Texture design based on chemical-physics knowledge of dairy neutral desserts: Instrumental and sensory characterizations

The aim was to study the influence of different processing steps on the sensory perception of neutral dairy creams of same composition. Chemical-physics interactions between carrageenan, milk proteins and starch, characterized in a previous study, were the starting point for the elaboration of these schemes. A panel assessed 10 products, using a free sorting task followed by a ranking task on free differentiated terms. The rheological properties measured in dynamic conditions and particle size distributions were evaluated. A descriptive ‘perceptual map of neutral dairy creams’ was obtained. Dairy creams were differentiated through their thicknesses and granularity properties. The sensory map matched very well with the instrumental characteristics map of the products. A comparison of the 10 products' instrumental properties with those of a wide range of market products is proposed, showing that it is possible to build a great variety of textures using the same cream composition and changing only the process scheme. Different texture from viscous to liquid and smooth to granular were obtained using a single starch/carrageenan/milk composition but different process schemes. It allows covering a texture domain almost as wide as the market offer. [Display omitted] •Experimental design was carried out using the chemical-physics knowledge of dairy creams.•Effect of the process scheme for a single starch/carrageenan/milk composition was tested.•Dairy creams from a single recipe were perceived different from sensory point of view.•Sensory analysis and instrumental measurements were found to be in good accordance.•Textural properties are dissociated by consistency and micro-gels granularity.