Anu Hopia

University of Turku | UTU · Functional Foods Forum

Chewing not only converts food chunks to digestible proportions, it also conveys audible acoustics resulting in a perception on the type and condition of the food being eaten. As biomedical engineers, we may want to reproduce the same eating experience for those who cannot chew or for those who have allergic reactions to some foods. But to understa...

Purpose This study aims to increase knowledge of the ability of nutrition labels to guide consumer choices in real-life environments. Design/methodology/approach Food consumption and plate waste data were collected from two self-service restaurants (SSR) with different customer groups over six observation days: three control and three intervention...

ABSTRACT This study shows how two foodservice products, French fries with sausage (representing vice food) and vegetable and lentil soup (representing virtue food), can be reformulated to meet the nutritional recommendations without compromising consumer acceptance. The reformulation process involved recipe development and testing, including techn...

The sound of food is of influence on how its flavour is perceived. Although rarely studied in psychoacoustics, cheese may have a resonating internal structure in the audible spectrum. It has been speculated that this structure or small bubbles that are formed as a result of fermentation are responsible for creating audible acoustic responses. The p...

In recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), off-flavors can accumulate in fish muscle tissue. They are problematic for consumer acceptance and the reputation of farmed fish products. Although off-flavors are not toxic at low concentrations, they often give fish muscle earthy, muddy, or other unwanted flavors. Traditionally, the study of off-flavors...

Consumers having a strong unhealthy = tasty (UT) belief are less likely to choose healthy food even though they recognize its health benefits, because they assume healthy food to be unpalatable. The aim of this study was to profile consumers according to their UT belief and specify the strength of the belief among a demographically representative c...

Baltic herring (Clupea harengus membras) pickled in vinegar is a common product in the Nordic countries. Other weak acids are used to cook and preserve fish in other food cultures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of weak acids to produce safe and nutritious pickled fish products with varying sensory properties. The influence of...

The interplay between external auditory cues in the eating environment and cognitive processes, such as distraction, may influence food intake, but how and the degree to which they do is unclear. We report an experiment designed to investigate the effects of different sonic atmospheres on meal duration, food intake and evaluations, and responses to...

In this article, we demonstrate that approaches from food chemistry and sensory science, combined with flavour and texture descriptions made available by ethnographic accounts, provide new understanding of former culinary practices described in historical and ethnological literature. We take departure from the 19th century Norwegian “porridge feud”...

Introduction: APOE ɛ4 allele predisposes to high cholesterol and increases the risk for lifestyle-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The aim of this study was to analyse interrelationships of APOE genotypes with lipid metabolism and lifestyle factors in middle-aged Finns among whom the CVD risk fac...

Kalatalouden innovaatio-ohjelma Blue Products keskittyy kotimaisen kalan arvon lisäämiseen kehittämällä alihyödynnettyjen kalojen, kuten silakan ja särkikalojen käyttöä elintarvikkeissa ja uusissa, innovatiivisissa korkean lisäarvon erikoistuotteissa. Kuluttajien kiinnostus silakkaa ja särkikaloja kohtaan ympäristöystävällisenä ja terveellisenä ruo...

To study the effect of photoperiodic conditions on the chemical composition of potato tubers, seven cultivars, grown under controlled conditions, were evaluated for the content of free amino acids (FAA) and sugars. The differences in these compounds may have an effect on the susceptibility of acrylamide formation during potato processing as well as...

The taste‐modifying properties of nanofibrillar cellulose (NFC) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) are compared for the first time. The samples were prepared in the form of gels, with and without added sweet and bitter taste components. As viscosity itself is known to affect taste perception, the viscosities of NFC and CMC samples were set to the sa...

Objective: The aim of this study was to gain insight into the understanding of genetics and perceptions on the ethical issues related to genotype disclosure of the participants in a nutrigenetic study. Methods: A close-ended questionnaire was developed based on literature and discussions among the research group members. The questionnaire contai...

A promising way of processing Baltic herring, Clupea harengus membras, is turning the fish into boneless mince. However, Baltic herring is prone to lipid oxidation, which possess a challenge for industrial applications. The aim of this work was to study the efficacy of press cakes from Finnish berries and a supercritical CO2 plant extract to limit...

Sustainable strategies that enable development of alternative sustainable novel ingredients for food are needed to ensure adequate resources for food in the future. Determining consumer attitudes and acceptance of novel ingredients is essential for wider usage of products including these ingredients. The purpose of the study was to reveal consumers...

Background The APOE ε4 allele is associated with higher risks of cardiovascular diseases and Alzheimer disease than ε3 and ε2. Objectives We studied the effectiveness of dietary and lifestyle guidance and personal genetic risk information [ε4 carrier (ε4+); ε4 noncarrier (ε4−)] as motivators for a healthier lifestyle. Methods A total of 188 healt...

