Rf. Baron et Mp. Penfield, CAPSAICIN HEAT INTENSITY - CONCENTRATION, CARRIER, FAT LEVEL, AND SERVING TEMPERATURE EFFECTS, Journal of sensory studies, 11(4), 1996, pp. 295-316
In a study of pungency in food systems, three carriers (water, cheese
sauce, starch paste) with varying fat levels (none, low, medium, high)
, synthetic capsaicin concentrations (0.0, 0.4, 0.8, 1.3 ppm), and sew
ing temperatures (25 and 38C) were formulated. Panelists evaluated sen
sory heat intensity over a 3-min interval. Time-intensity parameters (
maximum intensity-MAX, time to maximum intensity-TMAX, and rate of rel
ease-RATE) were evaluated. Overall, intensity scores increased as caps
aicin concentration increased. The increase was related to carrier and
fat level. Water samples (0.4, 0.8, and 1.3 ppm) were perceived as mo
re intense than cheese or starch samples at the same capsaicin level G
enerally, increasing the fat level resulted in lower intensity scores.
Warming samples increased RATE, the only parameter affected by temper
ature. The training method was effective when water was the carrier. H
owever, physical or chemical interactions that occur in simple food sy
stems may influence perceived pungency.