Moisture migration and instrumental and sensory texture changes were determined in model cheese sandwich structures in which bread water activity was varied by glycerol level. Sandwiches and components were evaluated both after assembly and 4-week ambient storage by uniaxial compression and mathematical description of stress-strain relationships, assessment of sensory characteristics by a trained panel, correspondence between predicted and actual stress-strain relationships, and mass-balance analysis of moisture migration between cheese, bread crumb and bread crust. Textural changes occurred as a result of both aging and moisture migration, and the accuracy of fitted “predicted” stress-strain relationships of the composites varied according to the extent of moisture migration. Sensory assessments of key textural attributes of sandwich composites and components, before and after storage, were significantly correlated with measured mechanical parameters.
- Moisture migration,
- multilayer food,
- sandwiches,
- sensory-instrument correlation,
- texture,
- water activity
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/micha_peleg/13/