Lunch is an urban phenomenon relatable to people of all age groups. Nationally-legislated-free lunches for children at day-care, schools, universities and at workplace canteens have a long history in the Finnish welfare society. In this article, the meaning-making of having lunch is shown to be mainly – but not solely – rational, and the sensory an...

Interactions between taste compounds and nanofibrillar cellulose were studied. For this, a new fluorescent indicator displacement method was developed. Two fluorescent indicators, namely, Calcofluor white and Congo red, were chosen because of their specific binding to cellulose and intrinsic fluorescence. Seven taste compounds with different struct...

Background: Nutrigenetic tests are often considered to be less serious compared to other health-related genetic tests, although they share similar ethical concerns. Nutrigenetic tests are mainly available through direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTC GT) and increasing in popularity. Objective: To analyze the contents of nutrigenetic DTC GT we...

Current information on the links between the chemistry and hedonic liking of edible mushrooms is scarce. In this study, 84 consumers evaluated the appearance, odor, taste, texture and overall liking of samples of Nordic edible wild mushroom species. Subsequently, multivariate models on the effects of non-volatile compounds, odor-contributing volati...

Heikki Uimonen, Maija Kontukoski & Anu Hopia. Kulttuurintutkimus Vol 35, nro 3-4/2018, s. 3-18. Saatavilla: https://journal.fi/kulttuurintutkimus/article/view/83637 Ruoan, kattauksen, sisustuksen ja illallisseuran ohella ruokailutapahtumaa muokkaavat ruokailijoiden kokemukset ja muistot. Ruoan nauttimiseen ja valmistukseen liittyvällä kulttuurihi...

This book provides a playground for the readers to practice and develop scientific thinking, by exploring the world of food in a fun way. The authors take the role of someone trying to find interesting questions to ask about familiar, though often hidden, phenomena. Claims (or myths) on everyday cooking provide numerous cases for this. Using popula...

Aim: This observational follow-up study was designed to assess the long-term behavioural and clinical effects of receiving personal genetic risk information. The information disclosed was the carrier status of the apolipoprotein E (APOE)alleles, which differentially contribute to the genetic risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and Alzheimer’s dis...

Although Nordic wild edible mushrooms offer a wide range of different odors their scientific examination has been scarce. The aim of this study was to characterize the aroma compounds of four Finnish wild mushroom species with trained assessors using gas chromatography–olfactometry as well as gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Headspace volatile...

The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of color and color combinations on visual attractiveness in food. Ten salad mixes were composed to represent pale-colored salads with no color contrasts and colorful salads with high color contrasts. A consumer study was conducted to discover the kind of color combinations that are seen as visually...

The aim of the present study was to explore the colour-related aesthetic pleasure in food at workday lunches. First, we conducted a survey (n = 188) to define how interested people are in the visual aesthetics of food and plating. Secondly, an additional questionnaire (n = 105) and a qualitative interview study (n = 12) were conducted to investigat...

The effect of cooking on the taste compounds of five mushroom species Agaricus bisporus, Lactarius trivialis, Cantharellus cibarius, Cantharellus tubaeformis and Suillus variegatus were assessed with a special focus on the compounds responsible for the umami taste. Liquid chromatography was used to analyse free amino acids (FAAs) and 5′-nucleotides...

Recent years has seen an increase in collaboration between academics and artisans in the field of gastronomy. Accounts have been given both in research reports and elsewhere, often as recurring stories framed as best-practice examples or stories of success and innovation. In the work herein, we have sought to study the conditions, possibilities, an...

The foodservice industry is a highly competitive branch where customer satisfaction and loyalty is dependent on the price and the quality of the food. To improve cost competitiveness, instead of fresh ingredients, more preprocessed items are used as components in dishes. This may impair the perceived product quality, and thus potentially decrease c...

Edible mushrooms are a global food with a history of consumption spanning several millennia. However, studies utilizing modern sensory methods on mushrooms are still scarce. In this study, the sensory properties of Nordic edible mushrooms were analyzed by two methods. In the sensory profile, sous vide processed wild mushroom species Cantharellus ci...

The aim of this study was to explore the effect of personal values and product type in an experimental study/survey concerning food origins. Two studies were conducted among young consumers (N = 1491) using three different types of products (vegetables, bread, and meat) and an experimental design where information about the food origin varied (neut...

Edible mushrooms are valued because of their umami taste and good nutritional values. Free amino acids, 5'-nucleotides and nucleosides were analyzed from four Nordic forest mushroom species (Lactarius camphoratus, Boletus edulis, Cantharellus cibarius, Craterellus tubaeformis) using high precision liquid chromatography analysis. To our knowledge, t...

