Application Studies / Toast - Crispness and Crunchiness

Toast - Crispness and Crunchiness

Industry:

Food

Attributes measured:

crispiness

crispness

crunchiness

hardness

stiffness

relaxation

elasticity

firmness

toughness

Background

Current testing methods and analysis for the crispness and crunchiness of toasted products do not accurately replicate the end user experience. Compression tests do not substantially break the toasted surface and the pillow effect of the untoasted middle masks the fracture patterns that a user experiences. Shearing and puncture tests only stress a narrow cross section and are not representative of the product. This TA.XTPlus application study presents an advancement of the testing method and analysis for toasted products. This new method and analysis is applicable to manufacturers of bread, shelf stable toast, appliances, and even those studying Maillard reaction and how to reduce acrylamide without negatively impacting consumer’s textural evaluations. The probe used in this study is from the TA-25C Crunchiness Fixture Set.