Perception of Heat in Cheese Sauces as Affected by Capsaicin Concentration, Fat Level, Fat Mimetic and Time

Author Carden is with the Dept. of Human Environmental Sciences, School of Agriculture & Human Environments, The Univ. of Tennessee, Martin, TN. Author Penfield is with the Dept. of Food Science & Technology, The Univ. of Tennessee and Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station, P.O. Box 1071, Knoxville, TN 37920-1071. Author Saxton is with the Dept. of Animal Science and Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station, The Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN. Direct inquiries to Dr. M. P. Penfield. ABSTRACT Perceived heat intensity in cheese sauces with five capsaicin levels, three fat levels and four fat mimetics was studied with time intensity techniques. Heat intensity was not related to fat mimetic. No differences occurred among fat levels at 0.0 and 0.4 ppm capsaicin. At 0.8 ppm capsaicin, maximum and total heat intensities of reducedand low-fat sauces were equal; both were lower in full-fat sauces (p,0.001). Low-fat sauces exhibited greater maximum heat and total intensity than full-fat at 1.2 ppm capsaicin. At 1.6 ppm capsaicin, lowfat sauces had greater total intensity than either reducedor full-fat (p,0.05) sauces. At low-fat levels, lower capsaicin concentrations provided heat equal to higher concentrations in full-fat cheese sauces.