Locally produced and sourced food products are gaining popularity among consumers. The effect of the expectations induced by the origin of the food was studied with 1491 consumers in two separate studies among different age groups. In order to test the consumer response to the product origin neutral, domestic, and local conditions were used. Consum...

Reducing salt (NaCl) intake is an important public health target. The food industry and catering services are searching for means to reduce the salt content in their products. This review focuses on options for salt reduction in foods and the sensory evaluation of salt-reduced foods. Simple salt reduction, mineral salts and flavor enhancers/modifie...

Purpose: To analyse how Finnish customers at the pop-up restaurant event Trip to Province, which took place in South Ostrobothnia, Finland, make sense of the locality. Design/methodology/approach: The data consist of three group interviews and eighteen respondents, whose responses were analysed using a frame analysis. Findings: Locality is discus...

A direct quantitative proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy method was developed for the measurement of saccharides, organic acids and amino acids in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tuber filaments, a complex gel-like food matrix. The method requires minimal sample preparation. It is thus a faster alternative compared to liquid sample matric...

The purpose of this research was to study how consumers respond to differences in the freshness of lettuce based only on sensory properties in the foodservice context. Another objective was to measure consumer response to the modification of the consumption context. Data was collected from consumer studies in two separate restaurants with three dif...

The aim of the present study was to examine people׳s colour, music and emotion associations with dishes from two imagined restaurants. We conducted an experiment where we asked two study-participant groups to match interior colours, background music and desired emotional states for either a salad restaurant or a steak restaurant. To evoke associati...

This study's aim was to investigate a consumer's reactions to foods that are naturally atypically colored. Blue potatoes were used, and we characterized consumers who chose either familiar, yellow potatoes, or unfamiliar, blue potatoes. Volunteers ( n = 235) were asked to rate their perceptions after tasting blue or yellow potato salad by using an...

This study examined the concentrations of umami compounds in pork loins cooked at 3 different temperatures and 3 different lengths of cooking times. The pork loins were cooked with the sous vide technique. The free amino acids (FAAs), glutamic acid and aspartic acid; the 5'-nucleotides, inosine-5'-monophosphate (IMP) and adenosine-5'-monophosphate...

Bitter taste receptor genotypes may be associated with the perception of bitterness in berries, and different processing methods may be used to modify the flavor of berry products. The aims of the present study were to investigate the consumption frequency of lingonberries among TAS2R38 genotyped subjects ( n = 83) and to evaluate the sensory chara...

Purpose – This study aims to explore how certain consumer characteristics (dieting status, health motives and food values) together with products carrying ambivalent health and taste cues (light foods, convenience foods, “functional candies”) shape whether and why health and taste attributes are perceived as inclusive (“healthy is tasty” and “unhea...

Purpose – This paper aims to extend current understanding concerning the cross-modal correspondences between sounds and tastes by introducing new research tools and experimental data to study associations and their reflections between music and taste. Design/methodology/approach – The experiment design addresses the multidisciplinary approach by u...

When analyzing the color of foods, a measurement device consisting of a digital camera and image analysis software is an attractive alternative to traditional instruments such as spectrophotometers, colorimeters and sensory evaluations. The device enables the measuring of the surface of a sample pixel-by-pixel and offers versatile possibilities for...

Common health recommendations often incite very little public response, as people instead require individualized information. The purpose of this study was to assess the psychological effects of personal genetic information, provided by different apoE genotypes, as a tool to promote lifestyle changes. This study was a one-year intervention study us...

Aim: To assess the behavioral effects of receiving personal genetic information, using apoE genotypes as a tool for promoting lifestyle changes. apoE was chosen because it has a significant impact on lipid metabolism and cholesterol absorption, both factors in cardiovascular disease. Methods: This study was a 1-year intervention study of healthy...

Aim: There is increasing demand for individualized health advice. The aim of this study was to assess the effects on cardiovascular risk markers of receiving personal genetic health information, using apoE genotypes as a tool for promoting lifestyle changes. ApoE was chosen because it had a significant impact on lipid metabolism and cholesterol abs...

Claims or specifications about cooking (in some literature referred to as ’culinary precisions‘) as found in recipes or as generally shared knowledge, permeate the world of food and cooking. The collection and study of these culinary precisions carries with it potential as a framework for research, not only in food science, but also in other discip...

This article discusses how to study protein chemistry meaningfully in the context of molecular gastronomy by supporting higher-order thinking skills. The instruction also includes several myths that the students can reflect on. Inquiry-based work is performed in the style of the Top Chef competition: the objective is to prepare the lightest and flu...

