Impact of the olfactory quality and chemical complexity of the flavouring agent on the texture of low fat stirred yogurts assessed by three different sensory methodologies

Texture-flavour interactions in low fat stirred yogurts, whose theological properties were determined by mechanical treatment, were investigated through three sensory methodologies: sorting, free-choice profiling and descriptive analysis. Results first suggested the impact of the yogurt olfactory qualities on texture perceptions. Products with fatty notes (coconut and butter) were judged to be thicker than those presenting green notes (green apple and almond) that were considered to be smoother. The number of aroma compounds of the flavouring agent also appeared to affect texture perceptions. Products flavoured with a mixture of aroma compounds were perceived less thick and sticky but more mouthcoating and smoother than those flavoured with a single aroma compound. Aroma-taste interactions (green apple-sourness, strawberry-sweetness) and texture-taste interactions (thicknesssweetness) were also observed. Sorting and free-choice profiling led to similar results concerning the impact of the flavouring agent composition on texture perceptions. Conventional profiling made it possible to more carefully study interactions between sensory modalities but did not reveal any further effect of the flavouring agent composition. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.