Anais do Simpósio Latino Americano de Ciências de Alimentos
Anais do 14 SLACA - Simpósio Latino Americano de Ciência de Alimentos

The physical structure and chemical composition of foods are strictly related to their sensory characteristics. Thus, we evaluated the effects of the extrusion conditions and vegetable oil on the sensory characteristics of cheese-flavored corn grits snacks. Corn grits had the moisture adjusted to the desired ones (10%, 15%, and 20%, dry basis), added with butyric acid (0.4 g/100 g) and cysteine (0.2 g/100 g), and extruded at 140 °C, 120 °C, and 100 °C, respectively. The snacks were added with salt (1.4 g/100 g) and monosodium glutamate (0.6 g/100 g). After, one portion was not added of sunflower oil, while another one was sprinkled with sunflower oil in enough quantity to reach a round of 7 g/100 g of snack. The snacks were evaluated regarding the sensory profile and acceptance through Rate-All-That-Apply and the nine-point hedonic scale, respectively. The results were submitted to the principal component analysis. The snacks were separated in function of the extrusion condition and absence/presence of vegetable oil. The snacks obtained under 15% moisture/120 °C and 20% moisture/100 °C (both with oil) stood out by the acceptance of appearance, odor, flavor, and overall, in function of the yellow color, crispness, cheese odor, cheese flavor, and umami taste, what shows the importance of oil to the snack palatability. The snacks obtained under 10% moisture/140 °C (with and without oil) were described by the adhesiveness and burnt flavor, attributes resulting from the severe extrusion condition applied and that were responsible for low sensory acceptance of snacks. The snacks obtained under 15% moisture/120 °C and 20% moisture/100 °C (both without oil) were described by the cereal flavor, which was due the oil absence. Concluding, the extrusion condition applied and the presence of vegetable oil have important effects on the sensory characteristics of cheese-flavored corn grits snacks.