the influence of processing methods, milk sources, and sugar content on dairy flavor.
• To establish a reliable method for objective flavor assessment in dairy products.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the INSENT TS-5000Z electronic tongue to quantify nine taste indices.
• Performed sensory evaluation and chemical analysis on eight fresh milk and six plain yoghurt samples.
• Applied Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for sample discrimination and Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) for sensory attribute prediction.

Main Results:

• PCA effectively discriminated milk and yoghurt samples based on processing and ingredient variables (81.2% and 92.5% cumulative variance, respectively).
• Organic milk showed higher bitterness and astringency, linked to specific fatty acids and peptides.
• Full-sugar yoghurt exhibited pronounced astringency, correlating with sensory perceptions of thickness.
• PLSR models accurately predicted sensory attributes from E-tongue data (R²Y = 0.971-0.972, Q² = 0.856-0.902), with astringency being the key predictor.

Conclusions:

• The electronic tongue provides an objective method to deconstruct complex dairy flavors influenced by multifactor interactions.
• This approach offers a valuable tool for dairy quality control, enabling precise flavor profiling and differentiation.
• The study demonstrates the potential of E-tongue technology for dairy product development and optimization.