Hollandaise sauce has been part of western gastronomy since 1593. Being both an emulsion and a foam, it is a good educational platform for heterophasic systems. Preparing Hollandaise sauce generally includes two phases: forming the foam and forming the emulsion. The sauce is a challenging product and fails easily. Improved preparation techniques ha...

The aim of the new material is to support students’ learning of chemistry: acidity and pH-indicators, especially anthocyans, and their argumentation. The material presented here was tested with both teachers and students. This material can be used with elementary school students and high school students. It is also an example on how to bring molecu...

This article looks at the history of molecular gastronomy, how it is defined and used in teaching natural sciences. The article also discusses the cooperative molecular gastronomy education research and development project started in 2011, as well as an affiliated continuing training project for teachers. The project involves developing new researc...

Steam distillation has been used for over two thousand years to isolate the scent of flowers. Rose water is nowadays a rather uncommon ingredient in European cuisine but it is common in, for example, Arabic recipes. The quality of flower distilled waters has improved due to advances in distillation techniques, allowing for better salvaging of flavo...

The present invention is related to improved compositions for reducing serum total and/or LDL cholesterol levels. The compositions are combinations of dietary fiber and plant sterol. The compositions are used as such or more advantageously in food products and comprise one or several fibers, preferably β-glucan, in combination with one or several p...

Autolysis of protein isolates from vascular bundle and inner tuber tissues of potato (Solanum tuberosum) enhanced the inhibition of the angiotensin converting enzyme I (ACE), a biochemical factor affecting blood pressure (hypertension). The physiological age of the tuber affected the strength of ACE inhibition, the rate of its increase during autol...

NMR data on lipid hydroperoxides is scarce. In this study, hydroperoxides were produced from methyl 9-cis,11-trans-octadecadienoate and from methyl 10-trans,12-cis-octadecadienoate by autoxidation in the presence of 20% of alpha-tocopherol. Ten different hydroperoxides were isolated from the autoxidation mixtures of the two conjugated linoleic acid...

Autoxidation of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) methyl ester follows at least partly Farmer's hydroperoxide theory. A mechanism for this hydroperoxide pathway has been proposed based on autoxidation of 9-cis,11-trans-CLA methyl ester. This investigation aims at confirming and further clarifying the mechanism by analyzing the hydroperoxides produced...

Sesamin, a major lignan from sesame seeds has been associated with cholesterol reduction in previous reports, but recent studies suggested differences in the response to sesamin intake depending on the model studied as well as the nature of the sesamin preparation used. The effect of pure sesamin epimer on serum lipids was studied in hypercholester...

The effects of Trametes hirsuta laccase alone and in combination with Aspergillus oryzae and Bacillus subtilis xylanases on dough extensibility were studied using the Kieffer test to determine the dough extensibility (E x) and the resistance to stretching (Rmax). Laccase treatment resulted in dough hardening: the Rmax of dough increased and the Ex...

During long-term storage, Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) seeds are susceptible to ageing, leading to declined vigour and poor germinability. To characterize biochemical changes associated with this ageing, vitamin E and fatty acid compositions of Scots pine seeds stored for 3–31 years were analysed. The seeds contained seven homologues of the vi...

The antioxidant activity of plant extracts (100 and 500 mg/kg) from cloudberry, willow herb and beetroot on thiobarbituric acid (TBA) reactive substances (TBARS) development and hexanal content of cooked pork patties was investigated. Pure quercetin, rutin and caffeic acid were tested in parallel for comparison. The most potent antioxidants on stab...

The health benefits of plant stanols as dietary component are discussed. Since their chemical structure closely resembles cholesterol, plant stanols replace part of the cholesterol in the cholesterol absorption process during food digestion. When a sufficient amount of plant stanol is included into the daily diet, this results in significantly lowe...

Rapeseed oil is usually expelled from the seed at high temperatures. Refining removes most of the non-triacylglycerol components, including many sinapic acid derivatives typical for rapeseed. The effect of these phenolic constituents on the oxidative stability of the oil was studied using rapeseed and turnip rapeseed oil samples resulting from diff...

The volatile compound profiles of 11 Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seed lots were determined by solid phase microextraction combined with GC–MS analysis. Typical monoterpene constituents of pine volatile oils were identified, and total monoterpene content of these seeds was measured semi-quantitatively as peak area. Considerable variation in monot...

A method was developed to measure the radicalscavenging activity of compounds separated by reversed-phase TLC (RP-TLC) using phenolic acids as model analytes. TLC separation was followed by dipping the plate in a 0.04% (wt/vol) solution of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) in methanol. The compounds possessing radical-scavenging activity were de...