Sensory characterization of texture and flavor of high viscosity gels madewith different thickeners

Four thickeners (pectin, gelatin, starch and gelatin + starch) and two arom a concentrations (1.4 and 0.7 mL aroma / I kg candy base) were used for man ufacturing high viscosity gel systems, i.e. strawberry candies. The salient texture and flavor attributes of the samples were identified and evaluated by a trained descriptive panel. The thickeners strongly affected texture a nd flavor attributes of the samples, while the two aroma concentrations did not differentiate between samples. Each thickener used produced its own ch aracteristic texture. The gels with weak and fragile texture had stronger f lavor intensities and tart flavor than the gels with strong and cohesive te xture. Because of the strong interaction between texture and flavor, the re sults have major implications for the production of high viscosity gels suc h as candies.