Does the indoor thermal environment influence the dominant sensation in a functional beverage attribute?

Taste Preferences at Different Ambient Temperatures and Associated Changes in Gut Microbiota and Body Weight in Mice

Taste, dietary choices, and gut microbiota are often analyzed as major factors of metabolic health. Populations living in cold or hot regions have different dietary habits. This study aims to investigate the potential association among ambient temperature, food taste preferences, and cecal microbiota community profiles in mice. By exposing mice to mixed diets containing sweet, sour, salty, and bitter flavors at low (4 °C) and high (37 °C) ambient temperatures, the taste preferences of mice at both ambient temperatures were in the order of saltiness > sweetness > bitterness > sourness. Exposing mice to sweet, sour, salty, and bitter diets, respectively, revealed that in a low-temperature environment, mice consuming salty (5.00 ± 1.49 g), sweet (4.99 ± 0.35 g), and sour (3.90 ± 0.61 g) diets had significantly higher weight gain compared to those consuming normal feeds (2.34 ± 0.43 g, p < 0.05). Conversely, in a high-temperature environment, no significant changes in body weight were observed among mice consuming different flavored diets (p > 0.05). In a low-temperature environment, mice fed sour and sweet diets showed a significant difference in the gut microbiota composition when compared to those fed a normal diet. A higher abundance of Lachnospiraceae, UBA1819, and Clostridiales was identified as the most significant taxa in the sour group, and a higher abundance of Ruminiclostridium was identified in the sweet group. These differences were associated with microbial pathways involved in carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and energy metabolism. A high-temperature environment exhibited only minor effects on the gut microbiota profile. Overall, our findings provide evidence for temperature-modulated responses to the taste, gut microbiota functions, and body weight changes in mice.

Plant-based frozen desserts: temporal sensory profile and preference

Abstract To respond to the growing demand for specific diets aimed at lactose intolerant and vegan consumers, chocolate-flavored frozen desserts with no addition of lactose and other animal-derived products were produced, and the temporal profile and the consumers' acceptance of the samples with sucrose substitution by sweeteners were also investigated. Six frozen dessert formulations were made, three made with soy protein and three with rice protein, sweetened with sucrose, sucralose, and stevia. Acceptance tests and Time-Intensity (TI) analysis were performed to assess the intensity and duration of the attributes sweet taste, bitter taste, chocolate flavor, and melting behavior. The results showed no effect of the different plant proteins on the temporal profile and the acceptance by consumers. The use of sweeteners altered the temporal sensory profile and negatively impacted the acceptance of the samples. The sucralose-sweetened formulations were characterized by a lower intensity of sweet taste, chocolate flavor, and bitterness, whereas the stevia-sweetened formulations showed greater intensity and duration of the bitter taste. Characteristics such as the low intensity of chocolate flavor and the increase in sweetness affected the final acceptance of the product. The melting time of frozen desserts has been extended with the use of body agents to replace sucrose.