Elizabeth Pelofske, Contributing Editor

Correlation of sensory data with instrumental analysis can be a useful tool and is achieved through oral processing of food or beverages, in conjunction with texture, viscosity, particle size and rheological analysis. The International Standards Organization defines texture as “all of the mechanical, geometrical and surface attributes of a product perceptible by means of mechanical, tactile and—where appropriate—visual and auditory receptors.” 

Second-generation stevia extracts were all about high-purity Reb A. In contrast, today’s third-generation stevia extracts are based on better tasting steviol glycosides with the highest commercial value, Reb A, B, C, D and M. 

The idea of “safe” or “healthy” food colors is not new. Fueled in part by popular mythology about “unsafe” food coloring and hyperactivity in children, consumers remain choosy about color ingredients in food. Attendees at a recent Prepared Foods’ R&D Seminar learned about carotenoid color options